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For chili, I use canned Kidney beans and/or Black beans.....rinse them before adding to the chili. Do NOT use pork'n beans....they are already flavored...it will make your chili taste awful!!!
You don't have to use dried beans...get canned...much easier!!!
OK pork n beans don't make chili taste awful. I ALWAYS use them because it's my mom's recipe.
But don't get mad and say then why'd you ask?? Cuz what I meant basically to ask is for ideas of other beans, like yeah maybe black beans, forgot to say that. This will be my first time making chili with no meat, so that's why I was looking for a good solid bean since there will be no meat base.
Beef chili is good with pinto, red beans of any type (we don't care much for red beans, so we rarely use them), black beans, or lentils (which do not require soaking). Chicken chili/white chili is good with cannellini beans, navy beans, great northern beans, basically any white bean.
First of all, Texas chili does not have beans. That said, I would recommend canned pintos, or if you can find them, "Ranch Style Beans". And don't rinse those--they are canned in a chili sauce that will add flavor to your chili.
I make vegetarian chili all the time. Our favorite recipe uses a combination of garbanzo beans, dark red kidney beans, and black beans. If I want a meaty texture, I toss in a veggie crumble like Quorn. I typically use Tex-Mex spices and garnish with avocado, a little minced jalapeno, and a sprig of cilantro. The boys like a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cheddar cheese. It makes a hearty and delicious meal on a cold winter's night, and the leftovers keep very well in the fridge for several days.
Here's the basic recipe:
Saute a chopped onion in olive oil on medium until translucent in a large pot like a Dutch oven. Add veggie crumbles if desired and cook for a few more minutes with a couple of TBSP of chili seasoning. I make my own, but there are plenty of commercial brands available. Add a can each of rinsed garbanzo, black, and red kidney beans, along with a can of crushed tomatoes. I also toss in some chopped chipotle peppers in their sauce if I have them, because we like our chili spicy. Add vegetable broth until chili reaches desired consistency. Simmer for fifteen-to-thirty minutes or until you're ready to eat. Garnish with whatever suits your fancy. Serves 5-6 with generous portions.
BTW, lentils do not need to be soaked. You just rinse them and toss them in simmering water for 20-30 minutes until they're tender but not mushy.
Last edited by randomparent; 01-26-2015 at 09:10 PM..
I cook lentils a lot and they are so easy to make. No soaking required! Put them in a strainer, rinse well, pick out any broken pieces or debris. Then add to a pot and cover with about 2x the amount of water as there are lentils. Turn on high. Boil. Then cover and reduce heat to med-low for about 20 minutes. They're DONE when they are soft and slightly squishy between your fingers!
Add a bit of salt for taste when they're almost done cooking.
Very easy to make lentils... only the other beans require soaking of some sort usually.
But with that said, I use Black Beans and Kidney Beans (canned) when I'm making chili.
I love black beans in chili. Sometimes I throw in a little corn. There are no rules for chili, that's why it's fun to make & yummy to eat.
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That said, I would recommend canned pintos, or if you can find them, "Ranch Style Beans". And don't rinse those--they are canned in a chili sauce that will add flavor to your chili.
