This spicy chili uses the best Fall veggies for a warming and colorful treat on those chilly autumn nights.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried black beans (or 3 cans black beans no salt)
- small acorn or butternut squash (or part of pumpkin)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 orange or red bell pepper
- 2 cups tomato passata
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional)
- 3-5 chile peppers (to your level of spiciness!)
- 1 cup aquafaba or water
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- 1/2 tablespoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Method
- Soak the black beans for 6-8 hours (or use canned beans)
- Drain the beans and simmer in a saucepan of water for 30+ minutes until soft (save the cooking water aka aquafaba)
- Meanwhile, peel and deseed the squash (save the seeds to feed the birds)
- Chop the squash into bite-sized chunks ( about 3 cups worth)
- Coarsely chop the onion and bell pepper
- Slice the carrot
- Mince the garlic and chile peppers
- Heat a splash of oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or oven-top casserole dish
- Add the squash, onion, carrot, bell pepper, garlic and chile peppers to the pan and fry until softened (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally
- Add the chile powder, cumin and chipotle powder and stir fry for a couple of minutes
- Stir in the tomato passata and paste and simmer
- Check the beans and, when done, drain but save some of the cooking water or aquafaba
- Add 1 cup of aquafaba or water and continue to simmer
- Add the black beans and continue simmering for 10 minutes, adding more aquafaba or water, if needed
- Add salt to taste, preferably not more that a teaspoon
- Serve on a bed of brown rice or with a baked potato
- Enjoy!
For a more traditional Chili recipe, try out my Vegetarian Chili recipe that uses vegetarian grounds and/or Jackfruit.
Serves 4 to 6