Twinkle's Kitchen | Vegan Chorizo Chili

A good bowl of chili rarely disappoints. Healthy and hearty, this simple vegan chili can fool even the most serious meat-eater.

Chunks of Portobello mushrooms and with spicy soy chorizo combine to create an amazing dish, layered with flavor. An addition of fresh chillies gives this meal just the right amount of kick, perfect for the big game gathering.

This recipe is one of my go-to meals during the colder months. Cook on a wintry weekend, freeze into smaller batches and have plenty of good-for-you goodness on hand for those busy school nights, or throw in your work bag for a quick healthy lunch.

Vegan Chorizo Chili

Ingredients

• 1 whole fresh jalapeño
• 5 medium Portobello mushrooms
• 3 cloves chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup diced red onions
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 12 oz. package vegan chorizo or TVP* ground pieces
• 1 cup black beans - canned
• 2 cups kidney beans - canned
• 2 cups diced tomatoes + juice
• 3 cups veggie stock
• 1 tbs. chilli powder
• 1 tbs. crushed red pepper
• 2 tbs. cumin
• 2 tbs. oregano
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbs. ancho chilli powder
• 1 tbs. black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. sea salt

Normally I would use dried beans for a chili recipe, soaking overnight. This recipe, however, uses canned beans instead, cutting out many hours of prep time. Since you are using canned beans, make sure to empty cans first into a colander and rinse well. This will improve flavor immensely.

Once beans are rinsed and strained, place them in a heavy pot with the tomatoes, chorizo and stock and cook on low while preparing the others ingredients. I use a cast iron Dutch oven.

In another pan, sauté your garlic, onions, mushrooms and jalapeño in olive oil until onions are clear, and then transfer into your pot with the other ingredients.

Stir your chilli well and cook on low for 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add your spices, except the salt.

Pro-Tip: Mix up the spices prior, double or even tripling the amounts, for an on-hand chili spice mix.

Cook for another 30 minutes on medium low.

Return to low and add salt to taste.

Cook for another 15 minutes, then remove from heat and serve.

*What is TVP?
Textured vegetable protein, or TVP, is a high-fiber, high-protein meat substitute made from soy flour. It comes in different shapes and sizes - from large chunks to small flakes - and is available in a myriad of flavored and unflavored varieties.

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Twinkle VanWinkle was born in a small town in Mississippi. A life-long lover of music, media and food, she grew up following those three things along her path. She has almost 20 years of professional cooking under her apron strings, feeding thousands of friends, family and other folks while working in restaurants and bakeries in Oxford, Miss. She baked apple pies for the “Oprah Winfrey Show” and appeared on Food Network's “The Best Of...” in the same year. Along with producing dynamic lifestyle content for LIN Media, she is a mother, musician and social media fanatic.

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