Easy Black Bean Chili

Preperation time
m
Skills level

Serving size
6
Country of origin

Cooking time: 2 hours m
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) bag black beans, I like Goya
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomato sauce with basil (I like Tuttorosso)
  • 6 large carrots, peeled and chopped
  • ¾ cup red wine (Cabernet)
  • 4 dry bay leaves
  • 1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
  • ½ large sweet onion, diced
  • 6-8 cups stock or water or a combination (stock provides a better flavor base)
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • Small container baby Bella mushrooms (or butto
  • Salt, pepper, paprika, red chili flakes (chili powder, optional)
  • Garnish: red onion, chives or green onions, spicy cheese (like Pepper Jack), and sour cream, lime wedges.
Recipe Type:
Course:

This is a super easy Black Bean Chili – just remember to allow 24 hours to soak beans overnight (rinse first) or you may use canned black beans, just be sure to rinse and drain them. This is great tasting, quick chili for a weeknight meal. Serve with a dollop of sour cream. Amp up the spicy factor with the addition of chili powder or a few diced jalapenos.

Soak Black beans overnight in water – allow 24 hours

Rinse and drain beans.  Place in a large pot with a 2-3 cups of water or stock (I use chicken stock for added flavor), a good sprinkle of salt and 4 bay leaves. Let this cook on a low simmer for about 20 minutes or longer. Black beans can be fussy and can take a very long time to soften in my experience. Check a few by rinsing with cold water and crushing between your fingers or use canned black beans if you are pressed for time.

In the meantime, prepare your vegetables. Rinse, dry and peel the carrots. Chop into tiny bite-sized pieces. Peel the eggplant and cut into tiny cubes.

Dice the onion. Rinse and pat dry the mushrooms, and chop. Leave the garlic cloves whole, just take off the skin.

After roughly 20 minutes, you may add in the can of tomato sauce to the beans, 3/4 cup of red wine, 4 more cups of chicken stock, as well as diced veggies as well as onions and whole garlic cloves.

Season to your liking with paprika, salt, pepper and a few sprinkles of red chili flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Let this simmer for about 2 hours. The sauce will thicken from the addition of wine, and the flavors will develop over a long period of time.

Garnish and serve with my Armenian Sweet Bread!

Vegetarian option: swap out the chicken stock and use vegetable stock.