A smoky, spiced vegetarian chilli that’s low in fat and full of goodness.
When it comes to comfort food, few dishes can rival a hearty bowl of chilli. This Warming Aubergine Chilli is my meat-free twist on a classic — full of flavour, rich in colour, and bursting with vegetables. It’s proof that you don’t need meat to make a meal that feels comforting, satisfying, and utterly delicious.
Aubergine (or eggplant) takes on a wonderfully soft texture as it cooks, soaking up all those smoky spices and tomato richness. Add in beans for protein, peppers for sweetness, and a good dose of spice, and you’ve got a vegetarian chilli that’s low in fat, packed with nutrients, and counts for four of your five-a-day.
It’s the perfect dish for No Meat Monday — easy to make, hearty enough to please meat-eaters, and ideal for batch cooking so you can enjoy leftovers through the week.
2
servingsIngredients
1 medium aubergines, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1 home smoked chilli pepper, or 1/2 tsp of chilli powder
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp coffee grounds
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
100g kidney beans, soaked overnight and cooked
100g of brown lentils
200ml vegetable stock
Olive oil for frying
Salt and black pepper to taste
Rice, to serve
Directions
- Bake the aubergine until soft
- In a large pan, heat the oil, add the onion and peppers with a pinch of salt, and fry over a low-medium heat until softened.
- Add the aubergine, lentils, the kidney beans with the liquid, soy sauce, tomatoes, coffee, chilli powder, oregano and the spices. Stir to combine, then pour in the stock. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat to very low. Cover with a lid and cook for 1½ hrs, checking and stirring every 15-20 mins to prevent it from burning.
- Remove the lid and let the mixture simmer over a low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 mins until you get a thick sauce. taste for seasoning – add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot over rice with whichever accompaniments you want!
Serves 2