Chili! I love a good bowl of chili. It’s a great dish for a pot luck, tailgate, or party. It’s also great on a chilly evening to warm the belly. But, it can be very heavy. Sometimes you want something a little lighter… and maybe you want something more on the vegetarian side. This is when a veggie chili is perfect.
This particular veggie chili is reasonably quick, you can have it cooked in a about 40 minutes. It’s not a spicy chili, since I have younglings to feed who do not like spicy food. Instead, this chili is on the smokier side. It’s packed full of vegetables and beans making for a hearty, but not heavy, chili. It’s a great no fuss, veggielicious meal that is perfect for a weeknight.
Ingredients
1 onion, diced
2 small carrots, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
1 14.5 oz can white beans, drained
1 14.5 oz can chick peas, drained
1 onion, diced
2 small carrots, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 small zucchini, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup vegetable stock
1 14.5 oz can white beans, drained
1 14.5 oz can chick peas, drained
Olive oil
Set a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil to coat the pot, and then add the onion. Saute the onion for approximately 3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the carrot, celery, zucchini, and bell pepper. Stir and saute for 5 minutes to begin softening the vegetables. Add the garlic, stir, and saute for one minute, until fragrant.
Stir the canned tomatoes into the vegetables followed by the salt, black pepper, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes.
Finally, add the vegetable stock, drained white beans, and drained chick peas. Stir to blend the contents of the chili well. Bring the chili to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Allow the chili to simmer and slightly thicken for 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, the chili should be ready to eat! Serve in bowls along with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or chopped cilantro. Enjoy!