A vegan slow cooker chili that even the biggest carnivores will love, yes it’s possible! I have been working on this recipe for probably a year. We actually like to eat chili all year long, I mean, why not?! But since most Southerners like to eat chili as soon as the heat index drops below 98 degrees, here ya go.
Some of these links are Amazon affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and buy that item (or something totally different) Messy Adventure gets a small percentage at no extra cost to you. It’s one of the small ways you can help bloggers like myself make this whole dream a little more attainable. Thanks friend!
Secret Slow Cooker Chili (shhhh it’s vegan)
Equipment
- Food processor or blender
- Large/full sized slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 pound bag of dry kidney beans
- 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes preferably without salt
- 1 12 oz jar of favorite salsa mild to hot depending on your desired level of heat
- 1 10 oz bag of frozen or fresh butternut squash
- 4 carrots
- 1 onion diced
- 1 to half a small batch of kale i have also used pre-cut bagged kale
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin, chili powder, paprika, dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon sea or pink salt plus another 1/2 teaspoon
- 3 1/2 cup water or use the 28 oz can
Instructions
- The night prior to cooking your chili cover beans with an abundance of water and leave overnight to soak. You can leave on counter with towel or lid over the bowl.
- When ready to cook rinse beans well
- Add beans to slow cooker
- Add can of crushed tomatoes
- Fill empty 28oz can with filtered water and add (3 1/2 cups)
- Add 1 tablespoon of salt (a pinch less if can of tomatoes has salt)
- Turn slow cooker on low and top with lid
- Rinse carrots and kale
- Using your food processor (or blender) blend carrots until they are finely diced
- Add carrots to the slow cooker
- Tear leaves of kale off stems and blend until finely chopped and add to chili
- Dice onion
- Add onion, bag of butternut squash, and salsa
- Add 1 Tbsp of cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano and stir well to incorporate
- Add remaining half tsp of salt
- Stir again and make sure all the beans are completely submerged under the liquid
- Cook on low for 8 hours
- Serve with fritos style corn chips or over a baked potato
Notes
People are afraid to cook with dry beans and I get it. It’s one extra step but beans are truly an amazing way to fill up your family with some really good nutrients and when cooked properly the propensity to cause gas is lessoned, if not eliminated. With that said they are full of great for you fiber and if that is not something that your body is used to then it may take an adjustment. But it’s a good kind of adjustment because for the most part we all need more fiber in our diets.
If you wake up ready to make your chili only to realize you forgot to soak your beans, no worries, hope is not lost. Just immediately add your rinsed beans to the crockpot and fill with 4 cups of water and a tablespoon of salt. Cook for two hours on low to replace the over night soak. You should be able to move right though the rest of recipe while only slightly adjusting the liquid and cooking for another 6-8 hours depending on when the beans are fully cooked (soft to the taste).
My favorite way to enjoy this chili is over a big salty baked potato but it stands up well served alone too. Give it a try and come back to tell me what you think!
Live well friends,
Christy
AffiliateLabz says
Great content! Super high-quality! Keep it up! 🙂