Recipe - A Springtime Vegan Chilli

Its almost May but this everchanging weather has got us all guessing... this week with rain coming down intermittently in sheets and blustery winds whipping hats off all I have craved is hearty warm dinners. This springtime vegan chilli recipe is exactly what i'm talking about!

You will need:

3 small onions or shallots
4 carrots
half a red or bell pepper
6-8 mushrooms
a tin of chickpeas
2 cartons of chopped tomato
2 cloves of garlic
2tsp paprika
1 tsp coriander seeds
1tsp dried or fresh and chopped chilli
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
80g 74% or higher cocoa solids chocolate
1 tblsp tomato purée
salt & pepper
Coconut oil for frying


Chop onions coarsely and fry on high for a few minute in coconut oil. Now add the garlic stir and lower heat. I roughly copped the carrots, mushrooms and pepper (I favour a chunky style chilli) and put them all in to fry together. Add the dried chilli, paprika and coriander seeds then season with salt & pepper. Next add your tin of drained and rinsed chickpeas stir and turn up the heat! Cook for 3/4 mins continuously stirring to coat the veg in the spices evenly before lowering heat again and adding the chopped tomato. At this point I stirred in 1tblsp tomato purée and then cayenne pepper. Let the chilli simmer away for a few minute whilst you break up your dark chocolate into small pieces. after a further 5 mins turn the heat off and throw the chocolate on top of the chilli and let it melt. Stir slowly and watch the sauce go deliciously smooth and creamy with a rich dark reddy brown colour. Put a lid on your pan and leave the chilli to sit until you are ready to re heat slowly before serving. The last thing you want to do is burn the chocolate so take care when doing this.


I served our chilli with pearl barley and fresh coriander and a light beer. Enjoy!