Weeknight Meaty Vegetarian Chili
Weeknight Meaty Chili gets a lot of its taste from the same ingredients that go into traditional chili; onions, garlic, cumin, tomatoes, chili powder. Plant-based meats from companies like Impossible Foods and Beyond Meat have developed a faux ground beef that not only tastes like the real thing but it feels right too. Jack Bishop says the companies put a lot of research into giving the veggie meats just the right texture and chew.
The fake meats fall short, however, when it comes to protein. Four ounces of ground beef has about a third more protein than veggie meat.
The America's Test Kitchen recipe gets around the protein deficit by adding red kidney beans.
They might taste yummy but nothing could be more offensive to a Texan than adding beans to chili. Real Texas chili has meat, meat and more meat. In other words, beans ain't welcome in these parts!
Jack Bishop says it's pretty easy to fool a meat lover into chowing down on veggie chili. But perhaps the less said, the better.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
1½ tablespoons chili powder
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 ounces plant-based ground meat
½ cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in chili powder, garlic, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in ground meat and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until firm crumbles form, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in water, scraping up any browned bits, then stir in beans and tomatoes and their juice. Bring to simmer, partially cover, and cook until beans begin to break down and liquid is slightly thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. (Chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Use What You've Got: Substitute other canned beans, such as cannellini, black, or pinto, for red kidney beans.
Level Up: Serve with lime wedges, chopped avocado, plant-based sour cream, plant-based shredded cheese, pickled jalapeños, tortilla chips, hot sauce, and/or salsa.
None Available.