1 tablespoon olive oil
1 chopped onion
4 cloves minced garlic
2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans
1 15-ounce can cannellini (white kidney) beans
2 14-ounce cans chopped tomatoes (including the juice)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
freshly ground pepper and additional chili powder to taste

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until onions are tender. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Cook for at least 20 minutes (you can also cook it a lot longer).

Serve hot in bowls with your favorite crackers or cornbread.

Buy the What Dawn Eats: Vegan food that isn’t weird cookbook for more recipes like this one.

Variations

• Add a pound of veggie ground beef, crumbled veggie burgers, textured vegetable protein (TVP), quinoa or similar grain for a “meaty” chili.
• Replace some or all of the kidney beans with black beans for a black bean chili.
• Use fire roasted crushed or diced tomatoes for a smoky flavor. Muir Glen sells cans of fire roasted tomato products.
• Throw in a handful of sun-dried tomatoes because they make everything a little better.
• Add chopped hot peppers for a spicier version.
• You could also make this a vegetable chili by adding carrots, bell peppers, potatoes or other favorite veggies.
• Naturally gluten-free.

More information for Quick and Simple Chili recipe:

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 30 min
• Total time: 40 min