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Black Bean & Cashew Chili

Black Bean & Cashew Chili

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Vegan black bean and cashew chili with jalapeño, Anaheim chiles, and a splash of beer. Cashews lend hearty body to this meatless chili. Top with avocado, cilantro, and crisp tortilla chips.

YIELD

8 servings

PREP

30 min

COOK

60 min

READY

90 min

Vegan black bean and cashew chili is the bowl that proves a meatless chili doesn’t have to feel like a compromise. The handful of cashews simmered into the pot is the move that pulls everything together. As they break down over the long boil, they release their natural fat and starch, giving the broth a creamy, almost velvety thickness that beans alone can’t manage.

Work the heat in layers. Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil first, then add the diced jalapeño and milder Anaheim chile to bloom in the hot fat. The Anaheim brings a smoky-sweet vegetal note while the jalapeño handles the upfront sting. By the time the canned beans, fresh tomatoes, spices, and beer go in, the base already has a deep aromatic foundation.

The surprising pinch of cinnamon teamed with cumin and chili powder is what lifts this from a generic vegan chili into something with real character. Cinnamon pairs naturally with black beans and rounds out the warm spices into a more complex profile.

Keep the heat at a steady boil, not a slow simmer, so the liquid reduces and the flavors concentrate. Add the corn only in the last 10 minutes so it stays sweet and snappy.

Pro Tips

  • Toast the cashews briefly in a dry skillet before adding for deeper nutty flavor.
  • Don’t drain the canned black beans. The starchy bean liquid helps thicken the chili.
  • Pick a beer with flavor like an amber lager, dark ale, or porter. Light beer adds nothing.
  • A squeeze of fresh lime at the end wakes the whole bowl up.

Variations

  • Stir in a square of dark chocolate at the end for mole-style depth.
  • Add a chopped sweet potato with the tomatoes for a heartier, sweeter version.
  • Top with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled jalapeños, and lime wedges.

Ingredients

1 1
SMALL SMALL ONION
diced coarse
3 3
CLOVES CLOVES GARLIC
minced
1 1
EACH EACH JALAPEÑO PEPPER
seeded and diced *
1 1
EACH EACH ANAHEIM CHILY
seeded and, diced *
3 3
EACH ITALIAN PLUM (ROMA) TOMATOES
cut into eighths
15 433.5
OUNCES ML/G BLACK BEANS
can (or prepare from dried)
¼ 59
CUP ML CASHEW NUTS *
¼ 59
CUP ML CORN
frozen
1 5
TEASPOON ML CUMIN
1 5
TEASPOON ML CHILI POWDER
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML CINNAMON
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML CAYENNE PEPPER
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML RED PEPPER FLAKE
½ 0.5
CAN CAN BEER
something with flavor
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML OLIVE OIL

Directions

Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil over a medium-low heat until the onions turn translucent.

Add the jalapeno and anaheim chiles and sauté a few more minutes.

Add the beans with the liquid, tomatoes, cashews, spices, and beer, and bring to a low boil.

Keep it boiling, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid has evaoprated (about 30 to 40 minutes).

About 10 minutes before it is ready, add the corn.

Serve with avocado, cilantro and/or tortilla chips if desired.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 129g (4.6 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 940 32% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 33g 51%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 67mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 41g 41%
Dietary Fiber 36g 146%
Sugars g
Protein 75g
Vitamin A 80% Vitamin C 109%
Calcium 23% Iron 62%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Low Cholesterol, Cholesterol-Free, Trans-fat Free, High Fiber, Low Sodium
 
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