Vegan Sweet Potato and 2-Bean Chili With Hominy Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
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Updated Mar. 05, 2019
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J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

A vegan black bean and sweet potato chili packed with rich, complex chili flavor.

Note: Masa harina is a dried corn flour used to make tortillas and other corn-based Mexican dishes. It can be found under the brand name Maseca.

Recipe Facts

4.8

(4)

Active: 30 mins
Total: 0 mins
Serves: 6 to 8 servings

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Ingredients

  • 3 whole sweet dried chiles like Costeño, New Mexico, or Choricero, stems and seeds removed

  • 2 small hot dried chiles like Arbol or Cascabel, stems and seeds removed (optional)

  • 3 whole rich fruity dried chiles like Ancho, Mulatto, Negro, or Pasilla, stems and seeds removed

  • 1 quart water or hearty vegan stock

  • 1/4 cup raisins

  • 1 cup orange juice (or 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate)

  • 2 whole chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 2 tablespoons sauce from can

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

  • 1 poblano pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon Marmite or Vegemite (optional)

  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 (15-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed

  • 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • Kosher salt

  • 2 tablespoons vodka or bourbon

  • 2 tablespoons corn masa harina (see note)

Directions

  1. Place dried chiles in a large saucepan over medium heat. Toast, stirring and flipping the chiles occasionally, until pliable, lightly puffed, and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add stock, raisins, and orange juice, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until chiles are fully hydrated and tender, about 15 minutes. Drain chiles and raisins, reserving water separately. Transfer chiles to a blender or hand blender cup. Add chipotles and their sauce. Blend until completely smooth.

  2. Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onions and poblanos and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and dried oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add puréed chiles, soy sauce, and Marmite, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add reserved chile soaking liquid, tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, hominy, and sweet potatoes. Stir to combine and season with salt to taste.

  3. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to lowest heat, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are fully tender and flavor has developed, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, adding more liquid as necessary if chili threatens to scorch.

  4. When cooked, add vodka or bourbon and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and whisk in masa in a slow steady stream until desired thickness is reached. For best results, allow chili to cool and refrigerate for at least one night and up to a week. Reheat to serve.

  5. Serve, garnished with cilantro, chopped onions, scallions, avocado, lime wedges, and warm tortillas as desired.

Special equipment

Blender or hand blender

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
418 Calories
6g Fat
76g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 418
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g 8%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 1mg 0%
Sodium 981mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 76g 28%
Dietary Fiber 17g 62%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 64mg 321%
Calcium 162mg 12%
Iron 5mg 29%
Potassium 1399mg 30%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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