Chili is always a good idea

Chili Sin Carne or “chili without meat” is always a good idea if you ask me. This hot, spicy, flavorful and so delicious and warm Mexican stew has been made multiple times at my place, for many years, and it still keeps being one of my absolute favorite recipes. Chili sin carne is just as delicious to eat a plain weekday as it is for a more festive weekend. Eat this with your friends, family, kids, adults, dogs too if you want to (?), I’m sure everyone will love it! This food is so festive, warm, and makes my heart goes “FIESTAAA!”.

No fake meat/ substitutes included

This recipe is also completely vegan, gluten free and protein rich. I sometimes add vegan meat substitutes into my recipes (for chili sin carne too. I have another recipe of that here if you prefer with a substitute) but this time I wanted to create one without. Because in Mexico, the real thing, is not made with vegan meat substitutes. The real, genuine chili sin carne is without any of that and only includes various beans, so of course I had to give you a recipe like that too!

Why do I add sugar to tomato recipes?

This is actually a kitchen hack I learned from my Greek grandma. She always put approx 1 tbsp of sugar into tomato recipes, based on canned tomatoes of various kinds. Why? Because canned tomatoes most often have a more sour tomato taste compared to “real” ripe tomatoes. So when adding just a little bit of sugar to one’s stew, tomato sauce, tomato soup or similar, it balances the flavor and makes it more delicious. If you haven’t tried this, I really recommend you to do so!

THIS RECIPE IS:

• Vegan

• Nut Free

• Gluten Free

• Protein rich

• No vegan meat substitutes included

• Spicy, warm and flavorful

• Just as great for plain weekdays as for festive weekends

• Great for food prep

• Just as great for a one person meal as it is for a bunch of people

Chili Sin Carne

INGREDIENTS:

approx 2 tbsp cooking oil

1 yellow onion

2 pressed garlic cloves

0.5 fresh red chili*

0.5 red or green bell pepper

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika powder

0.5 tsp cayenne pepper

approx 1 tsp salt or after taste

1 tbsp sugar, can be excluded*

600 g (1.5 packages) crushed tomatoes

400 g kidney beans

400 g (big) white beans

1-2 dl (100-200 ml) water

2 ripe tomatoes, can be excluded

80 g corn

Cilantro or parsley for serving

HOW TO MAKE:

• Heat up a big frying pan with the cooking oil. Chop the onion and press the garlic and add that to the pan and fry until soft.

• Finely chop the red chili and slice the bell pepper. Add these to the pan.

• Add the tomato paste and all the spices and stir around.

• Rinse off the beans in cold water and add them and the crushed tomatoes to the pan. Cut the tomatoes (if wanting to have that) into bites and add them too. If needed, add some water.

• Let simmer on medium to lower heat for approx 10’. Add the corns and let cook for another 5’.

• Garnish with cilantro or parsley (whatever you prefer) and serve with rice, tortilla and/or nacho chips, and a little bit of lime juice if you want.

NOTES: *

• Read the middle part of the post to learn why we add sugar to this recipe.