Vegetarian Chili with Popcorn Croutons

We know the raging debate among chili lovers – to add beans or not to add beans? And we’ve heard some very strong opinions on both sides. But, whichever position you take, there is no debate that beans should go into the veggie version. And no shade to the beefy one but our vegetarian chili with popcorn croutons will be universally loved.

A good chili is supposed to be hearty and zesty. And our recipe lives up that standard even without the beef. We combine onions, garlic, peppers, carrots and three kinds of beans – black, kidney and white cannellini – in a hearty tomato sauce. We add some veggie broth to thin it out but you can make it as thick or thin as you like. But the key to the amazing flavor of this dish is in the spices. We blend a good amount of chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika (one of our favorites) and dried oregano along with plenty of fresh parsley. Using cilantro might be more authentic but either one works and we don’t want to hear about it from any cilantro haters.

The chili powder adds a little kick but, for those folks who like their chili on fire, go ahead and add some cayenne pepper or a few dashes of crushed red pepper flakes.

Just before serving we top our chili with freshly shredded sharp cheddar cheese and maybe a squeeze of lime. A few avocado slices wouldn’t hurt here either. But our favorite part is the popcorn topping. Normally we’d serve some tortilla chips with chili because we always want a crunch but popcorn is definitely our favorite crunch.

Try setting up a chili station with a mild base but dishes of red pepper flakes for people to add their own extra heat. Include dishes with the popcorn, shredded cheese, lime and avocado so people can choose their own toppings. Or just make a big pot of this on the weekend and we guarantee that even the traditional chili lovers will enjoy it all week long.

Vegetarian Chili with Popcorn Croutons

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Category

All Recipes, Savory Recipes

Servings

6

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

A hearty and smoky veggie chili topped with cheese and popcorn croutons for crunch.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Olive oil

•  1 Onion, peeled and diced
•  2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
•  1 Bell pepper, seeded and diced
•  2 Carrots, peeled and diced
•  1 Can (approx. 15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
•  1 Can (approx. 15 oz.) white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
•  1 Can (approx. 15 oz.) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
•  2 cups Tomato sauce
•  1 cup Vegetable stock
•  1 tbsp Chili powder
•  1 tsp Dried oregano
•  1 tsp Ground cumin
•  1 tsp Smoked paprika
•  ½ tsp salt
•  ¼ cup Chopped parsley or cilantro
•  1 cup Shredded cheddar cheese

•  Popped Dell Cove Movie Night popcorn kernels

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Directions

1. Add the olive oil and diced onions, diced carrots and diced bell peppers to a large pot or Dutch oven and cook over medium low heat until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and continue cooking for another minute or two.

2. Add the black beans, white cannellini beans and red kidney beans to the pot. Stir in the tomato sauce and vegetable stock.

3. Add the chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, on medium low heat for another 20 minutes. If you'd like the chili a little saucier, feel free to add more vegetable stock until you like the consistency.

   

4. Stir in the chopped parsley or cilantro and pour into individual bowls. Top with the shredded cheddar cheese and popcorn.

Recipe Note

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