Vegan Beet Chili With Pickled Red Onion And Avocado Mash
Grated beets are brilliant in this vegan chili recipe for their colour, texture and taste.
Ingredients
Pickled Red Onion & Jalapeño
- 1 small red onion halved and thinly sliced
- 3 jalapenos cut into thin rounds
- ¾ cup gluten-free rice vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 limes zested and juiced
- 2 makrut lime leaves
- 1 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
Beet Chili
- 1 lb beets trimmed and washed
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 3 cloves garlic grated
- 2 red finger chilies seeded and finely chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 sweet red pepper diced into ½-inch pieces
- 1¾ cups passata strained tomatoes
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp hot pepper flakes
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
Avocado Mash
- 1 ripe avocado pitted
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro plus more to serve
- 1 clove garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ½ tsp flaked sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
- ⅓ cup vegan sour cream
- chopped cilantro for serving
- lime wedges to serve
Instructions
Pickled Red Onion & Jalapeño
- Place onions and jalapeños in heatproof bowl; set aside. In small saucepan, bring vinegar, zest and juice of limes, makrut lime leaves, coconut sugar and salt to boil; cook until sugar is dissolved. Immediately pour over the onion and jalapeños; let stand until cool. Transfer into jar with fitted lid.
Beet Chili
- In large pot, cover beets with cold water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until tender when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool; peel, then grate with box grater or grater attachment in food processor. Set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in large pot over medium heat; add onion, garlic and chilies and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, reserved beets, passata, black beans, lemon juice, sweet red pepper, hot pepper flakes, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep red-brown, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Avocado Mash
- Just before serving, use fork to gently mash avocado in bowl; add cilantro, garlic, lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir just to combine.
- Serve chili in bowls topped with sour cream, avocado mash, pickled onion and jalapeño, cilantro and lime wedges.
Notes
Tip: If using dried black beans, start by rinsing them and placing them in a large pot. Cover with three times their volume of water; let soak for 12 hours or overnight. Drain. Return beans to pot and add enough water to cover by 3 inches, 2 tsp salt and flavourings, such as a halved onion, garlic cloves, herbs and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until beans are tender, 40 to 60 minutes.