A few years ago, I was introduced to this chili by a good friend I met while volunteering as a shark diver at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa. Thank you. Give me a thumbs up, and I will add you to the blog.
It was introduced to me as a vegan chili that was not only healthy and packed with protein but also so hearty that you would barely notice there was no meat.
I tried it, and my reaction was simple: Holy smokes.
I now make this chili once every other month. I normally double the recipe, freeze a portion, and keep it ready for those days when I want a hot bowl of something seriously tasty.
Simply reheat and eat. Yum, yum, yum.
Makes: Approximately 6–8 hearty servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 2 hours
Total Time: About 2 hours 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Main Ingredient: Beans
Chef’s Tip: I normally double the recipe. It freezes brilliantly, and having a container of Holy Smokes Chili waiting in the freezer makes for a very easy dinner.
Ingredients
- ½ large organic white onion, diced
- 6 small sweet peppers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 4 stalks organic celery, cut into roughly finger-width pieces
- 1 can GreenWise Low Sodium Black Beans
- 1 can GreenWise Low Sodium Red Kidney Beans
- 1 can GreenWise Low Sodium Pinto Beans
- 1 can GreenWise Low Sodium Garbanzo Beans
- 1 can GreenWise Crushed Tomatoes
- 1 can GreenWise Tomato Paste
- 1 bag Gardein Plant-Based Ground Be’f
- 2 cups mushrooms, halved
- 500 ml vegetable stock
- Chili powder, to taste
- Fresh parsley, a good healthy handful, chopped
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
- A little cooking oil for sautéing
For the Vegetable Stock
I like using organic Better Than Bouillon to make my stock, but a good-quality premade low-sodium vegetable stock works perfectly well.
About the Chili Powder
Do not go crazy at the beginning.
You can always add more later. If you want an extra kick, you can also add chili flakes.
Remember, as the chili cooks and the liquid reduces, the flavor and heat become more concentrated.
Recommended Kit2Cook Tools
- Large heavy-bottomed saucepan, stockpot, or Dutch oven
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon
- Colander
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Ladle
- Food-storage containers if you are freezing leftovers (Glass because you don't want to reheat in plastic)
Method
1. Prepare the Vegetables
Dice the onion and chop the garlic, celery, and sweet peppers.
Add a little oil to a large pot and gently sauté the vegetables.
You are not trying to cook them into submission. Keep some texture.
Think al dente.
They will continue cooking for a long time once the chili comes together.
2. Prepare the Beans
Pour all four cans of beans into a colander.
Rinse them thoroughly under cold running water and allow them to drain well.
3. Start Building the Chili
Add the drained beans to the pot with the onion, garlic, celery, and peppers.
Add the crushed tomatoes and stir everything together.
Next, add the entire bag of Gardein Plant-Based Ground Be’f and stir it through.
Pour in the vegetable stock.
This will loosen everything up and start bringing the chili together.
4. Season It
Add the chili powder, parsley, and black pepper.
Then add the tomato paste and stir everything together really well.
At this point you may look at the pot and think:
This needs more liquid.
Hold off.
Give it 5–10 minutes.
As everything begins cooking together, the vegetables and tomatoes release moisture, and the chili starts to loosen naturally.
The party has officially started in the pot.
5. Add the Fun Guys
After about 5–10 minutes of cooking and stirring, add the mushrooms.
Or, as I like to call them:
The fun guys.
Stir them through and let them join the chili party.
6. Bring It to a Simmer
Turn the heat down and continue stirring until the chili reaches a gentle simmer.
Then reduce the heat to low.
From here on, patience is your friend.
Stir the chili every few minutes, making sure nothing catches on the bottom.
Do not burn the chili.
7. Taste and Adjust
Taste the chili for heat.
If you want more, add a little extra chili powder or some chili flakes.
Remember:
You can always add more. You cannot take it back out.
And I promise you, the chili will become stronger as it cooks because the liquid slowly evaporates, concentrating all those flavors.
8. Low and Slow
Let everything simmer gently on low heat.
Keep checking it.
Keep stirring it.
Keep tasting it.
After about 40 minutes, taste again and decide whether you want a little more:
- Chili powder
- Black pepper
- Parsley
- Liquid
If it becomes too thick, boil some water and add a little at a time.
Do not drown it.
You are looking for a thick, rich chili where the beans, vegetables, tomatoes, and plant-based Be’f have all come together.
Continue cooking gently for an hour.
This is where the magic happens.
When Is It Ready?
The chili should be:
Rich. Thick. Hearty. Deeply flavored.
The vegetables should still have some character, the beans should be tender, and the sauce should bring everything together.
Taste it one last time and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Then grab a bowl. or better yet wait till the next day and try it.. It will be amazing
Serving Suggestions
Holy Smokes Chili is excellent completely on its own, but you can also serve it with:
- Fresh chopped parsley
- Sliced avocado
- A spoonful of plant-based sour cream
- Grated dairy-free cheese
- Tortilla chips
- Warm crusty bread
- Rice
- I also like to eat it with iceberg lettuce. If it's a hot chili, the lettuce can be a spoon and a cooling agent with crunch. I know I am weird.
Or just do what I normally do most of the time:
Big bowl. Spoon. Done.
Freezing & Reheating
This is one of the reasons I love this recipe.
Allow the chili to cool before portioning it into airtight containers.
Freeze individual portions so you can take out exactly what you need.
When you’re ready for another bowl, thaw it in the refrigerator or reheat gently from frozen.
You may need to add a small splash of water or vegetable stock as it reheats.
And in my opinion?
As I said above, it tastes even better the next day.
Chef’s Note
This recipe has become one of my regular go-to meals. It is full of beans, vegetables, and protein, but none of that matters if it doesn’t taste good.
Fortunately, this one does.
It is not trying to pretend to be a meat chili.
It is simply a seriously good bowl of chili that just happens to be plant-based.
That first spoonful still makes me say: "Holy smokes" - "that's goooood".
