Black Bean Chili
By America's Test KitchenPublished on October 25, 2011
Time
3 hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and broken into rough pieces1 tablespoon mustard seeds (see note)2 teaspoons cumin seeds (see note)3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 medium onion, chopped medium9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce 3 tablespoons chili powder 2 ½ cups vegetable broth 2 ½ cups water, plus extra as needed1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed1 tablespoon light brown sugar ⅛ teaspoon baking soda 2 bay leaves 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (see illustrations below)½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves Salt and ground black pepper Lime wedge, for serving
Before You Begin
We strongly prefer the texture and flavor of mustard seeds and cumin seeds in this chili; however, ground cumin and dry mustard can be substituted—add 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and/or 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard to the pot with the chili powder in step 3. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped tomatoes, and/or minced onion.
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Pulse the mushrooms in a food processor until uniformly coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses; set aside.
- Toast the mustard seeds and cumin seeds in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the oil, onion, and processed mushrooms, cover, and cook until the vegetables have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the vegetables are dry and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and chipotles and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let it burn). Stir in the broth, water, beans, sugar, baking soda, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface. Cover, place the pot in the oven, and cook for 1 hour.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bell peppers, cover, and continue to cook in the oven until the beans are fully tender, about 1 hour longer. (If at any time the chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pot or look too thick, stir in additional water as needed.)
- Remove the pot from the oven and remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the lime wedges
Time
3 hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
1 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and broken into rough pieces
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (see note)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (see note)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped medium
9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
2 ½ cups water, plus extra as needed
1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Lime wedge, for serving
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and broken into rough pieces
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (see note)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (see note)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped medium
9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
2 ½ cups water, plus extra as needed
1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Lime wedge, for serving
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 pound white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and broken into rough pieces
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (see note)
2 teaspoons cumin seeds (see note)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped medium
9 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 ½ cups vegetable broth
2 ½ cups water, plus extra as needed
1 pound dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into ½-inch pieces (see illustrations below)
½ cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and ground black pepper
Lime wedge, for serving
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
We chose to skip brining our dried beans, which softens the beans’ exteriors and prevents blowouts, because a few burst beans would only serve to thicken our Black Bean Chili recipe. Cooking the beans in a combination of vegetable broth and water gave our beans a flavorful backbone, and some crushed tomatoes added halfway through cooking brightened our Black Bean Chili recipe. A small amount of baking soda ensured the beans didn’t turn gray or drab. We boosted the meaty flavor of our Black Bean Chili by incorporating minced white mushrooms, which we sautéed with onion.
Before You Begin
We strongly prefer the texture and flavor of mustard seeds and cumin seeds in this chili; however, ground cumin and dry mustard can be substituted—add 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and/or 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard to the pot with the chili powder in step 3. Serve with sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped tomatoes, and/or minced onion.
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Pulse the mushrooms in a food processor until uniformly coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses; set aside.
- Toast the mustard seeds and cumin seeds in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the oil, onion, and processed mushrooms, cover, and cook until the vegetables have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until the vegetables are dry and browned, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and chipotles and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chili powder and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let it burn). Stir in the broth, water, beans, sugar, baking soda, and bay leaves and bring to a simmer, skimming any impurities that rise to the surface. Cover, place the pot in the oven, and cook for 1 hour.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and bell peppers, cover, and continue to cook in the oven until the beans are fully tender, about 1 hour longer. (If at any time the chili begins to stick to the bottom of the pot or look too thick, stir in additional water as needed.)
- Remove the pot from the oven and remove the bay leaves. Stir in the cilantro, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with the lime wedges
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