{"id":204478,"title":"Vegetarian Chili","modified":"2026-11-05T15:23:39+01:00","plain":"A vegetarian three-bean chili with corn and bell peppers, cooked in a single pot and served over white rice.\n\n\n\nOn a weeknight, when darkness falls early, a pot of simmering chili is all it takes to warm up the whole kitchen. \n\n\n\nThe cumin and smoked paprika perfume the air, the thick tomato sauce coats the spoon, and the black, pinto, and kidney beans hold their shape among the kernels of corn. \n\n\n\nIt\u2019s ladled over white rice, with a spoonful of well-chilled sour cream and a few cilantro leaves. Nobody misses the meat, and everyone goes back for seconds before finishing their bowl.\n\n\n\nThe beef version, with the meat: my chili con carne\n\n\n\nWhat Is Chili Sin Carne?\n\n\n\nChili sin carne means \u201cchili without meat\u201d in Spanish. It\u2019s the vegetarian version of Tex-Mex chili: beans, bell peppers, tomato, and mild spices, cooked together in a single pot. \n\n\n\nThis recipe also does without meat substitutes such as soy crumbles, lentils, tofu, or tempeh. Three kinds of canned beans, sweet corn, a red bell pepper, and a poblano pepper or a green bell pepper do all the work.\n\n\n\nChili powder needs a word of explanation. In the United States, \u201cchili powder\u201d is a mild blend of ground chiles, cumin, oregano, and garlic. In Europe, a jar labeled \u201cchili\u201d often contains pure ground hot chili, and 3 tablespoons would be far too spicy: use a Tex-Mex blend or a chili con carne seasoning mix.\n\n\n\nFrom Texas Chili to European Weeknight Dish\n\n\n\nChili con carne comes from the border regions between Texas and Mexico. As early as the 1850s, San Antonio\u2019s \u201cChili Queens\u201d were selling cheap, spicy meat stews in the public squares. \n\n\n\nIn the strictest Texas chili, meat and chiles make up the whole dish, with no beans or tomatoes. For fans of Mexican-style braised beef, there\u2019s also Mexican shredded beef.\n\n\n\nUse leftover chili to fill cheese quesadillas\n\n\n\nChili sin carne took off in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, along with the vegetarian movements. Cooks replaced the beef with what Texas purists refused to include: beans and tomatoes. \n\n\n\nIn Germany, France, and the Nordic countries, it has become a weeknight dish, made with canned goods and most often served on a bed of white rice.\n\n\n\nThe Main Ingredients in Chili Sin Carne\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nThe black, pinto, and kidney beans come from cans, drained and rinsed: they\u2019re already cooked and hold their shape during the short simmer. If you can\u2019t find pinto beans, an extra can of black or kidney beans will do. The sweet corn adds pops of sweetness, the onion and red bell pepper form the base, and the poblano pepper brings a green, slightly smoky note. Since it\u2019s rare in Europe, you can replace it with a green bell pepper.\n\n\n\nThe spices stay mild: chili powder, dried oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt. The sauce brings together a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, a little sweeter and smokier than plain ones, 800 g of diced tomatoes, a little water, and tomato paste. A spoonful of maple syrup, added at the end, rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes.\n\n\n\nAt the table, everyone tops their own bowl: sour cream, shredded cheddar, green onions, cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, and tortilla strips. The lime gets squeezed at the last moment, right into the bowl.\n\n\n\nInstead of sliced avocado, homemade guacamole\n\n\n\nTechnique Tips for a Good Chili Sin Carne\n\n\n\nSaut\u00e9 the onion and peppers until they start to soften before adding the garlic. The spices cook for just one minute, stirring constantly: they burn quickly.\n\n\n\nThe simmer is short: 10 minutes covered, then 10 minutes uncovered to reduce the sauce. To thicken it without starch, blend about a quarter of the chili right in the pot with an immersion blender, or pur\u00e9e 250 ml of it in a blender, then return it to the pot.\n\n\n\nInstead of rice, serve it with cornbread fresh out of the oven\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re using dried beans, soak them for 8 to 12 hours, then boil them hard in fresh water for at least 10 minutes before cooking them: this is essential for kidney beans. The chili is even better the next day. It keeps for 4 to 5 days in the fridge and can be frozen for up to 3 months.\n\n\n\n\n\n\tChili Sin Carne\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tVegetables1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion (medium yellow or white, chopped)1 poblano pepper, (or 1 green bell pepper, diced)1 red bell pepper, (diced)3 cloves garlic, (minced)Vegetable broth (optional, for deglazing)Spices3 tablespoons chili powder ((mild American-style spice blend, see notes))1 teaspoon oregano (dried)1 teaspoon cumin (ground)0.5 teaspoon salt0.5 teaspoon paprika (smoked)Beans and Tomatoes1 (400 g) can black beans, (drained and rinsed)1 (400 g) can pinto beans, (drained and rinsed)1 (400 g) can red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)1 (400 g) can sweet corn, (drained)1 (400 g) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, (or plain diced tomatoes)800 g canned diced tomatoes180 ml water2 tablespoons tomato paste1 tablespoon maple syrupFor ServingRice (cooked white)Sour creamCheddar (shredded)Green onions, (sliced)Cilantro (fresh, chopped)Avocado, (sliced)Lime, (cut into wedges)Tortilla strips, (or tortilla chips)\t\n\t\n\t\tVegetablesIn a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat for about 1 minute.Add the onion, poblano pepper, and red bell pepper.Saut\u00e9 for 4 to 5 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.Add the garlic.Cook for a few more minutes.If the bottom of the pot gets dry, deglaze with a few tablespoons of water or vegetable broth.SpicesAdd the chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and smoked paprika.Stir well into the vegetables.Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant: they burn quickly.SimmeringAdd the black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and corn.Add both kinds of tomatoes, the water, and the tomato paste.Stir.Bring to a simmer.Cover and cook for 10 minutes.Remove the lid.Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili reaches the thickness you want.Add the maple syrup and stir.Taste and adjust the salt if needed.Thickening (Optional, Recommended)Using an immersion blender, blend about a quarter of the chili right in the pot.If you don't have an immersion blender, scoop out about 750 ml of chili, working in two batches if your blender is small.Pulse it a few times in the blender.Return it to the pot and stir.ServingServe the chili hot, over rice or with the rice on the side.Top with your choice of sour cream, cheddar, green onions, cilantro, avocado, a squeeze of lime, and tortilla strips.\t\n\t\n\t\tChili powder: yes, it really is 3 tablespoons. In the United States, \u201cchili powder\u201d is a mild blend of ground chili peppers, cumin, oregano, and garlic. In Europe, a jar labeled \u201cchili\u201d or \u201cground chili\u201d often contains pure hot chili: 3 tablespoons would be far too spicy. Use a Tex-Mex or chili con carne spice blend, or a mild paprika-based blend, and add pure hot chili only a pinch at a time.\nPoblano pepper: this is a mild, dark green chili pepper, less spicy than a jalape\u00f1o, that adds a smoky note. For less heat, remove the white membranes, which are the hottest part. It is hard to find in European supermarkets: a green bell pepper can stand in for it.\nFire-roasted tomatoes: they are a little sweeter and smokier than plain diced tomatoes. If you can't find them, just use a can of plain diced tomatoes.\nBeans: pinto beans can sometimes be found in the international foods aisle; if not, use an extra can of kidney beans or black beans. Canned beans are the standard choice for this dish. If using dried beans, soak them for 8 to 12 hours, drain them, then boil them vigorously in fresh water for at least 10 minutes: this is essential for kidney beans, which are toxic if not cooked enough. Then simmer them until tender (about 1 to 1\u00bd hours for black beans, 1\u00bd to 2 hours for kidney beans) before adding them to the chili: uncooked beans stay hard in the tomato sauce, which is too acidic.\nThickness: if the chili is too thin, let it simmer uncovered for longer. Starch is usually not needed; blending a small portion of the chili is enough to thicken it.\nVariations: replace the water with beer (porter, amber, or a light lager); add fall vegetables (sweet potato, pumpkin, carrot, butternut squash) or celery and mushrooms. For a heartier chili, you can add lentils, crumbled tofu or tempeh, or textured soy protein: these are variations, and the basic recipe doesn't include them.\nFor a vegan version: plant-based sour cream and cheddar, nutritional yeast. In Germany and much of Europe, chili sin carne is most often served on a bed of white rice, often basmati; you can also serve it over quinoa, pasta, cornbread, or tortilla chips.\nStorage: let the chili cool, then keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Leftovers make good quesadillas, tacos, or enchiladas.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tPlat principalAm\u00e9ricaine","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204478","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204478"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204478\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204391"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204478"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204478"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204478"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}