Seriously Savory 3-Bean Chili
Melina Hammer
Photo by Melina Hammer
- Serves
- 8 to 10
- Prep Time
- 12 Hours
- Cook Time
- 1 Hour
When cold weather hits, one of my go-tos is to pull out the slow cooker and make chili and stew. There is something about the hours ticking by, the house filling with an irresistible aroma, and disparate elements melding into hearty, seductive sustenance. Save for a couple minor prep steps, this 3-bean chili cooks almost entirely passively, freeing you to other cold weather activities and fantasies of steaming bowls-to-come. This chili is vegan and it is worthy of serving to the greatest chili fans. With foundation-building flavors like dried porcini, gochujang, and a variety of beans to establish meaty, creamy, and deep notes - never mind the garnishes, which ought to be piled generously on top as you gather around the table - time helps make this chili a thing of beauty, melding all the flavors. I am a huge proponent of heirloom beans, partly due to their reliably plump and extra creamy - or meaty - texture, and always for their complex, rich flavors. If you cannot find these specific beans in your grocery store, order them online.
Ingredients
Chili
- 8 medium shallots, peeled, root ends trimmed, any larger ones cut in half lengthwise
- 1 head garlic, cloves separated & root ends trimmed, papery sheaths left on
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cup Scarlet Runner beans
- 1 1/2 cup Rio Zape beans
- 1 1/2 cup Buckeye beans
- 2 cup canned tomatoes, whole peeled
- 2 tablespoon gochujang
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1 dried chile, such as ancho or chile de árbol
- 4 cup mushroom (or vegetable) broth
Toppings
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream (or use vegan sour cream)
- Fresh cilantro sprigs
- Chopped dill pickles
- Crispy shallots or onions
- Fresno or Serrano chile, de-stemmed and thinly sliced
- Aleppo chile flakes
Featured Video
Seriously Savory 3-Bean Chili
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 400°F. On a sheet pan, toss shallots and garlic in olive oil and season with kosher salt. Arrange shallots around the periphery of the sheet pan and garlic clustered at the center. Roast for 15 minutes, or until softened and golden on the bottom. Turn all the alliums over and roast 8 to 10 more minutes, until lightly golden on the other side and the garlic cloves are fork tender. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Squeeze the roasted garlic from their papery sheaths once they are cool enough to handle.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, steep the dried mushrooms in the hot water for 15 minutes. Using a paper towel, squeeze any excess liquid from them, then coarsely chop them and add them back to the reserved soaking liquid.
- Step 3
Add the beans into the slow cooker. Use kitchen shears to coarsely chop the canned tomatoes as you empty them into the pot. Add the chopped porcini and liquid, plus the garlic and shallots. Add in the gochujang, all the spices, and the kosher salt. Pour mushroom stock to cover, adding additional water as needed to submerge the mixture. Briefly stir to combine, add the dried chile and cover. Turn the slow cooker to high. After an hour, turn the dial to low, adding more water to cover as needed. Cook on low overnight (or 12 hours), checking before going to bed to add more water to submerge the mixture as needed.
- Step 4
The next day, turn the cooker off and remove the dried chile. Stir to incorporate the mixture and taste, then season with kosher salt to taste. Serve into bowls. Squeeze a wedge of lime, add a dollop of sour cream, a handful of cilantro leaves, a cluster of chopped pickles, and scatter crispy shallots as well as the sliced fresh chiles and Aleppo chile flakes over the top. Any leftovers can be frozen for up to 4 months, or transferred to sealed containers and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Add a little water or stock when reheating the chili, as the beans will have soaked up their liquid.