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black bean chili

vegangluten-free

black bean chili with pico de gallo

I’d intended to post this soup as a nice recipe to bridge the gap between the chill of early spring and the hell that most people refer to as Summer.

A warm, hearty chili complemented by a chilly, refreshing pico de gallo.

But then I went and checked the forecast. It’s going to be 90 today.

Maybe you’ll enjoy this chili.

I’ll be horizontal on the cool, hardwood floor writhing in misery.

Goodbye forever!

Love, Jennifer

the recipe

Black Bean Chili

about 6 servings adapted from Bon Appetit

  • 1 tablespoon 15 mL olive oil
  • 3 about 450 g small white or yellow onions, chopped, about a pound total
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup 60 mL New Mexico chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon 15 mL cumin
  • 5–8 cups 1.2–1.9 L water
  • 1 pound 450 g dried black beans, rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons 10 mL dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon 5 mL minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo, optional
  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add chili powder and cumin; stir one minute.
  3. Add 5 cups water, black beans and oregano. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and check water level, adding more if needed.
  4. Add chipotle, if using, and season with salt to taste. Simmer about 30 minutes longer, stirring frequently and mashing with a potato masher to desired consistency, adding more water if it's too thick.
1 tablespoon 15 mL olive oil
3 about 450 g small white or yellow onions, chopped, about a pound total
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup 60 mL New Mexico chili powder
1 tablespoon 15 mL cumin
5–8 cups 1.2–1.9 L water
1 pound 450 g dried black beans, rinsed
2 teaspoons 10 mL dried oregano
1 teaspoon 5 mL minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo, optional
sauté 10 min
toast spices
simmer 2 hr
simmer 30 min

each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction

Black Bean Chili about 6 servings
  • 1 tablespoon 15 mL olive oil
  • 3 about 450 g small white or yellow onions, chopped, about a pound total
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup 60 mL New Mexico chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon 15 mL cumin
  • 5–8 cups 1.2–1.9 L water
  • 1 pound 450 g dried black beans, rinsed
  • 2 teaspoons 10 mL dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon 5 mL minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo, optional

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft, stirring often, about 10 minutes.

Add chili powder and cumin; stir one minute.

Add 5 cups water, black beans and oregano. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and check water level, adding more if needed.

Add chipotle, if using, and season with salt to taste. Simmer about 30 minutes longer, stirring frequently and mashing with a potato masher to desired consistency, adding more water if it's too thick.

— adapted from Bon Appetit

Pico de Gallo

  • 3/4 pound 340 g tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup 120 mL onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup 60 mL cilantro, chopped
  • juice of half a lime
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
  • pinch salt
  1. Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate.
3/4 pound 340 g tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup 120 mL onion, chopped
1/4 cup 60 mL cilantro, chopped
juice of half a lime
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
pinch salt
combine & chill

each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction

Pico de Gallo
  • 3/4 pound 340 g tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • 1/2 cup 120 mL onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup 60 mL cilantro, chopped
  • juice of half a lime
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely minced
  • pinch salt

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate.

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