The Case for Meatless Chili

Chili Non Carne holds up to its animal-based siblings

Photo: Westend61/Getty Images

There are a lot of camps when it comes to chili: no beans, no meat, must have beans, must have meat, must have tomatoes, must have peppers, must be spicy, must not be spicy, and on and on.

The good news is, chili is one of those dishes that’s open to interpretation and easily tweakable to suit your tastes. For me, chili non carne is a straightforward and delicious customizable chili.

Increase or decrease just about any of the ingredients, or add pressed tofu, tempeh, or even nuts to bulk up the texture and flavor. Serve it with lots of garnishes — always great when feeding a crew — like minced onion or scallions, hot sauce, and grated cheese, as well as rice, crackers, or tortilla chips.

Chili Non Carne

Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Time: 1½ to 2½ hours, largely unattended

Ingredients

• 1 pound dried pinto beans, rinsed and picked over
• 1 onion, unpeeled, plus 1 small onion, minced
• Salt
• 1 cup reserved bean-cooking liquid, vegetable stock, or water
• 1 fresh hot chile, seeded and minced, or to taste