Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by
imagine@axionet.comUltimate Vegetarian ChiliIngredients (use vegan versions): 3 tablespoon olive oil
3 chopped onions
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 large can, undrained, of tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1/2 cup bulgur
salt and pepper
cilantro (optional)
Directions:In a large pan, saute the onions and spices. Add peppers and garlic for 1 min. Add cocoa, tomatoes, and water; bring to a boil. Add kidney and black beans, corn and bulgur. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 min. or until bulgur is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, sprinkle with cilantro.
Excellent recipe !
Archived comment by: darnell
mmmmmm....good! This one might be up for the cool carrot award!!
Archived comment by: joanna
sounds great but what does the cocoa do for it. I haven't tasted it yet but im curious!!!!
Archived comment by: emma
the cocoa (as far as I'm concerned) adds that really rich dark color and helps give chili that hearty taste that meat lovers love.
Archived comment by: joanna
I tried the recipe and it was the best...I'm a new veggie and i could hardly notice the difference with that and meat chili, Very good and hearty
Archived comment by: emma
this chili was easy to make, delicious and fast!! I think all the ingredients cost me $10 and made enough to feed 8, hearty portions a couple times over... *s* definitely recommended!
Archived comment by: beodl
hmm... if cocoa is there to give it a hearty feel, couldnt miso do the trick?
Archived comment by: daniel
I use bulgar and/or textured soy protein to give my chili that substantial quality. You might also try adding tomatillos and a lot of garlic. I've never tried corn because it just doesn't seem like chili. Also, cinnamon is a good addition.
Archived comment by: jim
I like to put a couple of tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in my chili instead of cocoa powder. It gives it just the right tang and makes the sauce a little brownish so the meat eaters think there is meat in it.
Archived comment by: suzy
Its too hot. It burnt my tongue.
Archived comment by: margrit
What is bulgar? Name a substitute. What does textured soy protein mean?
Archived comment by: philip
Can you substitute carob for the cocoa? The recipe sounds great! I am looking forward to trying it.
Archived comment by: yvonne
I didn't have bulgur and substituted pearl barley. It was a wonderful chili. I'll definitely make it again!
Archived comment by: pam
This sounds like a delicious recipe. What is bulgur?
Archived comment by: connie
Bulgar is another name for cracked wheat, so I believe. You soak it in hot water for about 20 mins before adding to the recipe. It ends up with the texture of fine minced meat. I like to use my favourite spaghetti sauce (Newmans Own Sockaroomi) replacing tinned tomatoes and extra water. I also agree with the Balsamic vinegar instead of cocoa powder. Cheers - Robin.
Archived comment by: robin
Whoever came up with this is a genius! It rocks the house! I made this recipe last night and liked it a lot. My meat-eating boyfriend dug it, too. The cocoa is a wonderful addition, and traditional to many Mexican foods--its a staple in sauces like chicken mole (which I've never had, but I've read the recipe). Here are my personal alterations for this recipe though: Reduce onions to 2. Double all the spices except the garlic. Reduce the cocoa to 3 tsp. instead of 3 Tbsp. Use only one can of beans. Reduce the water by half. Add a small can of sliced black olives. When I made it per the recipe, it was too dense and not spicy enough for me!
Archived comment by: michelle
This is one of the best recipes I have ever gotten from here. Any time I make it, I am asked for the recipe. As for those skeptical of corn in chili, for some reason, it works. It soaks up the flavor and adds chevegan winess. Many thanks for posting it. jude
Archived comment by: jude
I love this recipe, but I find that it is not hot enough. If you like Hot chilli, try doubling the spices as Michelle suggested and add either 500ml of HOT chilli sauce, or 1 dozen chopped red chillies or 1 dozen chopped jalepeno peppers. The finer they are chopped the hotter the curry seems to be. I don't suggest you try it if you cannot handle HOT foods though. :->
Archived comment by: fiona
This chili was so awesome. The cocoa or something really made this one of the best chilis I have ever tasted. Next time I am going to add some more beans though..I love them
Archived comment by: leah
This is really good and very simple to make. I recommend it especially to new vegetarians.
Archived comment by: cynthia
delicious! double the spices, double the beans and instead of bulgar we added veggie protien. this recipie has helped me to convert my boyfriend into a vegetarian. thank you muchly.
Archived comment by: ari
This recipe is wonderful. I have made this chili several times, and everyone loves it.
Archived comment by: friederike
This was my first recipe I made from this website. It was great!! Even my husband liked it! I didn't know what kind of pepper 1 pepper chopped was so I did a green bell and just for good measure added 1 red bell chopped also. The cocoa did add great flavor and following other members ideas I added about 1/4 tsp cinnamon. Served it over jasmine rice. Thanks for the great recipe!!
Archived comment by: mary kay
Well, use a BIG pot. I ended up using my wok and it was full right up to the top. Unfortunately the chili amounts were a bit extreme as the local dried chili is homemade and so much more potent than the usual commercial variety...I forgot. Despite this it was quite edible. The cocoa didn't taste chocolately and did give it a very meat mince appearance.
Archived comment by: donna
Another wonderful recipe, I really enjoyed it. I added about a tablespoon of basil, but followed the rest of the recipe exactly.
Archived comment by: mary
This recipe is not called ultimate for nothing. I tried it on my veg husband, friend and her meat-eating husband. All of them loved it. Idoubled the chilli powder, substituted bulgur with pearl barley (as suggested by someone else) used babycorn and generous lashings of tabasco sauce as well as 3 red chillies diced finely. Served with hot french loaf. Mmmmm
Archived comment by: rani
This sounds great, along with the comments, but how large is the large can of tomato? Smart&Final large, or 28oz grocery type?
Archived comment by: george
Very good! I omitted the chocolate completely and used 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (canned) instead of the cayenne. My carnivore husband really liked it!
Archived comment by: valerie
This is SO GOOD! I followed the recipe up to the simmering everything together part -- instead, I threw it all into the slow cooker on low and let it cook for several hours. Delicious.
Archived comment by: jjans
Fabulous! We added a couple cans of tomato sauce and extra spices to taste. My anti-veggie husband and brother loved it! They both said that the bulgur made them think there was meat in it.
Archived comment by: abass7997
This is great! You could probably omit the corn, and use two onions instead of three. Whatever you do, make sure that you don't omit the chocolate. The chocolate gives it a rich, unique flavor. This chili is a new favorite - I highly recommend!
Archived comment by: jessika
This is soooooo good! My husband, who eats meat, didn't even miss the meat in it. The only thing I changed was adding some veggie burger crumbles and tabasco as I didn't have bulgur or cayenne. This is definitely a keeper!
Archived comment by: tearhsong2
Amazing recipe! I presoaked my bulgar while chopping veggies. I cut the onion down to 1.5 and added a heart of celery. I also used 1 can of black beans and a chunk of frozen cooked mixed beans. Was delish! Even my daughter who always goes EWWW Beans! liked it. This will be a frequent star in my kitchen from now on. Thank you!
Archived comment by: cali
Adding to the chorus of praise for this recipe... I loved it. I have to admit I made some modifications mostly because I'm incredibly picky and don't like peppers or onions... :-0 At any rate, I was also out of bulgar, so I threw in some millet instead - very tasty. I also tossed in a couple Tbs of balsamic vinegar and some veggie crumbles. This is fabulous! I think I just found a recipe my whole family will enjoy (no easy task!). Thanks!
Archived comment by: eeeks
Awesome recipe. I only used two onions and it was fine. My son, who loves things really spicy, said it was not hot enough but I thought it was just right. (I didn't tell him I cut the cayenne pepper in half - next time I won't!) What I liked about it was how easy it is to make. Just what I want after working all day.
Archived comment by: wendie
where can i get bulgur??
Archived comment by: indianprincez
I have cooked this twice now and its FANTASTIC!! congrats to you!(
imagine@axionet.com) I did make some additions though;-I substituted the Bulagar for a product called Gimme Lean Sausage style Veggi meat alternative. 1/4 tbls Cinnamon (from another post) 1/4 cup of vegan red wine or Cooking Sherry and 4 fresh chopped Carrots near the end so they were crunchy which we like, served over Basmati Rice with freshly made Garlic Bread!!I IT WAS FANTASTIC !!! THANKYOU!
Archived comment by: idave
First, let me say, this was a great recipe. I loved it. BUT people, please, were not mind readers. What size is a large can of tomatoes?. I tried to use a bit of logic and figured that a regular can would be the 14-oz so a large can must be the 28-oz size. No sizes were mentioned for the beans, so I used the standard 15 oz cans. Also, what are peppers? Bell peppers? Jalapeno? I used bell peppers, one green and one red. I also added an 8-oz can of tomato sauce along with 2 cans of water (I like my chili a bit soupier). I also added a bit of sugar to cut down on acidity. Again, a great recipe.
Archived comment by: loydclayton
I made this for dinner last night. It was deeeeelicious! Also super-easy, and I already had all the ingredients on hand. I give it two thumbs up!
Archived comment by: naomi
It took me ten years to perfect my own recipe for vegetarian chilli and have to say I haven't had better but I'm biased (“,) It’s my favourite dish for sure!! Some interesting additions (mainly the coca powder although I've tried with chocolate in it before and personally prefer a little sugar to glaze the sweet peppers and onion and to sweeten the dish as a whole) but as others have said it seems as though the measures are incorrect with certain ingredients. I wouldn't put garlic in my recipe either personally.
Archived comment by: andy B
I took the suggestion of doubling the spices in this one, and found the heat of the dish wasn't too much to handle, but that the chili powder taste was somewhat overpowering. I also added carrots and celery to this to bring in a few more veggies. As for the question on the cans of tomatoes, I used 2 14.5 oz cans, and that seemed to be ample.
Archived comment by: kparsons
Sounds really goood, I'm gonna try it!! Nice that its just veggies - really nice - that there are no meat substitutes. Thanks...
Archived comment by: sisse
the cocoa really makes this chili. i will never make chili without cocoa again!
Archived comment by: fly_grrl
One question: What can I substitute for the bulgar- other than TVP or pearl barley? (I need something that's readily available,as its difficult to find such things in the very rural area where I live). I've got to try this! (Doubling or tripling the spices though...). Please, someone...give me an idea for tjhe substitution...can't wait!
Archived comment by: sirFartsAlot
Possibly the best I've ever had; definitely the best I've ever made!
Archived comment by: latinrocks
For the people fussing about what type of pepper it calls for and how big a can of tomatoes is needed: When people say peppers they usually mean bell peppers, which are actually chilles (but hey, who here's a nutritional anthropologist?). Second, use as big or small a can of tomatoes as you like - it'll still taste great! Dont get so locked into recipes that you don't even try it. Instead of bulgar I would suggest using a crumbled meat substitute (but be careful if you're vegan, as many meat subs have egg whites)or crumbled seitan - just something that has the same hearty meaty texture. Great recipe, especially for a chilli fanatic like myself.
Archived comment by: missAntithesis
i completely disagree with everyone, me and two friends followed this recipe to the letter, and it turned out horrible and bland, even after we tried to spice it up with anything and everything it didn't taste good at all.
Archived comment by: 40937
Meat eaters often use cocoa powder in thier chilli too....most call it thier secret ingredient. It does add a nice touch.
Archived comment by: mariagoff
This was a great dish! I left out the corn and added fake veggie meat crumbles and it turned out great. I also used pinto and black beans. Thanks
This will always be a favorite.
Archived comment by: shillap
I found this recipe last night while looking for something to cook for supper. After reading all of the comments praising it, I decided to try it myself. Cocoa in chili, who woulda thunk it? Not me, that's for sure! I stupidly forget to add the peppers (I was in such a rush trying to prepare it and have it cooking before Survivor came on). I ate it as was last night, but add 1/2 green pepper and 1/2 red pepper to the mixture before putting it away for the night. (I would have added the entire 2 if I had the whole pot left--and it does taste better today with the peppers added; gives it a bit more flavour). The chili had/has a different flavour from any other chili I've ever tried before. My guess is its the cocoa. The bulgur makes it look like there is ground beef mixed in...only it is healthy, cruelty free, and environmentally friendly! I give it two thumbs up! And as I said, it is much better today with the peppers soooo I won't be forgetting them next time! LOL Thank you for the recipe!
Archived comment by: vegan_angel411
Oh, and I must disagree with the person who called it bland. Aside from the peppers mishap (which I did add later), I kept the recipe exactly as was written, except I did add just a touch of cinnamon as someone suggested. It wasn't bland at it. Certainly it is not *overly* spicy, but it is spicy and lasts long enough to stay tingling in your mouth for awhile. Of course, I guess it all depends on individual tastes.....
Archived comment by: vegan_angel411
What an awesome use for bulgar! It definitely makes an excellent replacement for store bought burger crumble or the like. I've made this recipe many times, and I always look forward to the leftovers. Its even better the next day.
Archived comment by: stephOllie
Great recipe. I went with 3 cans of beans and used 1 cup of TVP instead of bulgur. I would omit the corn next time and will try a small amount of jalepenos (I did leave out the cayenne). Add lots of cilantro on top!
Archived comment by: ewolf
This is my all-time favorite vegetarian chili recipe--and I've tried a bunch. I've been making it for years now, and it rocks! Incidientally, someone asked about substituting carob powder for cocoa powder. I've tried it, and it works just fine. The great thing about this recipe is that you can vary it according to your personal taste. I love it as is. The bulgar lends a surprisingly meat-like texture, which wins over skeptical carnivores.
Archived comment by: zucchiniSister
My carniverous husband couldnt get enough of this chili! Tastes better the next day, assuming there is any left!
Archived comment by: galactic_starfish
this recipe is delicious! i followed the recommendations to double the spices, and add in some hot pepper sauce, and it was delicious! Thanks for the post!
Archived comment by: shershcovis
