Name: Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Black Bean Chili
Total time: 9 h
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 onions, chopped fine; 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine; 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced; 9 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tablespoons chili powder; 4 teaspoons mustard seeds; 1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce; 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 1 tablespoon dried oregano; 2½ cups vegetable or chicken broth, plus extra as needed; 2½ cups water; 1 pound (2½ cups) dried black beans, picked over and rinsed; 10 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or quartered if large; 2 bay leaves; 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro; Salt and pepper; Lime wedge

Why This Recipe Works

Vegetarian versions of black bean chili can be tricky since there are no ham products, like meaty, smoky ham hocks, to build flavor over the long cooking time. To achieve the full flavors we expected from black bean chili, we started by browning a generous amount of aromatics and spices. This additional step was promising, but the chili still seemed pretty lean. Though a bit odd for a chili, a surprise ingredient, mustard seeds, added an appealing pungency and the level of complexity we were looking for. To bulk up the chili, we added bell peppers, white mushrooms, and canned tomatoes. We added the tomatoes at the end because otherwise their acidity prevented the beans from cooking through fully.

Before You Begin

Minced cilantro and a spritz of fresh lime provide welcome brightness and are a must. Serve with your favorite chili garnishes.

Instructions

Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in jalapeños, garlic, chili powder, mustard seeds, chipotle, cumin, and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup broth, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

Stir remaining 1½ cups broth, water, beans, mushrooms, and bay leaves into slow cooker. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 8 to 10 hours on high.

Discard bay leaves. Transfer 1 cup cooked beans to bowl and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth. Stir mashed beans and tomatoes into chili and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with extra hot broth as needed. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges.