This is the best vegetarian chili recipe, ever. Well, at least we think so.
The best thing about it is that it’s really, really super easy. The ‘Spice Pack’ comes from Moosewood Cookbook’s Vegetarian Chili recipe but other than that, it’s just a bit of this and a bit of that. We like our vegetarian chili with Shmeet (fake meat) so I thought I’d share our recipe as I’m making a big ole batch right now.
Ingredients:
1 pack of Quorn Meatless and Soy Free Grounds OR Morning Star Meal Starters (Sausage style or Regular)
1 Medium/Large Onion (chopped)
5/6 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 package of Mushrooms (sliced or chopped)
1 big can of Diced Tomatoes (28 oz)
1 can of Tomato Paste (6 oz)
1 can of RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies (10 oz) -this is optional. Actually everything is optional.
Spice Pack (combine the following): 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp dried basil, 2 tsp chili powder (more to taste), 1 tsp of kosher salt (more/less to taste – I usually go for less)
1-2 tsp of olive oil
1 cup of water (more or less as you wish)
*We don’t add beans, but if you want to, feel free. Also, feel free to add other vegetables during the onion/mushroom/garlic stage. You can really play around a lot with this recipe.
First Thing:
Throw your chopped onion and garlic in a pot and sauté w/ olive oil for about 5 minutes. Throw in your mushrooms and the ‘spice pack’ and sauté for a few more minutes so everyone gets all spiced up.
Second Thing:
Add your package of Shmeet (the fake meat of your choice- it doesn’t matter if it is frozen or defrosted). Mix this up with your spiced up onion/garlic/mushroom mix and cook that for about 3 minutes (just enough to soak up the flavor).
Third Thing:
Add your tomatoes (all three cans) and mix everything up. At this point, I usually add a little bit of water if it’s too thick, but you can do whatever you want. At minimum, let this simmer for about 25-30 minutes, but an hour or more is best.
Fourth Thing:
Heat up some dippin’ bread (6-7 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees), dish out your chili, and go to town. A dollop of sour cream or a bit of cheddar cheese on top is really yummy and if your anything like Pete, throw in a few drops of something that makes you sweat (Dave’s Insanity Sauce or Blair’s After Death Hot Sauce are favorites – but be warned, less is best. Seriously).
Bon Appetite!
