Vegan Chili Cups
Hearty three-bean chili served in individual cups—smoky, spicy, and completely plant-based
- 1 tbspolive oil
- 1yellow onion(diced)
- 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
- 1bell pepper(diced)
- 15 ozblack beans(1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 15 ozkidney beans(1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 15 ozpinto beans(1 can, drained and rinsed)
- 14 ozdiced tomatoes(1 can with juices)
- 1 cupvegetable broth
- 2 tbspchili powder
- 1 tbspcumin
- 1 tspsmoked paprika
- 0.5 tspcayenne pepper(optional)
- 1 tspsalt
- Fresh cilantro, green onions(for garnish)
Chili improves with time—make up to 3 days ahead. Reheat and portion into cups just before serving.
- 1Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat
- 2Sauté onion, garlic, and bell pepper until softened, about 5 minutes
- 3Add all beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth
- 4Stir in chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne if using, and salt
- 5Bring to simmer and cook 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally
- 6Mash some beans against side of pot to thicken if desired
- 7Taste and adjust seasoning
- 8Ladle into small cups or bowls
- 9Garnish with cilantro and green onions
- 10Serve with tortilla chips on the side
Toast spices in dry pan before adding for deeper flavor. Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder for richness. Top with vegan sour cream or avocado for non-vegan crowd.
Chili con carne — meat with chiles — has a disputed origin that reflects the culinary complexity of the Texas-Mexico border region. Texas has claimed the dish as its own since at least the 1880s, when San Antonio's "Chili Queens" — women who sold chili from open-air stands in the city's plazas — made it famous. The dish appeared at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in a San Antonio Chili Stand booth, introducing it to a national American audience. Mexico, by contrast, has historically not claimed chili con carne as its own — the combination of dried chiles with cubed or ground meat is documented in Tex-Mex border cooking and is not found in traditional interior Mexican cuisine. Meatless chili gained a significant following during the American health food movement of the 1970s, when vegetarianism expanded beyond religious practice (long documented in Seventh-day Adventist communities and others) into mainstream American food culture. Three-bean chili became a standard format because the combination of beans provides complementary amino acids that together offer a complete protein, a fact popularized by Frances Moore Lappé's 1971 book Diet for a Small Planet. Today meatless chili is recognized as a complete and satisfying dish in its own right.