Spicy pleasure
Vegan recipe for Chili sin Carne – the classic without any animal products
Hot, spicy and hearty – that’s what a good chilli should taste like. Here in the vegan version.
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Meat belongs in a real chili? Not necessarily. The vegan variant scores with a quick preparation and plenty of taste. Chili sin carne also contains a lot of valuable vegetable proteins, vitamins and minerals. The recipe.
Chili con carne is a classic of Tex-Mex cuisine. Hot, hearty and spicy, the dish is very popular. But a chilli does not always have to contain meat. The vegan version is now widespread. Numerous recipes replace “Carne” (meat) with alternatives such as soy, seitan, lentils or quinoa.
Season properly
The key to successful chili sin carne (sin means “without” in Spanish, by the way) is the right seasoning. Paprika, oregano, fresh cayenne pepper, cumin and chilli powder give the chili its characteristic taste. Fresh onions and lots of garlic make the dish spicy and hearty. Those of us who are very adventurous add cinnamon and cocoa powder to the chili – the sweet and tart spices round off the taste of the chili sin carne and underline the spiciness of the dish in a sophisticated way.
With a fine seasoning, lentils, soy and co. also acquire the flavor so typical of chili. Of course, the focus is also on a pleasant level of spiciness, after all, this is the main feature of the Mexican cult dish. A good chilli should be creamy, not too runny and not too firm – just enough for a nice slice of crusty bread to absorb the sauce. Chunky tomatoes, pithy lentils, corn and kidney beans add a certain bite.
Probably not Mexican
The original – Chili con Carne – is often associated with Mexican cuisine. In Mexico, however, the dish that is so popular with us is hardly eaten – if at all, it is only found in tourist areas of the country.
In any case, the origin of the chili is disputed. While some claim the stew was cooked by the US Army as a cheap mass meal for their soldiers, others are convinced the stew was made by the Native Americans as a substitute for the dried beef pemmican, which was cooked with various spices to make a thick stew before consumption was developed.
Either way, the dish has been one of Texas’s most popular foods since the early 1900s. Due to the huge herds of cattle and the resulting excess of meat, the dish was cheap to prepare, and chili con carne is still the Texan national dish today. The area around San Antonio in particular is considered the center of chili culture.
Fast after-work kitchen
Chili sin carne is the ideal recipe for after work – it hardly needs any fresh ingredients and is quickly stirred together, then it almost cooks itself. After a maximum of an hour, the chili is cooked and the spices have fully developed their aroma. The cooking time is ideal for getting the kitchen in shape – so you can crumble onto the couch after enjoying.
Chili sin carne is not only quick to make, it is also very hard-wearing because it contains no meat. This makes the dish easy to transport and ideal as a party stew. This not only impresses your guests, but also saves you a lot of preparatory work.
In addition, the plant-based version of the classic is very rich in nutrients. Lentils and kidney beans provide the body with high-quality, plant-based protein, as well as vitamins and nutrients such as iron, potassium and magnesium. In addition, the legumes are rich in fiber and carbohydrates and thus contribute to long-lasting satiety. Last but not least, they regulate digestion. By the way: cumin contributes to the better digestibility of legumes. Chili is also anti-inflammatory and has an antibacterial effect – a natural booster for the immune system.
Recipe for a vegan Chili sin Carne
ingredients
- 2 green onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 200 ml vegetable broth
- 500g canned kidney beans
- 500 g canned brown lentils
- 900 g canned corn
- 800 g canned diced tomatoes
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp sweet paprika powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes
- 2 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Oil for frying, eg coconut oil
- vegan yoghurt for serving, e.g. soy yoghurt
preparation
- Peel and chop the onions and garlic cloves.
- Heat a little coconut oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions and garlic cloves in it.
- Add the tomato paste and stir in. Then add the vegetable broth and the chopped tomatoes.
- Drain the corn, kidney beans and lentils well. wash lentils
- Stir in the drained corn, kidney beans and lentils, along with the spices, salt and pepper.
- Simmer over medium heat with the lid closed for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally in between.
- Taste again at the end if necessary.
- Arrange on plates and serve with vegan yoghurt and baguette!
Tip: Chili sin carne tastes twice as good when well infused. Baguette or farmhouse bread are suitable as a side dish, but rice, potatoes or – very traditionally – tortilla chips also taste great with a spicy stew.