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Tomatillo Chili in bowl with tomatillos in husks strewn about the table
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5 from 16 votes

Tomatillo Chili

Course: main course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: corn-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-fee, plant based, soy-free, vegan
Servings: 8 large servings
Calories: 196kcal
Author: Judy DeLorenzo

Equipment

  • large soup pot
  • blender or immersion blender

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers, diced
  • 3 carrots, diced
  • 3 medium-small potatoes, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, diced
  • 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 2 pounds tomatillos, diced
  • 1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1 14-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

Garnishes ideas, optional

  • 6 Tablespoons cashew or almond yogurt
  • 1/2 avocado, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat with a bit of onion. When it begins to gently sizzle, add the remaining onion, peppers, carrots, potatoes, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes.
  • Add the cumin, coriander, and salt. Cook, while stirring, for about 30 more seconds.
  • Add the broth, tomatillos, chickpeas, and cannellini beans. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are cooked through. Add the peas half-way through this step.
  • Blend about 2 cups of the chili; return to the pot and stir through. If using an immersion blender, whiz for 1 or 2 seconds.
  • When serving – garnish with a dollop of plant-based yogurt, and/or avocado, and/or cilantro, and/or scallions.

Notes

  • Some canned beans contain salt. In this instance, you may want to skip adding the Himalayan sea salt.
  • You can control the level of heat to suit your taste by adjusting the amount of jalapeños used.
  • I suggest wearing gloves when dicing jalapeños or any hot peppers. The seeds in particular contain the most heat.
  • As an optional step, broil-roast the tomatillos in the following way before dicing them:
    • Put the tomatillos onto a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, about 6 inches from the heat for about 5 minutes.
    • Remove the sheet from the oven and turn the tomatillos over, then broil for about 4 more minutes.
    • Let the tomatillos cool before dicing them. Reserve the diced tomatillos and their juices for the main recipe.