Smoky Black Bean Chili
Black beans serve as the base for this nice vegetarian meal. When you're in the mood for hearty vegetarian fare, this is a good place to start. The recipe really lends itself to adding all sorts of fresh vegetables. Originally served as part of Black Bean Chili over Cheesy Grits.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups divided onions (chopped)
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper (chopped)
- 6 ounces white button mushrooms
- salt
- 1 clove or to taste garlic
- 1/2 cup frozen kernels corn (defrosted)
- 1 canned in adobo sauce chipotle pepper (chopped)
- 30 ounces canned black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 teaspoons dried cumin
- 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
- 14½ ounces canned tomato
- sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- salsa
- sour cream
- lime wedges
- canned chopped green chiles
- cilantro (chopped)
Instructions
We begin by reserving 2 tablespoons of the onions for topping the chili. In our dutch oven, we heat the olive oil and sweat the onions on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, we mince the garlic and clean and chop the mushrooms. When the onions are tender, we add the red pepper and continue to cook on medium heat for a few minutes. We add the mushrooms and cook until they release their juices. Next we add a little salt and the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Then we add the corn and chipotle and stir well. We add the black beans and spices and cook for a minute. Finally, we add the tomatoes and simmer, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
We top each serving of chili with the reserved onion, cheese, salsa, sour cream, a squeeze of lime, chopped green chiles, and some cilantro.