This recipe evolved over time in the kitchen on a snowy Saturday. It lacked body until I added the canned (boo) crushed tomatoes and the stout. Then it became magic. See for yourself. As it is vegan, to get men to eat it just tell them there is beer in it.
This is a perfect way to use up those tomatoes you froze this summer from your CSA when you couldn’t keep up with eating them. If you run them under water for a few minutes straight from the freezer the skins will peel right off and you will have perfect “stewed” tomatoes for chili.
Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- 2 large onions, diced
- 2 large carrots, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 15-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 dark beer (I used Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout)
- 2 large sweet potatoes, diced into small cubes
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 C veggie broth
- juice of 1 lime
- 3-4 C whole tomatoes, smashed (I used the frozen here, but canned whole would work fine here too)
- 3 chipotle en adobo, chopped
- 5 C cooked black beans, or 2 cans drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 C frozen corn
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 1/2 T chili powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp black ground pepper
- 2 tsp oregano
In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, saute the onions, sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper until tender. Add garlic and saute another minute or so, then add the seasonings (chili powder, chipotle, oregano, salt, cumin, pepper), saute another minute or so, then add the liquids (broth, lime juice, crushed tomatoes, beer) and whole tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add corn and beans. Simmer as long as you wish, although you can chow down once the veggies are tender.
Veg Bon Vivant 