I found my vegan chili recipe!! This is a big moment, because I love chili. I have been making chili from scratch since I was in high school. And it was basically a recipe handed down from my mom. But after college, I made it my own… basically substituting ground beef with ground turkey. Since I became vegan, I have been on a mission to find good vegan chili. I’ve ordered it at restaurants and even tried to make it myself, but with no success… until now.

Now before anyone comes for me, this is not my recipe. It was passed on from a friend who admitted she got it form the internet long ago, but does not remember the source. I first tasted this recipe in Dallas late last year. I attended an event in someone’s home, where the food was catered. For the few vegans in attendance, one woman (who’s son is vegan for dietary reasons) made a big pot of vegan chili with vegan beef substitute, Beyond Burger.

Now I was skeptical at first. I have had bad luck trying to recreate my old chili recipe with vegan brand, Beyond Beef. For those who have not tried Beyond Beef, it has a strong, distinct flavor that if not cooked carefully can overpower a dish. And that is exactly what happened when I tried to use it for my old chili recipe. It was so bad that i just threw it out.

So imagine my surprise when I tasted that homemade chili in Dallas and not only was it delicious, but it was also filled with Beyond Beef. It was flavorful, well spiced and actually reminded me of the chili I used to make. I asked for the recipe and decided to try it at home.

I decided the trick to making chili with Beyond Beef must be cooking the vegan meat separately. So that is what I did and it turned out perfectly. I have been taking it to work for lunch just about every day since making it and I am still not tired of it.

Here is the recipe. Try it for yourself and let me know how it turns out.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Olive Oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

2 ribs of celery, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

6 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tablespoon salt

4 tablespoons chili poweder

2 tablespoons of cumin

2 tablespoons of smoked paprika

1 tablespoon of dried oregeno

2 large cans of whole peeled tomatoes

2 cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups vegetable broth

4 bay leaves

4 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

2-3 tbsp of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice to taste

1 lb pkg (20 g) of Beyond Beef or 2 pkgs if you like a lot of meat

Directions:

In large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat until hot

Add garlic and cook for about 2 min, stirring often

Add chopped onion, red and green peppers, celery and a little salt to taste. Cook until vegetables are tender and onions are translucent… about 10 minutes. Stir often.

Add tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans.

Bring to a medium heat boil.

Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt. Put on low heat and cover with lid and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Add olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Once hot add ground Beyond Meat. Add salt and pepper (and other spices to taste) stir and cook until brown.

Add to the pot of chili: vinegar, cilantro and extra salt, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika to taste. I usually add extra of all at this point to my liking because I like mine spicy and flavorful.

Simmer chili pot with lid for about another 30 min to an hour, until spices reach full flavor.

Add cooked ground Beyond meat to chili pot and mix well into chili.

Let simmer for about 5 min.

Serve.

I like adding hot sauce to may chili, but you may want to add vegan cheddar, avocado slices or a little vegan sour cream and enjoy.