When I first started cooking vegetarian meals, I’d slip in one or two meals a week. Now we can go full weeks without meat and I have stumbled upon some unintended benefits. First, it’s a really good excuse to take the money you would normally spend on expensive meat and buy great quality olive oil, vinegar and chocolate. Totally. It overall saves money, adds more veggies to our diet, high-fives the environment and saves me from the “there’s nothing defrosted” dilemma and subsequent “Is this still good?” conundrum. There’s also something completely satisfying about making a really good vegetarian dish that would win over the biggest meat eater.

I thought at the very least this recipe would warm us up over the chilly Michigan weekend, but it was love at first bite. This chili does not skimp on flavor or spice and we didn’t feel like we were missing out at all. Spoon it over rice and you have that wonderful rice and beans combo.

Not only is it vegetarian, it’s also vegan. Just veggies, spices and a bit of oil. I changed the original recipe’s vegetable amounts, but we found the spice/seasoning level to be perfect for us. I fully support your decision to make this and reward yourself with an expensive bar of chocolate.

Recipe: Hearty Vegan Chili

The recipe below makes a pretty spicy chili and we liked it that way. If you’re looking for something more mild, decrease the serrano peppers to 1 and start with a pinch of cayenne and adjust from there. The cooking time below totals about 42 minutes, but if you have time, it can simmer away for a while. I left the lid on while it cooked for an hour and a half, stirring every so often and then removed the lid for the last 10 minutes of the cooking time to dry up some of the liquid.

Adapted from Ezra Poundcake

Makes 6-8 generous servings, especially if served over rice.

2 T. canola oil

1 1/2 C.  yellow or white onions (about 2 large onions), chopped finely

1 large red bell pepper, 1/4-inch diced

2 T. garlic, minced

3 serrano chile peppers, stem, seeds and ribs removed, minced

2 small to medium zucchini, trimmed and 1/4-inch diced

2 C. frozen corn or 1 small bag

1 1/2 lbs. portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed and 1/4-inch diced (6 medium caps)

2 T. chili powder (use a quality blend or ancho chile powder is one of my favorites)

1 T. ground cumin

1 1/4 t. kosher salt

1/4 t. cayenne

4 large tomatoes, seeded and 1/4-inch diced

2 – 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed

1 – 15 oz. can tomato sauce

1 C. water

Cooked rice for serving (optional)

1. In a large, heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, red pepper, garlic and serrano peppers and cook. Stir frequently while everything softens, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add zucchini, corn and mushrooms. Cook about 12 minutes, stirring until vegetables give off their liquid and brown around the edges. Add chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne and stir. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds and then add the tomatoes.

3. Add the black beans, tomato sauce and water. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. Then remove lid and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until you have your desired chili consistently. Serve over rice, if you wish.