Serves 6
This vegan chilli recipe has been tried and tested by many of my friends. Always a crowd pleaser, this hearty vegan meal will have everyone wanting more. The recipe was originally Jamie Oliver, but over multiple trials, it’s been adapted into a darker, richer, and more satisfying meal altogether. I’m generally not very specific about quantities when I cook – so feel free to adapt the spices to your preference (I certainly have).
Ingredients:
1 red onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tsps tomato paste
3 tsps ground cumin
3 tsps ground coriander
1tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsps cayenne pepper
Dried chilli flakes (optional, and to taste)
500ml vegetable stock
500g red lentils
1 can black beans
1 can red kidney beans
1 can chopped tomatoes
50g dark chocolate
2 tsps soy sauce
1tsp salt
Method:
- Finely chop the onion and garlic. Sautée gently for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Then, add the spices and tomato paste, mix together, and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, lentils, beans, and veggie stock. Stir until ingredients are incorporated and bring the heat up until it’s simmering. Leave this to simmer for roughly half an hour with the lid on, until the chilli has thickened, and the lentils are soft. Stir occasionally, to prevent the chilli from sticking to the pan.
- Turn down the heat and add the dark chocolate (trust me!) and soy sauce. Now, add the salt. These ingredients add a really meaty flavour and give the dark colour of beef chilli without the meat. The salt counteracts any residual sweetness from the chocolate.
- Cook for a further 10 minutes. If you like your chilli really thick, take out a cup of the chilli, blend it, and add it back in. This gives a really smooth, rich texture, without the fuss of simmering it for hours.
- Serve with rice and coriander on top. Alternatively, you can use this chilli to fill a burrito.
Image: Angele J via Pexels
