Mind-blowing Sweet & Smoky Chili
Mind-Blowing Sweet and Smoky Chili
Get ready to have your mind blown by this vegan Sweet and Smoky Chili! Smoky diced tempeh replaces ground beef and is combined with a trio of diced peppers, savory onions and garlic, sweet corn, and filling beans. The perfect recipe to satisfy ANY crowd as it's not too spicy and is suitable for vegans, gluten-free folks, and friends with nut allergies. Bring a big pot camping, to the next potluck or Super Bowl party, or enjoy it as an easy dinner on a chilly night.
Mind-Blowing Sweet and Smoky Chili
Ingredients
- 3 15oz cans beans (I use 2 black and 1 kidney), drained and rinsed
- 2 15 oz cans diced tomatoes
- 1 red bell pepper, de-seeded and diced
- 1 poblano pepper, de-seeded and diced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, diced (de-seed for less spice)
- 1 large red onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 6oz packages of Tempeh, preferably Fakin' Bacon by Lightlife (see notes if you can’t find this product), diced or crumbled in a food processor
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ¼ cup 100% pure maple syrup
- 2 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 lime, juice of
- 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 2 Tbsp white miso paste (see notes if you don't have miso paste)
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion. Cook until the onion is translucent (add a few Tbsp of water at a time to keep from sticking).
- Add the the diced peppers. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers have softened (about five minutes). Use a few Tbsp of water to keep from sticking (if necessary).
- Add the garlic, diced/crumbled tempeh, liquid smoke, chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Cook for a few minutes or until the garlic is fragrant, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if the mixture begins to stick.
- In a bowl, whisk the miso with 2 cups of water until there are no lumps.
- To the pot, add the beans, tomatoes, and miso mixture. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down to a simmer.
- Stir in the maple syrup and frozen corn. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for roughly 20 minutes or until the mixture has thickened to your liking. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast and lime juice.
- Serve with a garnish of cilantro, diced green onion, tortilla chips, hot sauce, corn bread, or whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!
Notes:
Calories
454.69Fat (grams)
9.19Sat. Fat (grams)
2.37Carbs (grams)
80.37Fiber (grams)
15.47Net carbs
64.89Sugar (grams)
32.72Protein (grams)
26.94Sodium (milligrams)
1203.30Cholesterol (grams)
0.05ABOUT THE RECIPE:
I’ve always loved making chili- even before I went vegan. It’s the perfect “everything but the kitchen sink” dish. Do you have beans and tomatoes? Then friend, you’ve got chili! Add whatever veggies and spices you have laying around and you’re good to go. I’ve made a loooooot of chili of the years, but this is by far my favorite. It’s the perfect balance of smoky, sweet, and savory.
TEMPEH
Tempeh is similar to tofu in that it’s made from soy beans, is high in protein, is a common ingredient in Asian cuisine, and makes a great meat substitute. The difference is: tofu is made by coagulating soy milk, whereas tempeh is made by culturing whole soy beans. If the idea ‘coagulating’ and ‘culturing’ freaks you out, just remember that those are the same processes used in cheese-making. Therefore, tempeh is less processed than tofu, has more fiber, and has a stronger flavor. This nutty, sometimes bitter flavor can be off-putting, which is why i love Lifelight’s product: Fakin’ Bacon (it’s just sliced, marinated tempeh that happens to be oil-free and is delicious in sandwiches). You can easily marinate tempeh to get rid of the bitterness, but using a pre-marinated product does cut down on time.
I love the addition of tempeh in this recipe because it bulks up the chili similarly to ground beef, is a whole food (as opposed to Beyond Beef or meatless crumbles), is super high in protein and fiber, and it tastes SO GOOD in this context. If you are unable to locate Fakin’ Bacon, see the recipe notes to replicate the flavor with plain tempeh.
If you’re making this recipe for picky eaters, I do recommend pulsing the tempeh in a food processor a few times to recreate the texture of ground beef. You can also dice it super finely. If there are no noticeable chunks of tempeh in anyone’s bowl, no one will even realize it’s there! They’ll just enjoy the flavor without asking questions lol. I, on the other hand, really like the taste and texture, so I leave the tempeh chunks a little bigger (you can see them in the photo below).
RECIPE NOTES:
1. FAKIN' BACON TEMPEH is just Tempeh that has been sliced and marinated in an oil-free marinade. If you can't find Fakin' Bacon (my local grocery store quit carrying it, so I'm in this boat, too), we can replicate the flavor by using 12 oz of plain tempeh, soy sauce or tamari, extra liquid smoke, and extra maple syrup. Before beginning to dice the veggies for this recipe, FINELY dice your tempeh (or crumble it in a food processor), then add it to a bowl with 2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari, 2 tsp liquid smoke, and 1 Tbsp of maple syrup. Stir to combine. Set the bowl aside and continue with the recipe as written.
2. SPICE LEVEL: I have made this recipe for two EXTREMELY spice-sensitive people, and have found that just leaving out the jalapeno pepper seeds makes it enjoyable for them- more savory than spicy.
3. MISO PASTE: The mellow white miso paste replaces the need for salt in this recipe. If you don't have Miso paste and don't want to purchase it, simply leave it out and add salt to taste at the end of the cooking process. If you have a different kind of Miso Paste, you can use that instead.
4. MAPLE SYRUP: you can substitute blackstrap molasses or date syrup for the maple syrup, if you prefer.
To make this meal go further, serve it with some cornbread and a side salad or some roasted veggies!
Did you make this recipe? I want to hear about it! Hit me up on Instagram @notlikemama or leave a comment below. I love to see your versions of my recipes!
In the cooler months, I make this chili at least twice per month. Sometimes I’ll make a double batch and store the extras in the freezer for easy meals later in the month. I’ve made it for nearly all of my friends and family and it’s always a hit (and I do not say that lightly). This is one of my FAVORITE recipes, so I hope you love it as much as I do.
Happy cooking,
Courtney
