The Best Vegan Chili

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, (diced)
• 6 garlic cloves, (chopped finely)
• 2 jalapenos, (diced (remove membranes for less heat)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 tablespoons homemade chili powder (recipe below), or store-bought ancho chili powder (see Note 1)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano (or 2 teaspoons regular oregano or marjoram) (See Note 2)
• 3/4 cup (180 mL) dry red wine, such as Malbec, Syrah or Pinot Noir
• 2 cups (480 mL) vegetable broth
• 2 (15-ounce/425g) cans of pinto beans, (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (15-ounce/425g) can of navy beans (or other small white beans), drained and rinsed)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I prefer Dutch process cocoa powder) )
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 ½ tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (if you have vegan Worcestershire sauce, you can use that)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, (chop the peppers + measure out 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (See Note 3) )
• 1 (28-ounce/800g) can whole peeled tomatoes, (crushed by hand (include juices)
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus more as needed)
• Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, (plus more to finish as needed (See Note 4)
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 3 tablespoons masa harina (Mexican corn flour) (optional)
• 1 cup (12g) cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
• Vegan sour cream or diced avocado
• Sliced scallions or chopped cilantro
• Shredded vegan cheese or Vegan Queso
• Quick Pickled Red Onions (See Note 5) )

Instructions

1. 1Read all the instructions and notes before getting started, especially about moderating the spiciness level.
2. 2Heat a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, and once it’s shimmering, add the onions and season with a few pinches of salt. Stir frequently and cook the onions until nicely golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. If they start to burn around the edges, stir more frequently and/or add a splash of water.
3. 3Add the garlic, jalapeños, and tomato paste, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring very frequently, until tomato paste is darker in color. If it starts to dry out, add a splash of water and scrape up any browned bits.
4. 4Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano and stir vigorously for 30 seconds.
5. 5Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer rapidly for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the smell of alcohol has cooked off and it's jammy.
6. 6Pour in the vegetable broth, pinto beans, navy beans, cocoa powder, bay leaves, soy sauce, chopped chipotle peppers + adobo sauce, hand-crushed tomatoes + their juices, salt, black pepper to taste, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Stir well.
7. 7Bring the chili to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer (this is lowest heat on my small burner). Take care to not boil or too rapidly simmer the chili, as it will break down the beans too much. Cook, stirring every 10 minutes, until thick and velvety and the flavors have melded together, about 1 1/2 hours (or up to 2 hours). Discard the bay leaf.
8. 8Stir in the masa harina, if using. Simmer for 3 minutes, until the texture has further thickened.
9. 9Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice, the vinegar, and cilantro. Taste and add more lime juice as needed for tanginess and add up to 1 more tablespoon maple syrup for sweetness to balance any bitterness. Season with salt and pepper, as needed.
10. 10Serve with toppings of choice, such as pickled onions, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions, vegan sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips, etc.