Adapted from a Plated recipe, here is a quick chili with amazing flavor and texture. You can tailor the “meat” to your audience. For example, the plant-based Beyond Burger can be crumbled and sautéed, then added to this chili. You can add grated cheese and dollops of full-fat yogurt if you’re not vegan. And the fried tortilla strips make a quick vegetarian meal feel like a celebration.
1 1/2 cups black beans
2 scallions, thinly sliced, whites and light greens separate from dark greens
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lime
remaining lime half cut into wedges
12 ounces of ground beef (or 8 ounces of Beyond Burger)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 cup pumpkin purée
2 corn tortillas
1 ounce shredded white Cheddar cheese
Drain and rinse black beans. Place half in a small bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until almost smooth.
Brown beef or Beyond Burger.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add chili powder, garlic, and scallion whites and light greens. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, pumpkin purée, mashed and whole black beans, and 1 cup water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer 10-15 minutes.
Stack tortillas and cut into thin strips. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add tortilla strips in a single layer and fry until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season with half the lime juice and lightly sprinkle with salt.
Stir the dark green scallion slices into the chili. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
Serve the chili with grated cheese, full-fat plain yogurt, crispy tortilla strips, and lime wedges.
Note
If you have leftover or frozen Saucy Black Beans, they add immensely to this recipe. Use them in place of the canned black beans.