Vegetarian Chili with Bulgur and Beans

Name: Vegetarian Chili with Bulgur and Beans
Prep time: 19 min
Cook time: 47 min
Total time: 1 h 6 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 2 medium (about 11 oz total) (300 g) red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice; 1 medium (25 g) jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (optional); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 3 tbsp (24 g) chili powder; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; 28 oz can (794 g) crushed tomatoes, one whole can, with juices; 3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce; ¾ cup (112 g) coarse or medium bulgur, rinsed briefly in a sieve and drained; 15 oz can (425 g) pinto beans, drained and rinsed until the water runs clear; 15 oz can (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed until the water runs clear; 1 cup (140 g) frozen corn kernels (optional); 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 lime); ¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving (optional); 1 medium (150 g) ripe avocado, diced, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, smoky one-pot chili where nutty bulgur swells in the simmering tomato broth, giving a hearty, meaty bite alongside pinto and black beans and sweet red bell pepper.

Prep: 19 min
Cook: 47 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 11 min
Makes: About 8 cups (6 generous bowls)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
2 medium (about 11 oz total) (300 g) red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) dice
1 medium (25 g) jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (optional)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
3 tbsp (24 g) chili powder
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
28 oz can (794 g) crushed tomatoes, one whole can, with juices
3 cups (720 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
¾ cup (112 g) coarse or medium bulgur, rinsed briefly in a sieve and drained
15 oz can (425 g) pinto beans, drained and rinsed until the water runs clear
15 oz can (425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed until the water runs clear
1 cup (140 g) frozen corn kernels (optional)
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
To finish
1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 1 lime)
¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)
1 medium (150 g) ripe avocado, diced, for serving (optional)

Equipment (5)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) heavy-bottomed pot or stovetop-safe casserole with lid
Wooden spoon
Chef's knife and cutting board
Colander and fine sieve
Measuring cups and spoons

Steps

Before you start

Use coarse or medium bulgur (not fine, which turns mushy, and not a quick-cooking flour-like grind).
Timing: about 15 minutes of prep, 47 minutes on the stove, and a 5-minute rest off the heat, plus about 4 minutes to season and serve (roughly 71 minutes total).
Measure the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and black pepper into one small bowl so they can go into the pot together.
This is a stovetop recipe; no oven is needed. Frozen corn does not need to be thawed.

1
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion and red bell peppers into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces, mince the garlic and jalapeño (if using), and squeeze the lime.
- Rinse the bulgur in a fine sieve for 10 seconds and drain.
- Drain and rinse both cans of beans in a colander until the water runs clear.
- This takes about 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Vegetables are in even ½-inch pieces and beans are fully drained.
Tip: Even dice means the peppers and onions soften at the same rate.
2
Soften onion and peppers
- Heat the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat for about 1 minute, until it shimmers.
- Add the onion, bell peppers, jalapeño, and ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes (9 minutes including heating the oil).
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Ready when: Onion is translucent and the peppers are softened with lightly browned edges.
Tip: If the vegetables begin to scorch, lower the heat slightly rather than adding water.
3
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and black pepper.
- Stir constantly for 1 minute so the spices toast in the oil.
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Ready when: The mixture smells fragrant and toasty, and the garlic is not browned.
Tip: Don't walk away; burnt spices and garlic turn the whole pot bitter.
4
Caramelize tomato paste
- Push the vegetables to the sides, add the tomato paste to the center, and cook, stirring it into the vegetables, for 2 minutes.
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Ready when: The paste darkens from bright red to brick red and coats the vegetables.
5
Add liquids, bulgur, beans
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, soy sauce, bulgur, pinto beans, and black beans, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits (2 minutes).
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, which takes about 3 more minutes.
- The whole step takes about 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The surface bubbles steadily all over. The mixture will look quite loose and soupy at this point; that is expected.
Tip: Stir once or twice while it heats so the bulgur doesn't settle and stick.
6
Simmer covered
- Reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring from the bottom every 5 to 7 minutes (about 4 minutes of stirring in total).
- The bulgur absorbs liquid and swells during this time.
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Ready when: Bulgur is mostly tender with only a slight chew, and the chili is still fairly saucy, like a loose stew.
Tip: The surface should bubble gently at least every few seconds; if it is completely still, raise the heat to medium-low.
7
Add corn, simmer uncovered
- Remove the lid and stir in the corn (if using).
- Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes (about 2 minutes of stirring in total) so the chili thickens and the bulgur finishes cooking.
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Ready when: Bulgur is fully tender with no hard center, and the chili is thick like a stew: a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills back in slowly, and the surface is not watery.
Tip: Too thick (the spoon stands up and the pot sticks)? Stir in broth or water, ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time. Too thin (liquid pools around the spoon)? Simmer uncovered 3 to 5 minutes more.
8
Season and rest
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
- Taste and add more salt, chili powder, or a pinch of cayenne if you like.
- Cover and let the chili rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
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Ready when: The flavor tastes balanced: smoky, savory, with a bright finish from the lime.
Tip: Salt in stages; canned beans and broth vary in saltiness.
9
Serve
- Ladle into bowls and top with chopped cilantro and diced avocado, if using.

Good to know

Tips

Rinsing the bulgur removes surface starch so the chili stays thick but not gluey.
Stir from the bottom of the pot, since bulgur settles and can scorch.
For more heat, add a minced chipotle in adobo with the garlic or a pinch of cayenne at the end.
The chili thickens as it sits; thin it with a splash of broth when serving leftovers.

Make ahead

Cook the chili completely up to 3 days ahead; the flavor improves overnight. Cool, refrigerate, and add the lime juice and toppings after reheating.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight container for up to 5 days. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. Reheat gently in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often and adding a splash of water or broth, because the bulgur keeps absorbing liquid, until steaming hot (165°F/74°C).

Substitutions

coarse or medium bulgur → Quinoa (¾ cup/130 g, rinsed). Simmer about 20 minutes until the tails uncurl; this also makes the chili gluten-free, but check that the soy sauce is gluten-free too.
soy sauce → Tamari or coconut aminos. Use tamari for gluten-free; coconut aminos is slightly sweeter and less salty, so adjust the salt.
pinto beans → Kidney beans or cannellini beans. Use one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed.
low-sodium vegetable broth → Water plus ½ tsp extra salt. The chili will be a little less rich; add an extra teaspoon of soy sauce if needed.