I decided to test out a Vegetarian Chili with Summer Vegetables recipe from the June 2020 Food Network magazine. Wait what…chili in the summer time? Yes please! Okay…so maybe I wasn’t all that interested in the recipe when I was first thumbing through, but that’s only because I’m not vegetarian and assumed it would basically be chili with no meat and a bunch of beans. But upon deeper inspection, I saw that this recipe was WAY more interesting than that!
First, of all you use eggplant, which is quite unusual for a chili ingredient, and then secondly you make your own “faux meat” with grated tofu. Now that’s intriguing!
This was my first time trying out this recipe, but I wanted to film it and bring you along to share how I tackle a recipe when I’m cooking in “real life.” If this sounds interesting to you, then watch our video in our new “cook with me” show series here: Vegetarian Chili with Summer Vegetables.
You know what’s funny? I had this page ripped out of the magazine already because I had tested the recipe right next to it in our previous “Cook with Me” video where I made Rigatoni with Grilled Sausage and Broccoli.
Truth be told, as much as the grated tofu made me curious, I was a bit skeptical about how it would taste. I love tofu, but I know it’s really bland, and I wasn’t sure how it would incorporate into a chili. However, I was also hopeful because it has the ability to soak up flavors like a sponge. And if you think about it, so does eggplant, so really this duo makes sense.
You grate the tofu on a cheese grater and then wring it dry in a clean dish towel (make sure it’s not terry cloth). Then you saute it in a nonstick pan until it’s browned and crisp, before you stir it into the rest of your bubbling cauldron of chili. And just like I thought, the tofu drinks up all those bold flavors, while adding a nice meaty quality to the dish. The bonus is that in the magazine, they note that you can use this same crispy tofu trick to create meatless sloppy joes, Bolognese sauce or tacos…I will definitely give that a try next!
Do yourself a favor and don’t skip out on or substitute the kidney beans in chili sauce and fire roasted diced tomatoes. Those are two ingredients that I purposely went out and bought because I felt like those would be the main flavor elements. The original recipe called for kidney beans in a MILD chili sauce, but it was nowhere to be found at the store, so I opted for a SPICY chili sauce, and now I can’t imagine it any other way! It’s so good with that little kick, without being overly spicy. So I highly recommend getting the beans in spicy chili sauce instead…trust me, I would not lead you astray!
When I took my first bite, I was seriously shocked at how good it was! Who knew that using blander ingredients like eggplant and tofu could result in such a flavorful, complex, and mouthwatering stew! Although chili powder and cumin are involved, I’d say it ended up tasting more like a hearty vegetable soup, kind of like my autumn vegetable stew recipe actually. But it was at the same time, a little bit like chili because it was smoky and scrumptious.
I definitely will be making it again because it was a win for both Joe and me. We didn’t miss the meat, and all the fun toppings complimented every bite.
It’s hearty and satisfying enough on its own, but you can also choose to make some quesadillas on the side and serve it for a complete dinner that everyone will enjoy. Despite its name, don’t feel like you’re limited to making this only in the summer time. I’ll definitely be making this chili when it gets chilly…haha. Don’t miss out like I almost did…grab your eggplant and grate your tofu today!
If you need a good nonstick pan, I highly recommend this one. It’s reliable, durable, and affordable! It’s my everyday go-to pan and was essential in making sure my tofu crisped up nicely without burning. I also recommend getting a good boxed grater like this one. Grating tofu has now become my new thing and I’ll definitely be using this method for other “faux meat” applications. Lastly, I mention this ceramic knife in our video, which comes in a set with a couple other ceramic knives. It’s a great easy knife for beginner cooks and stays sharp up to 10x longer than an average stainless steel knife. By the way, these products are affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you do end up purchasing theses products at no extra cost to you. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have about these products.
Vegetarian Chili with Summer Vegetables
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 small eggplant, cut into 1" dice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 4 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 16-ounce can kidney beans in spicy chili sauce (original recipe calls for mild sauce)
- 1 14-ounce block firm tofu, drained
- 1 ½ cups frozen fire-roasted corn kernels (I just used regular canned corn)
- Sliced avocado, shredded Mexican cheese blend, chopped fresh cilantro, corn chips (like Fritos), for topping
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, eggplant, a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned and starting to soften, about 6 minutes. Stir in 1 more tablespoon olive oil, the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook, stirring, until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 cups water, the tomatoes, beans, ¾ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, grate the tofu on the large holes of a box grater onto a clean kitchen towel (not terry cloth). Gather up the sides of the towel and wring the tofu dry. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, spreading it out; cook, stirring once or twice, until well browned and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir the tofu and corn into the chili and heat through, 5 minutes. Thin the chili with water if needed and heat through, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Divide the chili among bowls. Top with cheese, cilantro, avocado, and corn chips. Serve with a lime wedge if desired!
