Smoky Chipotle Vegetarian Chili

All I can say is…let football season—and the parties that come along with the games—start! I’m looking forward to replicating this recipe for a bunch of friends during football season, as this will be a hit. Spicy enough to enjoy a nice beer with it, yet not so crazy-spicy that kids (at least mine) won’t be able to eat it.

The aroma was absolutely divine—the whole house smelled as good as the chili tasted. Also, a great way to make kids and adults who usually shun veggies fill their tummies with wonderful fall vegetables.

Wow. You definitely do NOT miss the meat in this flavorful chili! I was a little unsure about it at first, but with the combination of three different beans and the squash, layered with the depth of the chipotles, spices, and beer, this is a hearty, delicious meal. Definitely a keeper, and makes adding vegetarian meals (Meatless Monday, anyone?) into the mix a breeze.

I served this with corn cakes (nothing fancy, just off the side of the Jiffy box, but with some added cheese), along with the leftover Negro Modelo, and it was a big hit for dinner.

This is a great vegetable chili recipe. The ingredients all work well together and create wonderful texture and flavor in the dish. The chipotles add a dimension of smokiness not usually found in chili recipes.

For garnishes, I cooked some rice and put out bowls of Cheddar Jack cheese, diced scallions, tomatoes, olives, shredded lettuce, cilantro leaves, guacamole, and sour cream.

A perfect summertime chili. The seasonal vegetables taste fresh, and the short cooking time is always welcome during warm months. The beans give the chili substance, making it a hearty meal even for people who normally gravitate towards meat dishes. I served my chili with diced avocados tossed with lime juice and some honey cornbread.

With the smoky heat of the chipotle chiles, our dinner had yin, yang, and then some! The recipe calls for just 1 tablespoon oil for the entire pot, so if your heart desires, go crazy with cheese and sour cream without any guilt.

I love this chili. The taste is outstanding and ages very well. It’s very hearty, with a rich, smoky flavor, and healthy to boot. I don’t miss the meat in it at all. I did have to make a few changes. Fire-roasted tomatoes are hard to come by in Canada, and I had two 14-ounce cans with green chiles in my pantry from my last trip south of the border, so I used them and chose not to add an extra 14-ounce can of regular tomatoes. This worked out fine. Also, I couldn’t find a yellow squash, so I just increased the amount of zucchini; again, fine.

I omitted the veggie broth, as I had added the beer first, and the chili was quite liquidy already. It would have been chili soup if I had added the two cups of broth, and that wouldn’t have been to my or my family’s liking. I simmered it with the lid askew, and there were plenty of juices for sopping up with either cornbread or rice.

I will certainly make this again, but I’ll add some mushrooms next time, as they add a nice, dense, earthy meatiness. It’s my own bias that a veggie dish of this sort needs mushrooms, though I loved this perfectly as is. I would add the peppers towards the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking instead of sautéing them with the onions, as I would have liked a bit more firmness to them.

This is a great take on vegetarian chili, with lots of fresh vegetables to bulk everything up and make you feel less guilty about the layer of cheese you’ll throw on top. The chipotles in adobo make it hot and smoky, and the beer adds a lot of flavor. It’s a super hearty meal with an endless number of ways to change it up for an entire week’s worth of lunches!

My chipotles must have been exceptionally spicy because the resulting chili was a touch hotter than I would have liked. I think next time I’ll start with 1 and go from there. My boyfriend and I have been eating this for days in a number of ways, all good: On tostadas with a crumble of queso fresco and chopped avocado; over eggs with some shredded cheddar; poured over baked sweet potatoes (a favorite); and finally, just as is — with plenty of oyster crackers and cheese. Yum.

P.S. I’ve never plucked the leaves of cilantro off the stems in order to use only the stems before. That was interesting!

The vegetables took a good deal of time to chop. I was wondering if the resulting chili would be worth the effort. It really was worth it. The chili was chunky, hearty, and satisfying. The flavor had depth, heat, and a touch of sweetness.

My husband didn’t realize he was eating a vegetarian dish until I mentioned it. I served it with cheese and fresh buttermilk cornbread. It was a crowd-pleaser, and it makes enough for a pretty big group; great game-day fare.

I decided to make this recipe in the slow cooker. I started by following step 1 exactly: I sautéed the onions and peppers and then added them to the slow cooker. Then I added the zucchini and squash. After that, I added the tomatoes and the paste.

I only used half the beer, as well as half the stock. I first covered it for the first 1.5 hours on medium, then I uncovered it for another 1.5 hours on high. Even though it came out softer than cooking it on the stovetop, the flavors were still all there.

I followed the directions for making this chili in the slow cooker but also relied on one of the commenter’s thoughts about reducing the liquid. The chili is gorgeous with all of the pepper colors and textures of the vegetables.

Overall, I thought the recipe was delicious, but it’s not a great recipe for the slow cooker since you have to dirty a pot to precook the onions/peppers, zucchini, etc. I substituted summer squash for corn, which I added at the end, and it was delicious. I’d try it again on the stove but wouldn’t make it in the slow cooker again.