There are so many ways to make a vegetarian chili. Some people, of course, will argue and say that unless there’s meat in it, it can’t be chili, that it’s just a vegetable stew. Whatever. If it tastes like chili, then it’s chili. Or call it vegetable stew. It doesn’t really matter, as long as it tastes good. And this dish does.

It’s also another example of what can be done when you have a little of this and a little of that left over in your fridge and pantry. But trust me, this is worth going out and buying the ingredients for.

Enjoy!

Red Bean-Vegetable Chili

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
Kosher salt
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons tomato paste
¾ cup apple juice
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup diced tomato
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
4 shishito peppers, roasted and chopped
2 ½ cups chopped zucchini
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups cooked red kidney beans
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups mushroom stock (or vegetable broth)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, another minute.Add the tomato paste and stir it in until it’s well blended. Deglaze the pot with ¼ cup of the apple juice; scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bell pepper, carrots, tomato, and a pinch of salt; sauté 5 minutes. Add the potato, sweet potato, shishito peppers, zucchini, chili powder, and a pinch of salt; cook 5 minutes.Add the beans, tomato sauce, mushroom stock, remaining apple juice, black pepper, and 1 cup water. Bring this to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for ½ hour. Stir in the cilantro and serve.