There are so many ways to make chili that I rarely make it the same way twice, but this Quick Vegetarian Chili is so good that I actually wrote down the ingredient list to refer back to. It's something I made for my daughter back when she was young and loved Boca Burgers. This chili is made of Boca Burger, but you could make it with any number of vegetarian ground beef replacements.
You can probably tell by the ingredient list that it's got a little sweetness to it, which is typical of my chili recipes. I like to add just a little bit of honey to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes.
This is a kid-friendly chili, so I didn't add cayenne, and the chili powder used in the recipe is the mild kind. Back in Texas I mostly used a brand called Gebhardt, which is very different from chili powder such as cayenne or Kashmiri. These days I would probably use McCormick brand chili powder just because it's easy to find.
Recipe
Quick Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 12 oz package of Boca ground beef crumbles frozen (or any brand)
- 2 14.5 oz. can diced tomato with celery, green pepper & onion (Hunts) – undrained
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
- Optional Ingredients if Desired see note
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cumin and heat for another 2 minutes. Add boca crumbles and stir well – infusing the boca crumbles with the cumin and other flavors. Now pour in both cans of tomatoes, chili powder, tomato puree, vegetable broth. Stir well, then add honey and smoked paprika. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, then add drained black beans.
- Makes about 8 cups.
Anna says
Stephen, thanks for the tip. I'm going to buy a bag of Morningstar crumbles next time. Thanks for the skillet tip as well. It makes sense! Maybe I'll try it with some tacos.
Stephen says
I prefer MorningStar crumbles to Boca's. As a previous poster said, yes, both taste boring by themselves. Personally, I feel the same way about plain hamburger meat.
The proper way to cook the crumbles is to heat them in a skillet with olive oil. This adds flavor. If you're in a hurry, onion powder, salt, and pepper will make it into something that approaches plain jane hamburger meat. If you're not in a hurry, saute a real onion first and then add the crumbles.
Critical: The crumbles should have enough added oil to look a tad greasy.
After cooking as above, then add the "meat" to whatever you're making. The "meat" will have its own flavor surrounded by the others in the larger dish. This layering makes for nice flavor.
$0.02USD,
Stephen
Elastic Waist says
Boca Crumbles also make great tacos with a packet of taco seasoning...yum. I love chili!
Meg says
Hey, Anna -- if you're looking for new ways to fix cauliflower, try roasting it. I love cauliflower any old way, but this is my absolute favorite! Cut it into flowerettes, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in a 425 oven for 20-30 minutes. I can't get enough of it!
a. grace says
i really enjoy morningstar black bean burgers, so sometimes i chop them up and add them as a replacement for meat in my chili...in addition to the black beans already included.
i like me some black beans. 🙂
Anna says
Emiline, I will have to try the tacos. Actually, if you let this chili sit for a day or two and soak up excess liquid, it could work as taco filling.
Diann, love your blog! Thanks for the comment. I've added you to my blog roll.
Alicia, If you like the burgers, then you'll like the crumbles.
Cakelaw, I think chili is what I like best about Winter. Wait, what am I saying? I'm a Texan. I eat it all year round. But it's definitely nice on a cold day.
Charlie, thanks for commenting! I love cauliflower and will give the caulifower tops a try. I need to do more experimenting with cauliflower. Usually, I just eat it steamed. As for Boca, I am always on the lookout for lean protein sources. The boca crumbles have about 10 grams protein per 2 oz serving (60 calories, 0 fat) so I like them for that reason. But I will try your caulifower suggestion. Sounds interesting.
Chili Recipes says
I got to say that im not a vegetarian but if i was i would not eat Boca. I tried them once and you might as well shread up cardboard and put in it, at least you would get some fiber out of it. If your just looking to add some texture to your Vegetarian chili use Cauliflower tops. Not only will it be better for you than Processed boca it will add a pepper flavor to it.
Cakelaw says
Yum Anna - this looks perfect for a cold winter's day.
Alicia says
Thanks for this. I love chili and am always looking for new recipes. I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't like the taste of meat. I do like Boca burgers though, so I hope the Boca crumbles work out for me!
Diann (aTxVegn) says
Hi, Anna. I'm a fellow Austinite so I thought I would say hello since finding your blog. I've got many of your vegan and wholesome cookies on my "must bake" list.
It's certainly a day for chili!
Emiline says
I like using the Boca crumbles, too, even though I'm not vegetarian. I know a lot of people are sceptical, but they are really good. More healthy, also. We use them in tacos.