If chocolate and chili are a match, than cacao in a veggie chili cannot go wrong! This vegan pumpkin chili with chocolate gets one level more cozy thanks to the addition of raw cacao and a pinch of cinnamon.
I have seen so many chili recipes lately and it reminded me how good it is to enjoy a warm bowl with some bread or rice!
I also remembered that we once made a veggie chili with chocolate a few years ago. As I could not find the recipe, I just reinvented it myself. And the result is this creamy chocolate pumpkin chili!
About this vegan pumpkin chili with chocolate
The base for this is pretty simple: diced tomatoes, tomato paste, red onion, celery, garlic, chili, spices like cumin and coriander and vegetable broth. If there is one important thing I have learned over time to get the most flavorsome curries, chilis and stews, then it is that a good quality vegetable broth makes all the difference! I would recommend either a homemade version or a store bought broth you know tastes delicious. And of course, simmering everything on low temperature is another crucial step to bring all the flavors together.
In this recipe I went for a mix of kidney beans and corn. In case you need to use up any other sort of legume, you can use those instead of the kidney beans.
Since I had some leftover butternutsquash, I decided to add that one too for some extra veggies and texture. However, sweet potato would be a great swap too if that is more available for you.
Now let’s move onto the part that actually makes this chili so interesting: the cacao powder. Maybe it sounds a little odd in the first place. But it adds a certain depth and richness. Of course you should opt for 100% cacao powder, not the one you would use in hot chocolates! Even though the tomato paste and balsamic balance out the bitterness, you may want to add 1-2 Tsp maple syrup (or another liquid sweetener). I would also recommend to start with half the amount cacao powder and see if you want to add more.
And now I no longer want to stand in between you and this bowl of chili, so let’s get started. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! If you try it, please let me know how you like it!
ALL THE BEST
Chocolate pumpkin chili
Ingredients
- 1 large red onion chopped into chunks
- 2 stalks cellery chopped into chunks
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1/2-1 red chili deseeded and finely minced
- 1 can kidney beans (or 250g cooked kidney beans)
- 120 g frozen corn
- 500 g butternutsquash (peeled and with the seeds removed) cut into about 1cm cubes
- 500 ml vegetable broth
- 500 g diced tomatoes from a carton
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tsp cumin
- 1/2 Tsp ground coriander
- 1 Tsp paprika powder
- 2 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 11/2-2 Tbsp raw cacao powder *
- 2 Tsp maple syrup optional**
- salt to taste
- (flat)bread, tortillas or rice to serve
- parsley, fresh corainder, (vegan) sour cream, etxra chili flakes and pickles to garnish
Instructions
- Sart by sautèeingng the celery and the red onion in a large pot on medium heat. Once they have slightly browned, add the garlic and sautèe for a few more seconds before stirring through the butternutsquash cubes.
- Cook everything for one minute, then add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, balsamic vinegar, cumin, coriander, paprika powder and frozen corn.
- Leaving the lid on, reduce the temperature to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Then Mix in the rinsed and drained kidney beans, cacao powder and cinnamon. Cook for another 15 minutes without the lid, stirring from time to time.
- When the chili has cooked long enough, rmove about a scant cup (300g) of it and blend it with a hand held blender. Put the creamy blended chili back to the pot and sesaon everything with the lime/ lemon juice and salt.
- Serve with garnishes and a side of bread, tortillas or rice. Enjoy!
