Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli

There is nothing as wholesome as Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli, the perfect teatime meal for all the family! A warming bowl of hot chilli packed full of protein rich beans, nourishing vegetables and wonderfully flavoursome in taste due to a rich variety of herbs and spices, what could be better! This recipe is one I use often, and it is a particular favourite with my two-year-old son, who has enjoyed eating this since he started weaning (Before age 1 ½ I would reduce the spices and herbs, and simply puree once cooked; perfect for a protein rich weaning meal!).

I hope you and your family will enjoy making and eating this warming meal too!

Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli:

This Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli is the perfect one pot meal; it is easy to put together, healthy, tasty and requires minimal preparation time! I love the versatility of the recipe; you can add in any vegetables, beans, spices and herbs and it is a meal that is equally loved by all the family big and small! It is also a great meal if you want some other meat free recipes ,like our Basil and Spinach Pesto recipe, to whip together in the kitchen without compromising on protein content! We serve our Chilli with rice or homemade Corn Bread to soak up all the wonderful flavoursome juice!

Recipe for Kiddies:

If you are making this for little ones, you may like to reduce the quantities of some of the spices and use homemade stock rather than cubes which are higher in sodium. I also recommend pureeing if this is a meal you are looking to introduce when weaning, but it is also a great introduction to different textures as little ones mature! I serve this with rice and lots of tasty, grated cheese for my son, and it is always a big scrumptious hit!

Preparation and Cook time:

Allow 20 minutes to prepare this Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli and 30-35 minutes to cook it! The perfect meal to quickly prepare before letting it simmer away! Or why not use a slow cooker- throw all the ingredients together and leave to cook for a scrumptious, rich flavoursome Chilli!

Storage:

This Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a week.

To Freeze the Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli:

If you want to freeze the Vegetable and Bean Chilli, ensure it is cooled before transferring into airtight freezable containers and labelling. Store for up to three months. I now use small containers to freeze individual lunch time portions for my son’s lunch, but I have also used ice cube trays for smaller portions if needed.

To defrost:

Defrost in the fridge overnight and heat thoroughly in a saucepan or in the microwave to serve!

Equipment:

To make this tasty Homemade bean and vegetable chilli, you will need: one Large Saucepan, a measuring jug, a chopping board, a sift and usual kitchen utensils.

Ingredient List:

1 Red or yellow pepper

2 Carrots

1 Large Sweet Potato

2 Onions

1 stick of Celery

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

3-4 tsp Garlic paste or 3 cloves of Garlic

1 tsp Cumin

2 tsp Paprika

2 tsp Oregano

3 bay leaves

½ tsp Crushed chillies (optional)

3 tsp Worchester Sauce

4 tbsp Olive Oil

1 vegetable or chicken stock cube

500ml Boiling Water

2 x 400g (800g) can of Chopped Tomatoes

2 x 400g (800g) can Kidney Beans (drain brine)

Peppercorns to taste

Instructions:

Start by peeling and chopping all the vegetables.

Next, add olive oil to a large saucepan and heat for several minutes, before adding the chopped vegetables and stirring.

Saute the vegetables on a medium heat for approximately 6-8 minutes until slightly soft.

Add the Garlic Paste, Worchester sauce and all spices and heat for a few minutes.

Next add the cans of drained kidney beans and chopped tomatoes and stir well.

Add 500ml of boiling water to a measuring jug with one stock cube and mix, before adding to the saucepan

Add peppercorns to taste before covering the saucepan and heating on a medium heat for approx. half an hour until the vegetables are soft.

Serve with homemade Corn Bread or rice! Enjoy!

This Homemade Bean and Vegetable Chilli really is the best warming meal for your family! Easy, Quick, Wholesome, Nourishing and Tasty!

Our Family Serves:

This is the perfect classic tea time favourite; simple and tasty. There are various accompaniments to this dish; here are a few of our families’ favourites:

• Homemade Cornbread- Recipe coming soon! This is a wonderful accompaniment to bean chilli or meat chilli, a slightly sweet tasting bread with a grainy texture. Perfect for soaking up the flavoursome juice from the chilli, and a nice alternative to rice!
• Cheese– A favourite with my son, lots of grated cheese which melts into the warm chilli! The perfect addition to the chilli!
• Rice– Of course Rice is always a strong staple to serve alongside a huge array of dishes!

Frequently Asked Questions