Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 5–6
Diet: Vegetarian
Vegetarian Chili that’s “meaty” and satisfying – without the meat! A hearty mixture of walnuts, mushrooms, and carrots as your base, with big flavors of onion, garlic, green chiles and spices.
INGREDIENTS
The “Meat:”
1 cup walnuts
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, washed, stems removed
4 medium carrots, cut into chunks
The Chili:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 6-ounce can diced green chiles (or fresh minced jalapeños)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2–3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1–2 teaspoons salt (more or less to taste)
2 14-ounce cans diced or crushed tomatoes (with juices)
1 14-ounce can beans of choice (optional, see notes)
1 cup water
Make the “meat” – pulse all ingredients in a food processor until broken down into a chunky paste-like texture. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until very soft.
Add green chiles, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and soy sauce. HELLO FLAVOR.
Add your “meat” to the pan – once it mixes in and starts cooking, it should start to resemble chili meat. Let the “meat” cook for 10 minutes or so to soften the vegetables. Season with salt.
