The best basic vegetarian chili

Basic ingredients get seriously scrumptious

I love hearty, healthy dishes that come together quickly and easily. I also love it when I find a recipe that actually doesn't need any tweaking. Most times I find myself adjusting spices or salt, but not this vegetarian chili from Cookie and Kate. Okay actually I did make one change: I swapped the celery for more bell peppers. I just don't like what happens to celery in soups, what can I say? 

Anyway, with that one little substitution, I can safely say I'm obsessed with this chili. I've happily eaten it four times this week for dinners or lunches, and I want more. Shouldn't I be sick of it by now? But I'm not! I even brought some to my parents house to share, and both my mom and dad texted me separately the next day to say how much they loved it. To quote my dad: "WINNER WINNER CHILI DINNER!!!!" Yep: a bad pun rendered in all caps, topped off with a string of exclamation marks. He's my favorite texter/dad joker.

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VEGETARIAN CHILI

WHAT YOU'LL NEED
2 TBS olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, chopped
2–3 carrots (depending on size), chopped
1/2 tsp salt, divided
4 cloves minced garlic (or 2 tsp jarred)
2 TBS chili powder (yes TBS!) 
1 tsp cumin
1 and 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
2 15-oz. cans petite diced tomatoes with their juices
2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp lime juice
chopped cilantro, avocado, shredded cheddar, sour cream (to garnish)

WHAT YOU'LL DO
1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven, warm 2 TBS olive oil until shimmering. Add chopped onion, bell peppers, carrots, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir to combine, then cook until the veggies are tender and the onion translucent, stirring occasionally — about 10 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano. Cook until fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 1 minute. 

3. Add diced tomatoes and their juices, drained/rinsed black and pinto beans, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove from heat. 

4. For the best texture and flavor, transfer 1 and 1/2 cups chili to a blender and blend until smooth (or transfer to a bowl and use an immersion blender like I did). Pour the blended mixture back into the chili. *Note: If you don't want to blend it, you can use a potato masher to get a more chili-like consistency. The consistency is key — don't skip this step!

5. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice; stir to combine. Taste the chili, and add another 1/4 tsp salt if desired (I did!). Serve with more chopped cilantro, avocado, shredded cheddar, and sour cream.

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Make this chili. Eat this chili. Love this chili. Tell your friends.