Tempeh Chili

By Alexandra Caspero on January 9, 2017

A hearty, spicy vegan chili with tempeh crumbles.

Serves 6

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This is the perfect meatless chili, packed with fiber and protein. Rich, hearty, vegan and gluten-free.

Can people hibernate as well? These freezing temps make me want to burrow under the covers, sleep and sleep some more.

Serious question– when it comes to bed, how early is too early? Since BL was gone on a guys trip this weekend, I indulged myself on Friday night– I was in bed by 7PM, reading a few magazines before I fell asleep.

Friends, this was glorious. AND, I didn’t wake up until almost 7:30 the next morning. It felt like college all over again, without the hangover or stress of exams.

While I love having BL home on the weekends, there’s something fun about having the place to yourself. It’s been a while since I lived on my own and I relish the opportunity to have complete control of my schedule.

I cooked most of Saturday, capping the evening with dinner with a good friend and a big ol’ nap on Sunday. My heart is so full from this mini-staycation of my own.

Freezing temperatures also make me crave chili, soups and hearty stews. I love the idea of pouring myself a steaming bowl, then heading to the couch to curl up with a movie or chat with a friend.

It’s how I love ending the workday and this tempeh chili is a must-make.

If you like hearty chilis, you are going to love this one. I wanted to create a vegan chili that wasn’t the typical meatless type. Especially as I already have a vegan chili made with TVP, one made with bulgur wheat, and a 3-bean vegan chili.

This tempeh chili isn’t packed with vegetables and that’s on purpose. Instead, it’s got chunks of tempeh, beans and lots of spices. That’s it. This is the perfect chili to scoop up with my vegan cornbread or serve over noodles, Cincinnati style.

Tempeh Chili Ingredients

Anaheim chili peppers
Cilantro
Olive oil
Onion
Garlic
Salt
Tempeh
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
Vegetable broth
Canned white beans

Substitutions and Ingredient Recommendations:

You can use other chili peppers instead of Anaheim; I just like the flavor of Anaheim chili peppers best in this recipe.

The creamy white beans pair perfectly with the spice of this tempeh chili, but if you don’t want to use white beans then you can use kidney beans, pinto beans or black beans instead.

This tempeh chili is vegan as written, but it make it a vegetarian chili then you can add in toppings like shredded cheese or sour cream. Of course, you can also keep the dairy-free versions of these. My current favorite dairy-free cheese is Violife. Their pepperjack shreds are perfect on this chili bowl.

How to Make this Vegan Tempeh Chili Recipe

Roast the chili peppers
Place the peppers on a sheet pan and place underneath a preheated broiler, about 4 inches from the heat. Broil, turning with tongs, until lightly charred, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove from heat, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand about 5 minutes. Uncover and scrape away the charred skin, then cut the peppers in half and remove and discard the seeds, stems and membranes.
Blend the chili peppers
Place the chilis and cilantro into a blender and puree until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
Brown the tempeh
In a large soup pan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, onion, garlic and salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.

While the mixture is cooking, crumble the tempeh. I use a box grater to get my tempeh nice and crumbly. Add the tempeh along with the spices and cook until fragrant and tempeh is crispy, about 10 minutes. Stir often, so the tempeh doesn’t stick.
Deglaze the Pot
Deglaze the pot by adding the vegetable broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add in the reserved pureed chiles, beans and reduce to a low simmer.

Cover and cook until chili is thick and flavors have developed, about 1-2 hours.
Serve with toppings of choice
Remove from heat and serve with any desired toppings.

Tips for Perfect Tempeh Chili

The key is crumbling the tempeh fine; I use a box grater to get this done. Then, I lightly fry the tempeh in oil to give it good body and flavor. Once you’re done, the tempeh should be golden brown and almost crispy before stirred into the other ingredients.

For the perfect amount of spice, I learned this trick from Food Network. Broil chili peppers (I opted for Anaheim chilis) until blackened and the skins easily slip off. Then, puree with cilantro. This spicy base pairs perfectly with hearty beans and tempeh. It’s also a great way to adjust the heat. If you want more, choose spicier chilis. If you want less, choose mild ones.

I know I call for a lot of chili powder here, it’s not a typo. I can’t get enough of Penzey’s chili powder, but use your favorite brand. If you’re using a super spicy powder, then you might want to put in a little, taste and then gradually add some more. Can’t wait for you to try this one!

More Vegan Chili Recipes

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!

Tempeh Chili

Author: Alexandra Caspero
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: dinner, chili, recipe, healthy, vegan
Method: oven
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex, Mexican Inspired
Diet: Vegan

Description

Tempeh Chili! This is the perfect meatless chili, packed with fiber and protein. Rich, hearty, vegan and gluten-free.

Print Recipe

Author: Alexandra Caspero
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: dinner, chili, recipe, healthy, vegan
Method: oven
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex, Mexican Inspired
Diet: Vegan

Author: Alexandra Caspero
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: dinner, chili, recipe, healthy, vegan
Method: oven
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex, Mexican Inspired
Diet: Vegan

Scale

Ingredients

6 large Anaheim chili peppers
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large sweet onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
16 ounces tempeh
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
4 cups vegetable broth
2 (15 -ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained

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Instructions

Place the chili peppers on a sheet pan and place underneath a preheated broiler, about 4 inches from the heat. Broil, turning with tongs, until lightly charred, about 2-3 minutes per side.
Remove from heat, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand about 5 minutes. Uncover and scrape away the charred skin, then cut the peppers in half and remove and discard the seeds, stems and membranes.
Place the chilis and cilantro into a blender and puree until creamy and smooth. Set aside.
In a large soup pan over medium heat, combine the olive oil, onion, garlic and salt. Cook until the onion is translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
While the mixture is cooking, crumble the tempeh. I use a box grater to get my tempeh nice and crumbly. Add the tempeh along with the spices and cook until fragrant and tempeh is crispy, about 10 minutes. Stir often, so the tempeh doesn’t stick.
Deglaze the pot by adding the vegetable broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add in the reserved pureed chiles, beans and reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook until chili is thick and flavors have developed, about 1-2 hours.
Remove from heat and serve with any desired toppings.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Guy Fieri

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.