310 minutes
A rich and earthy vegetarian chili made with a blend of beans, walnuts, mushrooms, and a medley of spices.
tablespoons
Dried Beans, picked over, rinsed
0 lb
Dried Ancho Chiles
each
Dried New Mexican Chiles
each
Dried Shiitake Mushrooms, rinsed, chopped coarse
0 oz
teaspoons
Walnuts, toasted
cups
Diced Tomatoes, drained, juice reserved
0 oz
tablespoons
Jalapeño Chiles, stemmed, coarsely chopped
each
Garlic Clove, minced
each
tablespoons
tablespoons
Onions, chopped fine
0 lb
tablespoons
cups
Medium-Grind Bulgur, rinsed
cups
Fresh Cilantro, chopped
cups
1. Pre-soak the beans
In a large Dutch oven, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, adding 3 tablespoons of salt. Once the water is boiling, add the dried beans and let them boil for a minute. Remove the pot from heat, cover it, and let the beans soak for an hour. After the hour has passed, drain and rinse the beans thoroughly.
2. Preheat oven and toast chiles
Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the dried ancho and New Mexican chiles on a rimmed baking sheet and toast them in the oven for about 8 minutes. Once toasted, let them cool, then remove the stems and seeds. Grind the chiles along with the dried shiitake mushrooms and dried oregano in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle until you have a fine consistency.
3. Grind walnuts and blend tomato mixture
Take your toasted walnuts and grind them in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the drained tomatoes, tomato paste, jalapeños, minced garlic, and soy sauce to the food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth yet still a bit chunky.
4. Cook onions and spices
In the Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the ground chile and mushroom mixture, along with 1.25 teaspoons of salt and the ground cumin. Cook everything together for about a minute until the spices become fragrant.
5. Cook beans in the oven
Add the pre-soaked beans and 7 cups of water to the pot. Bring it to a boil, then cover and transfer the Dutch oven to your preheated oven. Let it cook for 45 minutes.
6. Add bulgur and tomato mixture, and cook longer
After 45 minutes, take the pot out of the oven and stir in the rinsed bulgur, the ground walnut and tomato mixture, and the reserved tomato juice. Return the pot to the oven and let it cook, covered, for an additional 2 hours.
7. Rest and serve
Once the cooking time is up, remove the pot from the oven and let the chili rest for 20 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the chopped fresh cilantro.
Replace walnuts with different protein sources. Try using crumbled tempeh, lentils, or chickpeas for a varied texture and flavor. These proteins absorb the spices beautifully and can offer different nutritional profiles.
Modify your spice blend. If the original recipe calls for chili powder and cumin, consider adding a bit of smoked paprika for depth, or a pinch of cinnamon for warmth. Even a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder can deepen the flavor profile.
Swap out the standard button or cremini mushrooms for more exotic varieties like shiitake, oyster, or maitake. These mushrooms have different textures and flavors that can subtly change the profile of your chili.
Introduce ingredients like corn, green chilies, and a dash of cinnamon to the core recipe. Serve with toppings such as avocado, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime to give it a Mexican twist.
Use the core recipe as a filling for bell peppers. Top with cheese, bake until the peppers are tender, and you have a complete, visually appealing meal.
Start with the freshest produce and the best quality walnuts and mushrooms you can find. Organic, locally-sourced produce can make a noticeable difference in flavor.
Use a mix of mushrooms such as cremini, shiitake, and portobello for a complex flavor profile. Sautéing them until they're golden brown will ensure they contribute a meaty texture and rich taste.
Enhance the umami flavor in your chili by incorporating a bit of soy sauce or tamari, or a dab of miso paste. This will deepen the savoriness without overpowering the other flavors.
Toast your spices in the pot with a bit of oil before adding the wet ingredients. This process, known as blooming, intensifies their flavors and prevents a raw spice taste in the final dish.
A splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice added towards the end of cooking can brighten the entire dish, cutting through the richness and providing a subtle lift to the chili's complex flavors.
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