A family-friendly chilli recipe packed full of flavour and plant protein.
As I was wandering through the supermarket the other day (mostly just trying to get my Fitbit step count up since the inclement weather outside wasn’t amenable to adventuring) I spotted a bag of frozen Quorn mince in the freezer section on offer, for just over £1. In all honesty, I was eyeing up the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (also on offer) next to it, so it was completely by accident I rediscovered Quorn again that day.
I realised, then, it had been many years since I last cooked with Quorn. I used to work with it a lot, over a decade ago, but its fallen by the wayside with my cooking for some reason. I was resolved to experiment, and I came up with this rather scrummy quick and easy loaded vegetarian chilli recipe.
The recipe is based on a slow cooker lamb chilli with pasilla chillies I make. I love pasilla chillies – they’re deliciously warming and add such a wonderful depth of flavour without the heat of usual red chillies.
The heat from this recipe comes from the warming chilli pepper, whole cumin seeds and a couple of cinnamon sticks. It’s not at all spicy, just deliciously warming. If you can’t find pasilla chillies, use a small red chilli, seeds removed, instead, or omit it entirely.
Now, I like my chilli loaded with all sorts of ingredients: sliced avocado, soured cream, mature cheddar cheese and a generous sprinkling of hot chilli powder. I prefer not to have mine with rice or baked potatoes, opting for a bowlful with either tortilla chips or cornbread on the side.
I’d also realised that it had been years since I last made Nigella Lawson’s cornbread-on-the-cob recipe; a recipe that used to be one of my eldest’s favourite meals when he was little (he’ll be 18 on his next birthday!). The recipe is from her book Nigella Bites, from 2001.
It was in 2001 when my firstborn celebrated his first birthday in California; Napa, to be specific. While browsing a thrift store I stumbled upon two cast iron corn moulds. I have always had a fondness for cast iron, but I confess I had no idea what these corn moulds were for. I bought them anyway and took them home to Shetland hoping to find a use for them.
I bought a copy of Nigella’s cookery book that year, and imagine my surprise when I discovered she had a recipe for cornbread-on-the-cob cooked in these very moulds! That’s what they were for!
I’ve never seen them for sale in the UK, but I have found the online US seller Bayou Classic who will deliver a 12″ Cast Iron Cornbread Pan at a very reasonable price to the UK.
Cornbread-on-the-cob is a fabulous accompaniment to this vegetarian chilli recipe, I think.
VEGETARIAN CHILLI RECIPES
If you’re looking for vegetarian chilli inspiration (and my recipe just isn’t quite what you’re after) you might also like Jacqueline’s Easy Vegan Chilli Bean Mince Wraps or her Vegan 3-Bean Chocolate Chilli. Jacqueline blogs over at Tinned Tomatoes and she’s been blogging vegetarian recipes since 2007, so she knows her stuff. Alternatively, you might like Bintu’s Slow Cooker Three Bean Chilli. Emily over at Recipes & Reviews loves her vegetarian chillies – she’s got Vegan Tacos with Homemade Mushroom & Bean Mince, Vegan Bean Chilli and Vegetarian Quorn Chilli with Spicy Guacamole and Eggs.
How do you like to top your chillies? Are you a fiery chilli sort of person who likes to cool it down with some soured cream, or do you prefer a milder version? Let me know in the comments!
Quick & Easy Loaded Vegetarian Chilli
Ingredients
for the chilli
- 25 grams butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 500 grams Quorn mince
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 300 ml vegetable stock
- 400 grams tinned cherry tomatoes in rich tomato sauce
- 400 gram s tinned chopped tomatoes in rich tomato sauce
- 1 dried pasilla chilli rehydrated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 25 grams dark chocolate
- 400 grams tinned kidney beans drained and rinsed
- Shetland sea salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
suggested toppings & accompaniments
- avocado
- soured cream
- mature cheddar cheese grated
- chilli powder to taste
- cornbread
- tortilla chips
- baked potatoes or rice
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Instructions
- Heat butter in a large pan over a medium-high heat and saute the onion and garlic until it begins to soften.
- Add the cumin seeds and cook for a further minute to toast them.
- Add the Quorn, tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, rehydrated pasilla chilli, paprika and cinnamon sticks. Stir well to combine, turn the heat down to medium, pop the lid on and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Add the chocolate, drained kidney beans and chopped parsley. Season well to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with all your favourite toppings.
Notes
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Mind: Blown! I’ve loved veggie chilli and veggie burritos with guacamole for 10+ years – but I’ve never considered adding avocado to my chilli! Thank you for the inspiration – that’s tomorrow’s tea sorted!
This looks and sounds so good – have never made the cornbreads either, going to try and do those this year
It may be nearly april but we NEED warming delicious treats – sure this WONDERFUL recipe will do the trick
Going to have to give this a try
We often cook with Quorn because the Other Half doesn’t like to eat too much red meat so we will definitely be checking this out.
This kind of recipe is just what I need in this weather! It looks so comforting.
Mmm hello this looks like my kinda meal! I’m trying to eat more veggie food and this looks divine so must give it a shot!
What a beautiful chili! I agree, I like chili with cornbread, and I adore cast iron for cooking and baking. But I’ve never seen those amazing pans. I need them in my life! Thanks for posting.
Your pictures are beautiful as always. I love ALL kinds of chili. This looks delicious and is the perfect comfort food any night of the week. Leftovers would be great too.
What an absolutely gorgeous chili! I bet no one even notices that its vegetarian. Also, we totally had one of those corn cob shaped cast iron pans growing up! We always made our cornbread in them for chili night. So fun!
As a passionate lover of chili, I was looking for a good vegetarian recipe and I am so glad I stumbled upon your post, Elizabeth! Can’t wait to try your recipe. What kind of onions do you use for this recipe?
Oh yay, do let me know what you think! I use ordinary brown onions in this recipe, although a red onion would work well too.
Perfect recipe for our meat free days, we love chilli, so definitely a must for this time of year,
I have not tried vegetarian chilli before but this looks yummy! I do love my usual chilli but not had it with avocado either
I will have to make this, it has all my favourite foods; avocado and chilli! Just delicious
I love chilli and this sounds like a delicious alternative
This sounds really yummy! I have a few friends who are vegetarians, so will keep this in mind for when they next visit.
It must be the weather for veggie chilli – we have a recipe for it coming up too. I have never had cornbread, but it looks like the perfect side dish to it.
This looks refereshingly different not to mention that it is also healthy. I love me some avocados; you can never go wrong with that.
I can see how this would be the hit here in my home! I don’t mind testing vegetarian dishes especially now and love when they are stuffed with protein-rich ingredients. Plus point when the meal is flavorful and spicy! 🙂
I’m such a disaster in the kitchen I didn’t know there was vegetarian Chilli! In fact all I knew was chile con carne, haha. Thank you! I love learning new things, and I always leave your blog knowing something new!
I’ve never actually tried a chilli. with the addition of avocado as a topping, im sold!
Omgosh, that corn on the cob bread and the chili! With avocado? It looks so good. It’s time for me to make something new!
Your chilli looks and sounds delicious. Yum!
I am trying to increase my vegetarian intake so this recipe looks very interesting.
I really love spicy foods and this vegetarian chili recipe looks so delicious and tempting. Iw ill surely try this recipe.
Chili is one of those great dishes that has so many manifestations
That corn cob pan is the dogs boll***s I cannot believe it is so cheap for a solid bit of kit
This sounds so delicious and healthy, the toppings are all my favorites. I would definitely try this out. Love the pictures, captured the dish perfectly.
This looks absolutely incredible, it is making my mouth water just looking at it. Putting it on the meal plan for this week.
Hehe love that you were eyeing up the ice cream but chose the Quorn mince! I haven’t eaten Quorn in ages, but I do like it. I like my chillis super spicy though, so would probably add more heat to mine 😉 The Vegetarian Quorn Chilli with Spicy Guacamole and Eggs sounds nice! x
Slow cooker and chili – I loe both so it sounds like super mine dish! thanks, because it’s simple enough for me to handle
This look SO good. I am a vegetarian and really appreciate this one … Gonna pin it and will definitely make it soon.
I have to bookmark this. It perfect for Fridays in Lent! It looks simply yummy and amazing!
I love that you use cinnamon sticks in this! I’m a vegetarian, but my husband is not. This looks like a perfect meal that we can both love. No meat, but still hearty and filling.
A bowl of good chili is the best meal on a cold day and yours look just perfect! By the way I love those cornbread pans! They look so cute 🙂
My mouth is watering this looks to die for!
Sounds like a great recipe, I love swapping out mince for quorn x
This chilli looks like such a great idea for dinner – so healthy, colorful and delicious. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
that looks super yummy as always! I like chilli but in little doses otherwise, my mouth is on fire 🙂
usually I am so plain, I never thought to try putting anything like that in my chili. I might try some of those ideas next time we have it.
I love chili and avocado so I think this is going to suit my taste very much. Love also the presentation and how these pictures were taken, really mouth watering. Full of real food and good ingredient. I need to give it a go.
Oh now I bet this tastes amazing I love that it is quite simple to make as I’m not a very good cook. I may just give this a go.
This recipe is going straight to the top of my ‘to-try’ pile, it looks incredible and veggie too which is such a treat for me!
Great presentation to start with, I am all inspired to give it a try. Thanks
Oooh, I love chilli. In fact we had it for dinner this evening. Leftovers from Wednesday evening. 🙂 I think I will have to try making it with quorn mince. I used to eat quorn when I was a teen. 🙂
I love chili and I love quick and easy recipes since I don’t seem to have enough time in the day for much anymore. I will be saving this deliciousness!
I love chilli with a bit of a kick but also love the top it with some sour cream – it’s all about balance for me. Loving the vegetarian rendition here.
I bookmarked this it looks so yum I really want to try some more vegetarian dishes for the family.
If I can give score out of 10, that veggie chilli recipe would be a 20 for me. I can almost taste it from your pictures. And cinnamon sticks, mmm!
This looks amazing – such a great recipe and I love the idea of adding sliced avocados and sour cream on the top!
Look so good. My mouth is watering right now. I would love to try this to find out how it would taste.
We had chilli last night, I am a quorn convert. I’m not even veggie but I just prefer it to mince, this looks decidedly better than my version however. Oh it looks so delicious.
This is a mouth watering recipe! Love your toppings: avocado and sour cream lured me right in!! Sometimes, we discover the best things by accident. It is one of life’s most amazing blessings ☺️ Xo
if its quick im in there, i love nothing more than something easy to make but full of flavour and it being healthy also is a plus for our homemaking meal family
OMG, you had me at quick. I need to make this.