Meatless Monday: Vegetarian Chili

It's rare that a chili recipe calls for less than an hour of cooking time, but this vegetarian version from America's Test Kitchen does just that, making it a good contender for Meatless Mondays. Good chili accompaniments include lime wedges, sour cream, diced avocado, chopped red onion, and shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese. Pick and choose to make it as dairy-heavy, or as vegan, as you like.

Vegetarian Chili
Serves 6 to 8
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped fine
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup water
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
Salt
4 (15.5 ounce) cans of kidney, pinto, or black beans, rinsed. (Use a mix of beans, if you like.)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, water, chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.

Add the beans and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the chili is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste before serving. Serve chili topped with sour cream, cheddar cheese, or slices of avocado.