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If you’ve made a Vat of Tomato Sauce, you can easily throw together this Quick Bean & Corn Vegetarian Chili. This weeknight chili is so good and flavorful it tastes like you’ve been working on it all day. But that’s the beauty of the Base. You’ve already done some of the work, you’ve already built flavor into your tomato sauce and now – with just a little prep and cook time –  a delicious dinner is on the table.

This chili is a substantial meal on its own, but for an even hardier meal you can serve it over rice. Though it can be a little harder to find, we prefer hominy to corn in our chili. So if you can find it, substitute 2 cans (15-16 ounces each) of hominy for the corn. Also, if you’d like to save a little time, you can substitute 2 cans (4.5 ounces each) chopped green chilies for the olive oil and green pepper.

Create Your Toppings Bar

Create a toppings bar– scallions, chopped red onion, or Pickled Pink Onions, avocado, cilantro, sliced cherry tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips, an array of hot sauces, and yogurt or sour cream—and let everyone flavor their own.

Things To Stir Into this Quick Vegetarian Chili

You’ll notice this chili recipe calls for 1-ounce of chocolate. “Why chocolate in chili,” you ask? It adds depth of flavor and subtle sweetness! To give the sauce more body, stir in a couple of tablespoons of cornmeal (not corn flour or cornstarch).

Got Leftovers?

We use this chili to top our Planetarian Nachos so if you have some leftover, make a batch of nachos!

Quick Bean & Corn Vegetarian Chili

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 30 mins

Yield: 4 people

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Recipe Notes

“Why chocolate in chili,” you ask? It adds depth of flavor and subtle sweetness.

Create a toppings bar–-scallions, chopped red onion, or Pickled Pink Onions, avocado, cilantro, sliced cherry tomatoes, tortilla chips, an array of hot sauces, and yogurt or sour cream—and let everyone flavor their own.

*We prefer hominy to corn. If you can find it, substitute 2 cans (15 to 16 ounces each) of hominy for the corn.

To give the sauce more body, stir in a couple of tablespoons of cornmeal (not corn flour or cornstarch).

To save time, substitute 2 cans (4.5 ounces each) chopped green chilies for the olive oil and green pepper.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into small dice
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon each: dried oregano and ground cumin
• 1 quart Simple Tomato Sauce (or good quality Marinara)
• 2 cups vegetable broth,
• 2 cans (15-16 oz each) black beans, drained
• 3 cups frozen corn*
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
• 1 ounce semi-or bittersweet chocolate.

Instructions

• Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. Add green pepper; sauté until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Sauté until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add sauce, broth, beans, and corn; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer, uncovered, until flavors blend, 15 to 20 minutes. Add garlic and chocolate; continue to simmer another 5 minutes. Serve and add optional toppings.

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