Every year our good friends used to host a fall party that included a chili cook off. It was a friendly competition and a good way to feed everyone at the party! One of the first years of competition this chili won first place, beating out even the meatiest entries, and receiving the golden ladle. Our friends have since moved and we miss them and the yearly party, but we are thankful for so many fun memories!
Even though this is a vegetarian chili its still super hearty and has a good amount of protein thanks to the beans and my secret ingredient - smoked almonds. The almonds are blended into a smokey almond butter which gives the chili great flavor and texture.
Ingredients -
2 medium sweet potatoes - cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 - 28oz cans diced tomatoes
3 - 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth
1 medium onion - diced
2 clove garlic - minced
3 T olive oil
1 Tbsp chipotle powder - if you like your chili spicy you can add more
1 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup smoked almonds
Optional toppings -
grated white cheddar
sour cream
chopped green onions
cilantro
avocado
Add the almonds to the bowl of a food processor and blend until they are the consistency of almond butter. You may need to scrape down the sides a couple times to get it all blended. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or stock pot, add the onions and garlic and sauté until they are softened and starting to brown slightly. Add the chipotle powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and salt. Cook the spices with the onion and garlic for one or two minutes then add the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and vegetable broth. Stir to combine, bring the chili to a boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are about half way softened. Stir in the beans and the almond butter. Continue to simmer, covered, until the potatoes are very tender and easily pierced with a fork. Taste and adjust the salt as needed. The almonds have a fair amount of salt in them so I like to wait until the end to determine if it needs more. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
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