Crockpot Black Bean Veggie Chili
Submitted by Trevida
Crockpot black bean veggie chili: black beans, sweet corn, peppers, and tomatoes simmered low and slow with cumin and cayenne. A hearty, high-fiber meatless chili that practically cooks itself.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
10 hrsREADY
10 hrsSet it and forget it. This meatless chili does ten hours of slow, hands-off work in the crock pot and rewards you with a thick, deeply spiced pot of comfort. Black beans and sweet corn give it heft and plenty of fiber, so nobody misses the meat.
One step is worth doing on the stovetop first: sauteing the onions and garlic, then blooming the cumin and cayenne in the hot pan for a couple of minutes. Toasting the spices in fat wakes up their flavor in a way that just dumping them into the pot never quite matches.
Crushed tomatoes and picante sauce form the base, melding with the beans and peppers over the long, gentle cook into something rich and slightly smoky.
Finish each bowl your way, with grated cheddar for melty richness and, for an unexpected crunch, a handful of cashews scattered on top.
Kitchen Tips
- Bloom the cumin and cayenne in the hot pan with the onions for a couple of minutes; it deepens the whole pot’s flavor.
- Drain and rinse canned black beans to cut excess sodium and keep the chili from turning gluey.
- Taste and adjust the cayenne and picante sauce at the end, since brands vary a lot in heat.
- Check your crock-pot size and scale the tomatoes and corn to fit, as the original cook noted.
Variations
- Stir in extra beans like kidney or pinto for more variety.
- Add diced zucchini or sweet potato for even more vegetables.
- Top with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, or a squeeze of lime.
Ingredients
Directions
Sauté onions in the olive oil.
(I used cooking wine instead to cut out the fat).
Add garlic a bit later.
After onion and garlic are have turned golden brown, add cumin, cayenne, and whatever other spices you might like.
Fry for a couple of minutes.
Next, add the peppers, sauté them for a few minutes.
Put the crushed tomatoes, corn, beans and picante sauce into the crock pot, and add the onion mixture.
Cook on low about 10 hours.
Serve with grated cheddar and cashew nuts, if desired.
Note:
I didn’t have room in my crockpot for 2 cans of crushed tomatoes, and I had to cut back a little on the corn too, so you will have to vary the sizes above depending on the size of your crockpot.
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