Description
This hearty Black Bean Chili with Cornbread Biscuits combines smoky chipotle-flavored black bean chili with fluffy, golden cornmeal biscuits baked right on top. A perfect vegetarian comfort food featuring fire roasted tomatoes and a touch of lime for brightness, easily adaptable for vegan diets.
Ingredients
Units
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Chili Ingredients
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp mild chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
- 1 tbsp adobo sauce
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp cornflour (optional, for thickening)
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- Salt to taste
- Chopped cilantro for serving
Biscuit Ingredients
- 3/4 cup milk
- Juice from 1/2 lime
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp chilled vegan or dairy butter, cubed
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350º F, preferably using convection to ensure even baking of the biscuits.
- Sauté Vegetables and Spices: In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Then add the green bell pepper, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, and dried oregano. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add Main Chili Ingredients: Stir in the minced chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, broth, and lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
- Optional Thickening: If you prefer a thicker chili, dissolve cornflour in 3 tablespoons of water and stir it into the chili mixture.
- Simmer Chili: Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld the flavors.
- Prepare Biscuit Dough: While the chili simmers, whisk together milk and lime juice in a small bowl and let it sit for 5 minutes to slightly thicken (making a buttermilk substitute). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork to cut the chilled butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the curdled milk and honey just until combined.
- Top Chili with Biscuits: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop portions of biscuit dough evenly over the simmering chili in the skillet or oven-safe pan.
- Bake: Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the biscuits are golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve: Remove from oven, sprinkle chopped cilantro over the chili and biscuits, and serve warm with any additional toppings as desired.
Notes
- This recipe is vegetarian by default and can easily be made vegan by using plant-based butter and non-dairy milk.
- Fire roasted tomatoes and chipotle peppers add a smoky depth to the chili.
- If you prefer a spicier chili, add more chipotle peppers or some cayenne pepper.
- The cornstarch/cornflour is optional but helps thicken the chili for a heartier texture.
- The biscuits bake right on top of the chili, absorbing some of the flavors and making a hearty one-pot meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 429
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 975 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
