Thicc Vegetarian Chili

"Growing up as a vegetarian in the South, I struggled to feel full. It was an exciting moment when a local fast food chain started serving vegetarian chili, and I ate it obsessively. Twenty five years later, I have built, rebuilt, and adapted my own vegetarian chili recipe to take on three important qualities: A little fatty, moderately spicy, and *thick*. None of this 'bean soup' business! Thus, the Thicc Vegetarian Chili was born. I love to serve it on pasta, a potato, or chips with lots of cheese!"

Prep Time

10

Cook Time

30

Paired With

Pinot Noir

Main Protein

Vegetarian/Vegan

Ingredients

IngredientQuantity
Diced tomatoes 15oz, 4oz, 3 or 4, 1Tbsp, 15oz, 15oz, 15oz, 2Tbsp, 2Tbsp, 2tsp, 2tsp, to taste, 6oz, 1/2cup
Diced roasted green chiles
Canned chipotle peppers
Mushroom base
Pinto beans
Black beans
Kidney beans
Cumin
Chili powder
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Impossible "burger"
TVP

Directions

In a large pot on medium high heat, combine tomatoes, chiles, peppers and mushroom base and cook through until diced pieces become a thick paste. Add a splash or two of water if food sticks to the bottom. For a very smooth chili base, use an immersion blender at this step.

Turn heat to medium and combine to the paste all spices and beans. Do not drain the beans. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes with lid on.

Turn heat to low and add the Impossible burger, about a half of a pack. Be careful to break up the “meat” into pieces quickly. I use my fingers to break it apart as I put it into the chili. Let these ingredients combine for 5 more minutes with the lid on.

Test the chili at this stage for flavor and liquid content. It will need to have enough liquid for the TVP to absorb. Stir in the TVP well, put lid on pot and let sit for 10 – 15min on low heat.

**Notes** though chili can be made with just Impossible burger or just TVP, the combination provides the right amount of fat to texture. Impossible only will be much fattier. TVP only will have much less flavor. If no chipotle peppers available, chipotle sauce will do.