Veggie Chili Recipe

Cooking Channel's Nikki Dinki shares a new recipe inspired by her cookbook, Meat on the Side, for an almost-Vegetarian chili

Veggie Chili

Makes 8 cups, with about 2 cups tomato salsa, serves 4-6

Cherry Tomato Salsa

1 pint cherry tomatoes, coarsely chopped

Juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt, to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste
 

Veggie Chili

2 links chorizo, casings removed (about 3 ounces each)

2 red bell peppers, chopped

3 small yellow onions, chopped (about 2 cups)

3 poblano chiles, seeded, ribs removed, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

One 28-ounce can tomato sauce

One 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed + drained

One 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed + drained

One 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed + drained

One 12-ounce jar salsa verde (green salsa)

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (start with ½ tablespoon if yours is extra spicy)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Cherry Tomato Salsa Instructions

In a medium bowl, toss the tomatoes, lime juice, and cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Veggie Chili Instructions

1. In a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the chorizo until it is well-browned, breaking it up with a spoon as you cook—about 7 minutes.

2. Transfer the chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving the fat in the pot. Then add the bell peppers, onions, poblano chiles, garlic and 1 teaspoon of salt and cook until the veggies are tender—8-10 minutes.

3. Next add the tomato sauce, black beans, kidney beans, white beans, salsa verde, cumin, chili powder, 2 teaspoons of salt and the black pepper. Simmer this mixture until it is thickened—about 20 minutes, then stir in the cilantro

4. To serve, divide the soup into bowls and top each with the chorizo and finally some of the Cherry Tomato Salsa.