This recipe is inspired by a vegetarian recipe from Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/vegetarian-chili-recipe/.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 15-oz can corn kernels, drained
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
Directions:
1. In a large pot over medium heat, preheat the olive oil until shimmering. Add carrots, onion, bell pepper, celery, and 1/4 tsp salt. Stir for 7-10 minutes until vegetables are tender and onion is translucent.
2. Add garlic, chili powder (I used 1 tbsp but you can use more depending on how spicy you want it), cumin, and oregano. Cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add drained beans, corn, and diced tomatoes with their juices, vegetable broth, and bay leaf (keep an eye on the bay leaf to make sure it doesn't get lost--you'll need to remove it later). Stir and bring mixture to a simmer. Simmer, stirring every once in a while for about 30 minutes.
4. Remove chili from heat and remove bay leaf. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of chili to a blender and blend until smooth. Then pour back into the pot and stir to combine. Enjoy!