Fully Loaded Vegetable Chili Recipe

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 6 to 8 servings

For the Seasoning Mix

3 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 ½ teaspoons paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

For the chili

one 15-ounce can organic black beans
one 15-ounce can organic kidney beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup peeled and chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with juice
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 bay leaf
¾ cup bulgur
½ cup frozen corn kernels
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, optional

Instructions

For the Seasoning Mix
Place the chili powder, oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, and ⅛ teaspoon of black pepper in a small mixing bowl and stir to blend. Set aside.

For the Chili
In a colander, combine the black beans and kidney beans.
Rinse, drain, and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
Add the onion and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper.
Sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, 2 cups of water, and the seasoning mix; stir until well blended.
Add the tomatoes, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and bay leaf, and mix well.
Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
Stir in the bulgur and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the bulgur is tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the beans and the corn and simmer, partially covered, for an additional 10 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Ladle the chili into individual bowls and top each with 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese.
Serve hot.

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