Recipe: Black bean and bulgur chili

11.06.07 - tags: recipes - comments (14)

Chili is one of the few recipes I'm comfortable experimenting with and making up without a recipe. Tonight I stumbled upon a chili that was particularly good AND incredibly easy, so I thought I'd share it. This is a really thick chili, good for prematurely wintry days like today.

Black Bean and Bulgur Chili Recipe:

2 15-oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 medium sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (or use garlic-infused oil to sautee onions in, instead)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or less if you don't want it very spicy

Heat oil and garlic in large pot, add onions and cook on medium for about five minutes or until onions are tender. Add bell pepper and cook for a minute or two. Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 1/2 hour or until chili reaches desired thickness. Eat with cheese and tortilla chips on top and you've got all the food groups represented.

Comments

Oh man, that is a perfect recipe.

...

I'm hungry.

Posted by: Jane | 10:32AM, 11.07.07

There's nothing wrong with having chili for breakfast.

Posted by: andrea | 11:00AM, 11.07.07

Agreed.

Posted by: Jane | 11:02AM, 11.07.07

Although I suppose at my 10:30a.m., when you wrote your comment, it's actually 11:30 a.m. there. Which means you're really hungry for lunch.

Chili is great for lunch too.

Posted by: andrea | 11:06AM, 11.07.07

Chili is great for any meal.

Posted by: Jane | 12:23PM, 11.07.07

I've tried black beans in various forms, and I have a real problem with their texture... they sometimes have a "slimy" feel to them. Not sure if that's a cooking fault or their natural state...

Posted by: Tracy | 12:44PM, 11.07.07

Hmm, it's probably just your own personal preference. I can't say I've ever found black beans to be too slimy but maybe I just like slimy beans. Most chili recipes use kidney beans. I don't usually use kidney beans, though, because their texture is too pasty to me.

Posted by: andrea | 12:56PM, 11.07.07

I was going to comment yesterday about kidney bean versus black beans. I really don't like kidney beans in soups or chili ... or at all. I think this is specific to kidney beans themselves, though, and not a general texture issue.

Fascinating, no?

Posted by: Jane | 6:44AM, 11.08.07

I could debate beans all day.

Maybe.

Posted by: andrea | 8:57AM, 11.08.07

We should try it one day.

Maybe.

Posted by: Jane | 11:36AM, 11.08.07

For instance:

Beans. Magical fruit, or not magical fruit? Discuss.

Posted by: andrea | 11:45AM, 11.08.07

Not Magical... Musical.