Smoky Black Bean Burger Chili

Chili has been on the menu a lot during this cold snap! There are a million chili recipes and I’m sure you all have your own favorites.  For me it’s all about a thick, rich chili without a lot of fanfare. I have made chili with steak, ground beef, turkey and most recently with vegan ground “meat” although I don’t like to buy much processed vegan convenience food.

You won’t miss the meat in this chili with its rich smoky flavors thanks to chipotle in adobo sauce, the ancho chili powder and you can’t beat the little bean burger nuggets!

TIP:  I used a different chipotle sauce and WOW it was hot!  The brand I usually use  is La Costena.  It’s is a little more forgiving on the heat side. So I have minimized the amount here.  Feel free to add more to your liking.

I created a riff on ground beef by changing the texture of the black beans to make it burger like. You can easily blend a can of black beans and make it into bean pieces by drying it out a bit on the stove. Stay tuned for other bean concoctions!

Recipe Makes 4 Servings

For the “Burger:”

1 15 oz can of low sodium black beans

1/2 teaspoon of onion powder

1/3 cup of breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon of cumin

Drain and rinse beans but keep a few tablespoons of the liquid. Set aside. Mix beans in food processor or mash with pastry blender.  Add the onion powder, breadcrumbs, cumin and a tablespoon of the bean liquid and mix with hands until it resembles a meatball mixture.  Heat a nonstick medium pan over low to medium heat.  Add the mixture and break up with a wooden spoon, stirring until the mixture dries a bit, about 5 minutes or so.  It should resemble ground beef.  Turn off the heat and set aside.

Note: I formed the mixture into four patties and browned them on each side which made it easier to break up into pieces.

For the Chili:

1/2 medium diced onion

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (I like petite diced)

1 15 oz can of low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 15 oz can of dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups of vegetable broth

1 -2 teaspoons of chipotle sauce

1/2 tablespoon of ancho chili powder

1/2 tablespoon of chili powder

1 teaspoon of cumin

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and stir.  As the onion and garlic begins to stick, add a tablespoon or two of broth and let them soften for a few minutes.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes until chili has reduced and has thickened slightly.  Stir in bean burger pieces and serve.