Vegetarian Chilli
Vegan
Packed with beans, lentils and vegetables, this vegetarian chilli is a nourishing dinner that is great for meal prep and then enjoying later in the week as a quick healthy dinner.
Given how popular these quick chilli bowls have been, I thought I would take the Mexican theme but make it meat-free. I like to add a vegetarian meal to our meal plan once a week to try and keep the food bills down, and tinned beans and lentils are a great way of doing that.
This lentil chilli is a great dinner to make ahead as it reheats beautifully. Serve with gluten-free corn chips and rice or quinoa, or spooned over a jacket potato. If you aren't avoiding dairy then a sprinkling of cheddar or feta (or the dairy-free equivalents) is delicious.
This recipe freezes well too.
IMPORTANT - PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR INGREDIENT PACKETS TO ENSURE THEY ARE GLUTEN-FREE
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green capsicum / pepper diced
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 200 g sweet potato approx. 1 small. Finely diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 500 ml water or gluten-free vegetable stock
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 400 g tin kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 400 g tin brown lentils drained and rinsed
Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper if serving to younger kids or family who don'tlike spice, reduce to a pinch or leave out.
- ½ stick cinnamon or use ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
To Serve
- fresh coriander roughly chopped
- avocado sliced or cubed
- red chilli finely sliced
- Gluten-free corn chips, cooked rice or cooked quinoa
Method
- In a medium saucepan cook the onion in the oil over a medium heat until soft – around 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for a minute before adding the capsicum, carrots and sweet potatoes.
- Put the lid on and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the spice mix and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, before adding the tomato puree.
- Cook for a minutes then add the tomatoes, stock or water, and salt. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, covered, until the carrots and sweet potato are tender.
- Tip in the rinsed kidney beans and lentils, and simmer for 5 minutes, until they are warmed through. Check for seasoning.
- Serve spooned over cooked rice or quinoa, topped with your choice of fresh coriander, avocado, fresh chilli and a squeeze of lime.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze.
Notes
This chilli may initially look a little runny, but it will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits.
Freeze: This chilli will freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories 208kcal | Carbohydrates 37g | Protein 8g | Fat 5g | Saturated Fat 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat 1g | Monounsaturated Fat 3g | Cholesterol 0.1mg | Sodium 608mg | Potassium 857mg | Fiber 11g | Sugar 9g | Vitamin A 13005IU | Vitamin C 39mg | Calcium 128mg | Iron 4mg
Private Notes
IMPORTANT - PLEASE ALWAYS CHECK YOUR INGREDIENT PACKETS TO ENSURE THEY ARE GLUTEN-FREE
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green capsicum / pepper diced
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 200 g sweet potato approx. 1 small. Finely diced
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree tomato paste
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- 2 c water or gluten-free vegetable stock
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 400 g tin kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 400 g tin brown lentils drained and rinsed
Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper if serving to younger kids or family who don'tlike spice, reduce to a pinch or leave out.
- ½ stick cinnamon or use ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- pinch nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
To Serve
- fresh coriander roughly chopped
- avocado sliced or cubed
- red chilli finely sliced
- Gluten-free corn chips, cooked rice or cooked quinoa
Method
- In a medium saucepan cook the onion in the oil over a medium heat until soft – around 5-7 minutes.
- Add the garlic and stir for a minute before adding the capsicum, carrots and sweet potatoes.
- Put the lid on and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the spice mix and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant, before adding the tomato puree.
- Cook for a minutes then add the tomatoes, stock or water, and salt. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20-25 minutes, covered, until the carrots and sweet potato are tender.
- Tip in the rinsed kidney beans and lentils, and simmer for 5 minutes, until they are warmed through. Check for seasoning.
- Serve spooned over cooked rice or quinoa, topped with your choice of fresh coriander, avocado, fresh chilli and a squeeze of lime.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze.
Notes
This chilli may initially look a little runny, but it will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits.
Freeze: This chilli will freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories 208kcal | Carbohydrates 37g | Protein 8g | Fat 5g | Saturated Fat 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat 1g | Monounsaturated Fat 3g | Cholesterol 0.1mg | Sodium 608mg | Potassium 857mg | Fiber 11g | Sugar 9g | Vitamin A 13005IU | Vitamin C 39mg | Calcium 128mg | Iron 4mg
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