Chickpea, Corn & Kidney Bean Chili

You won’t miss the meat in this stacked vegetarian chili. Three kinds of legumes, creamy chickpeas, hearty kidney beans, and sweet corn, give it enough body and protein to satisfy.

It starts the right way, blooming onions, garlic, chili powder, and cumin in oil so the spices wake up before any liquid hits the pot. Carrots and green pepper add color, sweetness, and a little bite.

Then in go crushed tomatoes, the beans, corn, and a couple of jalapenos for heat, all left to simmer together for half an hour so the flavors meld and the chili thickens.

It’s the kind of forgiving, one-pot meal that’s hard to mess up and only gets better the next day.

Spoon it over rice, or stir in a scoop of TVP for extra heft, as the recipe suggests.

Chef Tips

• Bloom the chili powder and cumin in the hot oil with the onions; cooking the spices briefly deepens their flavor far more than adding them to liquid.
• Seed the jalapenos for milder heat, or leave the seeds in for a real kick.
• Make it a day ahead; like all chili, the flavor deepens overnight in the fridge.

Variations

• Stir in TVP, crumbled tempeh, or a meat substitute to bulk it up, as the note suggests.
• Add black or pinto beans to the mix, or swap in fire-roasted tomatoes.
• Top with avocado, cilantro, lime, or a dollop of vegan sour cream.