There are some basic truths in life. Like, say, the truth that you should always have a handful of simple, easy, and healthy recipes that you can pull out fo...
There are some basic truths in life. Like, say, the truth that you should always have a handful of simple, easy, and healthy recipes that you can pull out for anything from a weeknight meal to when you need to feed a crowd.
For us, a few of those recipes are this Slow Cooked Chicken Tinga, this Sweet Sausage Three Cheese Lasagna, and this healthy vegetarian recipe for Black Bean Chili that’s loaded with sweet potatoes, chiles, and herbs.
This is one the most popular recipes on the site and it's for a good reason: it's an easy, healthy vegetarian recipe that's a crowd pleaser. For frequent flyers like us, you can eat loads of it to kickstart some clean eating after an indulgent vacation.
Not to mention you can always keep the ingredients in your pantry so you can cook it when you feel like you have nothing in the house. Not to mention that it freezes like a champ so you can make batches and batches and keep it in store for when you don't feel like cooking.
And, this is the kind of dish that, after you've made it a couple times, you don't even need a proper recipe to follow. Plus, it's one that's delicious as is but also great with twists. Have some ground bison or turkey? Toss it in! Want to make it even healthier? Stir in some cooked quinoa! For an unexpected take, sprinkle in a tablespoon or two of unsweetened cocoa powder. Or do like we do and top it with tons of fresh veggies -- sliced radishes, scallions, jalapenos, cilantro -- for a surprisingly healthy but satisfying meal. Whether or not you add your own unique take to this healthy vegetarian recipe, we’re sure you’ll love it.
Okay, now go stock up on all your cooking essentials then head into the kitchen, make this, and share it with us by tagging @saltandwind and #swsociety on social!
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finely chopped
finely chopped or grated
stem and seeds discarded then chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
medium dice (about 4 cups)
use the Frijoles De Olla or you can use 2 (15) ounce cans of beans
chopped for garnish (optional)
for garnish (optional)
for garnish (optional)
cut into sixths, for garnish (optional)
thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
Start The Chili: Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. When it shimmers, add the onion, season with salt, and cook until softened and onions is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chile powder, cumin, and chipotle and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Be sure to scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the pan (using a wooden spoon or spatula) in order to get the most flavor in the chili then add the tomatoes, water or broth, sweet potatoes, and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes.
By the way you can cook this in a slow cooker! We recommend you saute the onions and garlic with the spices per the recipe instructions then transfer it to a slow cooker once you add the tomatoes -- if you don't saute the ingredients first the final chili will likely be bland. Cook the chili on low in a slow cooker until the potatoes are tender, anywhere from 4 to 6 hours.
Simmer The Chili: Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the beans (if you've made Frijoles De Olla the leftovers would be delicious here!), and simmer, partially covered, until the liquid is slightly thickened, the potatoes are cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Be sure to adjust the heat as needed to keep the liquid at a simmer. If the heat it too high, the potatoes and beans will get mushy.
Serve The Chili: Taste, and add more salt and/or a squeeze of lime juice, as desired. Garnish with scallions, cheese, and jalapeños, as desired, and serve with tortilla chips.
Chili can be made up to a day ahead. Just heat over low heat, taste, and adjust seasoning as desired before serving.
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