White Bean Chili
Hiya! Not often I post on the weekends but I really wanted to get this delicious and super easy white bean chili to you. It's spicy and exciting, yet earthy and comforting at the same time and it's just the thing to have simmering away on the stove while you're hunkering down before a fire, trying to escape the brutal cold. And we all know how perfect a bowl of chili is for football Sundays, right? Best part is it fits right in with our plan to keep things healthy around here for the month of January (watch out for some decadence come February 1st, though!!) In all honesty, I'm not the hugest chili fan (something that's been a great source of disappointment to my husband over the years) and I really loved it. It's vegetarian, full of fiber and could even be vegan if you skipped the sprinkle of cheese on top or used a non-dairy substitute. Definitely will be making this again. Now, I know it's Saturday and you're all busy with chores, sports and hopefully some fun stuff too--we're off to see two of my nieces in their school play, so I'll keep the chitter chatter to a minimum and get right to it (after a couple of enticing photos of course!). Have a great weekend!
White Bean Chili
Makes 6-8 servings
Prep Time: About 1 hour (much of this is hands-free)
Ingredients
- Two 15 ounce cans great white northern or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, minced
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- One 28 ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, with juices
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (if you want it even spicier, leave the seeds in)
- Chopped scallions for garnish
- Grated cheddar cheese for garnish
The Recipe
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add garlic, onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.Stir in paprika and chili powder. Let cook for about a minute, stirring.
2. Add in tomatoes with the juices and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the red pepper and jalapeño. Let mixture simmer for 20-25 minutes, crushing the tomatoes with the back of a spoon against the side of the pot. Then, stir in the beans and let simmer for another 15-20 minutes or so. Ladle into bowls and tops with scallions and cheese if using. You could also serve this with some sour cream and taco chips but it's great on its own. It also can be made ahead, kept refrigerated and reheated.
Enjoy!
Note: Recipe adapted from The Home Cook by Alex Guaranaschelli. I tinkered around a lot with this. Used canned beans instead of dry beans (so much easier), cut down on the salt and some of the spices and used about 1/4 of the cheese.
