This Texas style vegetarian chili has deep smokey flavors complemented by hints of coffee and chocolate. With a bit of spice and a hint of sweetness, this may become your favorite chili!
Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten-Free
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This chili has been renamed over and over again. In all honesty, I feel incredibly uncomfortable and a bit vulnerable using the words “Texas Style” when referring to a pot of vegetarian chili. To add a bit more irony, many Texans do not include beans in their chili…unless they are calling it con carne. That would be another recipe. No, in Texas, beans are served on the side. But, here’s the thing…even vegetarians crave the flavors of traditional recipes…without the meat. So, let’s just accept that this is by no means authentic, of course, but the flavors are inspired by Texas chili.
With all of that said, let’s talk about those deep, rich flavors. This chili is spicy, a bit sweet, with deep, full-bodied umami. The combination of chilis, fresh jalapeño and smokey ancho chili is wonderful. Traditional Texan chili can use up to five or six different varieties of chilis, but in keeping this doable at home, this version is a bit simpler. To still get those deep flavors, I love the addition of dark brown sugar or coconut sugar. Both will add a sweet, rich molasses flavor. But, the secret in really amping up this chili is adding the full-bodied flavors of coffee and chocolate. Doesn’t that sound amazing?
To easily capture those rich undertones of coffee and chocolate, I use all natural, GMO-free Nielsen-Massey’s Pure Coffee Extract and Pure Chocolate Extract. They are a simple way to add rich flavor to dishes like this. Just one teaspoon of their coffee extract is equivalent to one quarter cup of coffee making it simple to adjust to taste. The chocolate extract’s flavor is like deep dark chocolate and compliments the smokey, spicy chilis nicely.
I usually top my chilis off with lots of sour cream, avocado and cheese. This chili is so robust and has such a great taste that personally, just a squeeze of fresh lime and add some crunchy tortilla chips to make me happy. My family really loved this topped with a bit of aged white cheddar as well.
This chili tastes best simmered for a bit, but really, you could whip this up really quickly and have dinner on the table in a bit over thirty minutes. Now doesn’t that sound perfect?
Vegetarian | Vegan | Gluten-Free
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large jalapeño, diced (seeds and ribs removed if you'd like less heat)
- 1½ tablespoons ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne (or more, to taste)
- 2 14.5-ounce cans petit cut diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar or coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon masa harina (see Notes)
- 2 15-ounce cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 15-ounce cans small red beans, drained and rinsed
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Coffee Extract
- 2 teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract
- fresh lime wedges
- grated aged white cheddar
- tortilla chips
- In a heavy pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about five minutes or until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and jalapeño. Cook for an additional minute or two. Add the spices and stir just to coat for a few seconds until they become fragrant. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt and pepper and masa harina. Stir and add the beans, broth and extracts. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Simmer covered for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice and, if you'd like, some grated aged cheddar.
Beer or no beer? I've omitted beer from this recipe to keep it gluten-free, but you can absolutely add up to one bottle of beer in this recipe. Add it with the tomatoes and simmer for just a minute. Omit the vegetable broth, unless you need to loosen things up a bit. Remember…it will no longer be gluten-free if you use beer.
Inspired by Texas Chili, New York Times.
Yum! this looks delicious I need a vegetarian to cook for so I have an excuse to make this!
Being from Texas, you’re a girl after my heart, Caroline! Indeed, I still crave traditional flavors of the southwest, all the reason I keep liquid smoke, smoky paprika, veg Worcestershire sauce and friends on the ready! I’ve never tried coffee and/or chocolate in my chili but I’m completely intrigued. It sounds amazing! Gorgeous and delicious work my dear! :D
Thanks so much, my sweet Texan friend! Yes…those smokey flavors make me so happy. I think you’ll love what the coffee and chocolate flavors do to enhance them! :)
Great recipe! I’m trying to eat more vegetarian food and this recipe will be in my list.
Good for you, Carlos! I hope you get a chance to make it…let me know what you think! Thanks for stopping in!
What a great idea to put coffee extract in your chili. I didn’t even know there was such a thing but I know I would put that to good use in my kitchen! This looks so comforting!
Thank you, Karen! The coffee flavor really does make a huge difference. I know you’ll love it!
I absolutely need to find those extracts Caroline. My brother-in-law (from Texas!) has always made his chili with chocolate and I still haven’t given that a go. This recipe looks delish and so nice and easy. I can’t wait to give it a try. Happy Monday!
Thanks so much, Mary Ann! Yes…I think you’ll love the deep, rich flavor the chocolate adds. Thanks for stopping in! :)