You’ll find countless iterations of this recipe on repeat in our house this time of year. Always hearty and wholesome, stuffed full of gorgeous autumnal vegetables and various pulses and grains. A pot of chilli is so versatile. Stick it in a bowl with rice or roasted potato wedges, scoop up with nachos, serve in wraps burrito style or make a batch for a messy-fun taco night. How do you serve your chilli non-carne?
Liz x
Ingredients (serves 8)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large or 2 small onions, peeled and diced
- 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced
- 750g diced root veg (I used swede, carrot and beetroot this time)
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp each, ground cumin and coriander
- 3 bay leaves
- 100g each, dried lentils and quinoa
- 2 tins of black/kidney beans, drained
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 500ml water or veg stock
- salt and pepper to taste
- *optional extra few tbsps of a ‘flavour bomb’ eg: soy sauce/coffee/cocoa
Method
- In a large, heavy bottomed pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until soft and starting to colour.
- Then add the root vegetables and spices. Stir for a few minutes to release the flavours.
- Add the lentils, quinoa, tin of tomatoes and water/stock. Season well with salt and pepper then simmer until the lentils are soft. This should take around 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking and burning on the base of the pot.
- Then add the beans, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. I usually add about 3 tbsp of soy sauce or a tbsp or two of cocoa powder to enrich the chilli.
- Serve with rice or wedges, in tacos or burritos or however you like! It’s even better the next day so make a big batch and get some in the freezer for a rainy day?
