Mix it up with this Versatile Veggie Chili

I don’t know about you, but we’re always on the hunt for easy vegetarian recipes. There are no vegetarians in our house, but this is a nice way to balance out the week. That means we typically try to put in one or two vegetarian nights. So, vegetarian? Check. And the word chili? Oh yeah, I’m so in. When I first saw the list of ingredients for this Versatile Veggie Chili, I thought, “Wow! That’s a lot of stuff!” But the truth is, there’s nothing complex about the recipe, and all those ingredients blend beautifully.

Versatile is the name of the game in this veggie chili

The name for this recipe says it all. This is one versatile dish, and that’s something I love about it. As long as you’ve got some spices, peppers, tomatoes, and some kind of potato, you’re in business. I’ve made this with both whole and diced tomatoes, sweet potatoes and russets, and different types of bell peppers. Whatever change you need to make, it will make the finished dish different, but still delicious.

I love how forgiving this recipe is. True confession—the first time I made this dish, I accidentally put most of the spices on the potatoes. Oops. Right? I expected the dish to be super bland and the potatoes to be too spicy to eat. But there really wasn’t that much difference. Once I added the potatoes to the chili base, the spices blended right in. So don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for error in this Versatile Veggie Chili!

Did you like this recipe? If so, click here to check out my other recipes. Before fall sets in completely, why not try out last month’s recipe? You can find it in the post, Summertime Quinoa Salad is a perfect side for a hot summer day!

Versatile Veggie Chili

This veggie chili lives up to its name and is extremely versatile. It's easy to change out the beans, the veggies, or adjust the heat level. Let your kitchen creativity (or your pantry ingredients) guide you.

• 1 lb sweet potatoes (or russets)
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin (make it a generous teaspoon)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp dried coriander
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 mixed-color peppers
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeno (if you like extra heat, substitute your favorite Chile or even add 2)
• 2 15.5 ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed (kidney, chickpea, pinto, cannellini, or black beans )
• 2 15.5 ounce cans of quality plum tomatoes (can also use one #2 can whole tomatoes)
• lime or lemon juice (or vinegar to taste)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 ̊F. See notes about cooking times.

2. Blend the cayenne, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.

3. Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into bite-sized chunks, then place into a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle some of the spice mixture and toss to coat.

4. Peel and roughly chop the onion. Halve, deseed and roughly chop the peppers.

5. Peel and finely slice the garlic.

6. Deseed and finely chop the jalapeño

7. It's time to cook! Roast the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden and tender.

8. Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat, then add the onion and peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

9. Add the jalapeño and spices, and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelize, stirring occasionally.

10. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds

11. Add the beans and the tomatoes. If using whole tomatoes, pierce the tomatoes with a knife, then break them up and stir well.

12. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced. Add a splash of water to loosen, if needed.

13. Stir in the roasted sweet potatoes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

14. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice.

15. Serve with sour cream or greek yogurt and sliced avocado. Serve over rice or use tortilla chips as a side.

Get all the prep work done ahead of time. Both the roasting and cooking of veggies take about the same amount of time. Use a cookie sheet for the sweet potatoes and a large stockpot for the veggies.

Want to make this different next time? Use butternut squash or russet potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. No onions? Try using a leek or a few green onions. You can use fresh basil in place of coriander, or leave the herbs out altogether.

Original recipe and photo from https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetables-recipes/veggie-chilli/