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Vegetarian Chili

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Hearty vegetarian chili made with three different beans! 

This chili is a combination of the warm and smoky flavors of cumin added to naturally sweet butternut squash and roasted red bell peppers.

Vegetarian Chili - The Foodie Affair

Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Looking for a healthy and filling meatless chili recipe? Well, you came to the right place.

This dish is delicious anytime, but we love quick chili recipes when we’re going in different directions and need a stick to your ribs kind of meal.

Did you have little ones that get excited for halloween?

We’re past that stage, but we sure do enjoy seeing who comes to our door for treats!

When my kids were at that fun stage of trick-or-treating, I always made sure Ashley and Sam were filled with a hearty meal like chili before they went out.

They were too excited to eat much, but as long as they had a few bites of something healthy, I felt better about sending them on their candy hunting way!

Vegetarian Chili - The Foodie Affair

Meatless Chili

This meatless chili is filling and full of flavor. Not only a great meal for your family, but also tasty party food for a fall gathering!

The basis of this recipe is from one of my Cooking Light Cookbooks (The New Way to Cook Light, 2012), but I made some changes.

First, I added more vegetable broth and butternut squash and then toned down the crushed red peppers.

Finally, I added a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken up the broth.

INGREDIENTS FOR VEGETARIAN CHILI

  • 2 red bell peppers
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • medium onion, diced
  • ground cumin
  • crushed red pepper (optional)
  • smoked paprika – adds to the richness of the chili
  • garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • vegetable broth
  • butternut squash, 1/2 inch cubed
  • low salt diced tomatoes
  • pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • cornstarch (optional)

UTENSILS NEEDED

  • cutting board
  • sharp knife
  • cookie baking sheet
  • small lunch paper bag
  • Dutch oven
  • measuring spoons and cups
Sticky Rice for Vegetarian Chili - The Foodie Affair

Chili Rice Ghost Toppers

To finish this meal, I topped the chili with rice ghosts! 

See how much fun we can have with sticky rice!! I had some Reynolds Kitchen ghost shaped baking liners that I used as a mold.

Don’t worry if molds aren’t available because any cookie cutter shape will work as well.

In addition, you can form the rice with your fingers into any shape you want.

For all the above options you’ll want to dampen your fingers with water or a little oil because it helps keep the rice where you want it. The rice is really STICKY!

The face is made from small pieces of seaweed, which stuck to the rice like glue, so there was no repositioning eyeballs once it was on the ghost!

Wouldn’t rice pumpkins be cute too?!!

Vegetarian Chili - The Foodie Affair

Vegetarian Chili – Frequently Asked Questions

How long will vegetarian chili last in the fridge?

Properly stored in an airtight container, vegetarian chili will be fine in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If there is any mold or smells off, then do not consume regardless of how long chili has been refrigerated for.

Can you freeze chili?

Yes, chili can be frozen before or after cooking. Place in freezer bags or containers for up to 12 months.

Is vegetarian chili gluten-free?

If the thickener used in the chili is not made with flour and made with cornstarch like in this recipe, then yes, vegetarian chili is gluten-free.

Vegetarian Chili - The Foodie Affair

Vegetarian Chili

Yield: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

This meatless chili is made with three beans and filling chunks of butternut squash. Warm smoky flavors pair nicely with the natural sweetness from the squash.

Ingredients

  • 2 red bell peppers, seeded and roasted
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups (1/2 inch cubed) butternut squash
  • 1 (28-ounce) low salt diced tomatoes
  • 1 (14-15 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14-15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (14-15 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

  • Preheat broiler on high heat.
  • Cut bell peppers in half and remove seeds and membranes. For easy clean-up, line a cookie sheet with foil and put peppers skin side up. Broil for 15 minutes or until skin is black. You may need to reposition the peppers to ensure all sides are getting cooked. Remove from oven and place in a small paper bag (I used a lunch bag). Close the bag tightly so that the heat continues to steam the peppers. Let sit for 15 minutes. Remove from bag, peel skin and dice into bite size pieces.
  • Heat a Dutch oven on medium-low heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil and onion.Cook for 10-15 minutes. Stir in cumin, crushed red pepper, paprika, salt, garlic cloves stirring until flavors blend together. Add broth, bell peppers, squash and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes. Remove 1/2 cup of the liquid and whisk in 2 tablespoons of corn starch, making a slurry. When well combined, stir into chili. Add beans and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
    • Nutrition Information:
    Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
    Amount Per Serving: Calories: 236Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 672mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 8gSugar: 6gProtein: 10g

    Please note that the nutritional information provided are guidelines and may vary based on the brand of products used. For your specific nutritional goals use My Fitness Pal or Verywell Fit recipe calculators. All content within this site is not intended as medical diagnosis or treatment and should not be considered a substitute for professional medical expertise.

    Did you make this recipe?

    If you like this recipe, don't forget to leave a review on the blog or share a photo and tag on @thefoodieaffair on Instagram

    © Sandra Shaffer
    Cuisine: American / Category: Man Dish - Vegetarian

    What To Serve With Chili

    This dish is filling without any additional sides, but you may consider serving the following:

    Vegetarian Chili - The Foodie Affair
    Hugs Sandra Signature

     

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    2. Joanne/WineLady Cooks

      I love vegetarian chili. The butternut squash gives it the heartiness needed. Love the rice ghosts, they are the cutest. You’d make a wonderful grammy, my grandsons would love them. Pinned/shared.

      Reply

    5. Hotly Spiced

      I love your rice ghosts. What a clever idea. They’re gorgeous. Every Friday my son has a swimming lesson from 4.30 – 5.30. He’s refusing to go on Halloween as he’s so worried that by the time he starts trick or treating it will all be over xx

      Reply

    7. Jen

      I love that this chili has squash in it – yum! So hearty and delicious! And those rice ghosts are simply awesome! I would have a lot of fun with those 🙂

      Reply

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