Tofu Chili

This easy-to-make Tofu Chili recipe is loved by vegetarians and meat eaters alike. With its smoky, deep, rich flavors, you and your guests will want seconds and thirds. Skip the cheese on top, and it’s vegan. Either way, this chili is hearty, healthy and incredibly delicious!

In my house we have two gluten-free eaters, one vegetarian, and then there’s me — I eat everything. 😉

This Tofu Chili is a dish that everyone loves, so it's perfect for a group -- big or small -- of people with varying diets.

Tried and true, this recipe is easy to put together, the flavors are deep and rich, and it is even better a day after it's made. And who doesn't love a dish that you can prepare ahead?!

Key Ingredients

• tofu - Tofu is made from soy milk that’s pressed into blocks, and the texture can vary greatly, from very soft to very firm. You'll want to get a firm or extra firm tofu for this recipe. Tofu is actually quite bland, which is believe it or not, what makes it so good in this Tofu Chili. It absorbs the flavors of the spices and other ingredients and becomes incredibly delicious. (The longer the tofu cooks or marinates in other flavors, the more intense the flavor will be.)
• onion - Choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises. I use brown onion, but you can substitute with white or red, which has a slightly sweeter taste.
• garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which is an indication of old garlic. (It's okay to use jarred minced garlic to save time.)
• chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - This is jalapeño chiles that have been dried, smoked and packed in a sauce made of tomatoes and spices. It adds a fantastic smoky flavor with a kick of heat. It comes in a can and you should be able to find it in most major grocery stores. You can substitute it with about 1 ½ teaspoons of smoked paprika or ancho chili powder. Add about 1 teaspoon finely chopped jalapeño (including the seeds) to whichever one you use.
• spices: chili powder, dried oregano and ground cumin - You can use fresh oregano if you'd like. If you choose to, triple the amount.
• canned diced tomatoes - You can use fresh tomatoes when they're in season and on the sweet side. Generally though, for this recipe canned tomatoes are easy and work really well. If you can get your hands on really good quality Italian canned tomatoes like Carmelina, Mutti or La Valle, go for it! Otherwise, use your favorite brand.
• kidney beans - From a can -- you will be adding the liquid as well.
• black beans - From a can -- or, you can use my delicious recipe for Mexican Black Beans, making them well ahead of time.

*You can substitute either of the beans with Cannellini, Great Northern or Pinto beans, or any combination thereof.

How to Make Chili with Tofu

- Unwrap the block of tofu, drain and pat it dry with paper towels. Cut the tofu into a few pieces and place them on the towels to dry out even more.

- Press down gently on the tops of the tofu pieces with more dry paper towels — you want it as dry as possible. Then crumble the tofu into small pieces, pat that with the paper towels, and then set aside.


Recipe Tip: It's important to remove as much liquid as you can from the tofu. The more dry it is, the more it will brown and caramelize when you're cooking it.

- Coat the bottom of a large pot (approx. 5-quart) with olive oil. Place it over medium-low heat and add the onion and garlic. Stirring often, cook until everything is nicely caramelized, about 15 minutes. 


- Add the dried, crumbled tofu to the pot. Turn the heat to medium and brown it, stirring often for about 10 minutes. Then add the chipotle peppers in adobo, chili powder, oregano and cumin to the pot and stir. Cook until it’s very aromatic, about 30 seconds.


Recipe Tip: When you're sautéing the tofu, if the bottom of the pan is becoming too dark, turn the heat down a bit, add a little more oil and stir more frequently. If bits of tofu are stuck to the bottom, that's okay -- in fact, that's perfect. When the tomatoes are added, they will deglaze the pan.

- Add the tomatoes, kidney beans (including all of the liquid from the can) and the drained black beans. Turn the heat up a bit and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Recipe Tip: While you can eat the chili before it’s simmered for 30 minutes, I would not recommend skipping it. This is when the flavors have time to blend and become rich.

- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and add any toppings you like and serve.

Variations

• Mild version. If you don't want the chili to be too spicy, do not include any of the seeds from the chipotles, or if you want zero heat, skip it all together.
• Extra spicy version. Add more of the chipotles in adobo sauce to taste.
• Change the protein. This is a vegetarian tofu chili (and it can be vegan if you don't top it with cheese), but if that's not important for you, the recipe works well with ground chicken, ground turkey or ground beef. You can more or less follow the same instructions, just substitute one of these for the tofu.

Serving Suggestions

Tofu chili can absolutely stand on its own for a meal. If you would like to serve something with it, I suggest a salad and/or bread or my favorite cornbread casserole. Below are a few salads and breads I love with it.

• Tomato-Cucumber Salad
• Little Gem Lettuce Salad
• Garlic Herb Bread
• Cauliflower Bread
• Overnight No-Knead Bread with Cheese

Can you make it ahead?

Yes! Like most one pot meals, this tofu chili will only get better with time. You can make it up to a few days ahead. Reheat it on the stove when you’re ready to serve.

More Vegetarian Chili and Stew Recipes

I hope you love this Vegetarian Tofu Chili as much as my family and I do.

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