This smoky and spicy black bean chilli with chipotle paste is quick, easy and so versatile - a jacket potato filling, in fajitas or tacos, with rice and guacamole, or tortilla chips.
A chipotle, (pronounced chi-POT-lee), is a smoke-dried jalapeño chilli, used in many Mexican recipes. Chipotle paste, (which is fairly easy to find in supermarkets these days), has a distinctive smoky flavour, and adds a lovely warm and deep spice to a simple chilli like this one.
This quick and easy chilli is incredibly versatile, I use it as a jacket potato filling, in fajitas or tacos, with rice and guacamole for a Mexican feast, or scooped up in a handful of tortilla chips for a speedy lunch.
📝 What you need
Ingredients
Chipotle paste Smoky, deep and spicy - this really is the star of the show in this simple chilli. It is widely available in supermarkets these days, look for the Mexican foods section, or near the spices.
Tinned black beans These have a fantastic texture and are packed with protein and a good source of fibre. If you can't find any, kidney beans, borlotti or even cannellini beans would all be a good substitute.
Ready-chopped garlic This is a '20 minute meal' recipe, so I've specified ready-chopped garlic from a jar or tube just to save time. However if you do have a bit more time, using a freshly crushed garlic clove will really enhance the flavour. Just keep the heat fairly gentle so it doesn't burn and turn bitter.
🔪 Top Tips & FAQs
Absolutely! This freezes really well, so if you want to batch-cook over the weekend, you could double or treble this recipe and bag it up in individual portions, pop it in the freezer once cool, and enjoy over and over again for dinner in a hurry.
Warning - freezing spicy foods tends to tone down the chilli somewhat, so be bold with the chipotle paste!
If you bought a jar of chipotle paste for this recipe but you're not sure what else to do with it, how about trying my Easy Vegan Enchiladas (which also use black beans!), or my Chipotle-Chocolate Beany Burritos - if you haven't tried a bit of chocolate stirred through a spicy Mexican stew you really do need to give this a try, it is incredible! For another very quick and easy weeknight dinner when the storecupboard is bare, my Chilli with Baked Beans is gorgeous!
🍽 If you liked that...
.... you might also enjoy these vegan recipes from The Veg Space:
Loved this recipe? ⭐️ Leave a star rating below! 📸 Snap a photo of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram, tagging me @thevegspace or #thevegspace 📩 And get all my latest recipes in a weekly e-mail by subscribing to my newsletter.
📖 Recipe
Chipotle Black Bean Chilli
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 carrot
- handful fresh coriander
- 1 teaspoon ready-chopped garlic / garlic purée
- 2-3 teaspoon chipotle paste (to your taste – 3 teaspoon is fairly spicy)
- 1 red pepper
- 400 g tin black beans
- 400 g tin chopped tomatoes
- pinch sugar
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large lidded frying pan or casserole. Peel the onion and carrot, and separate the coriander stalks from the leaves, (setting leaves aside for later).
- Use a mini-chopper or food processor to chop the onion, carrot and coriander stalks then add to the pan.
- Add the garlic and chipotle paste to the pan and stir.
- De-seed and finely slice the pepper and add to the pan.
- Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the pan.
- Tip in the chopped tomatoes and sugar, then season well with salt and black pepper. Stir then cover with a lid and turn up to a high heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Finely chop the coriander leaves and stir through the chilli before serving with rice, fajitas or a handful of tortilla chips.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
Video
Nutrition
Free 4-Week Vegan Meal Plan
Have you got your hands on a copy of my meal plan yet? If not CLICK here to download a copy of my FREE 4 Week Vegan Meal Plan today!
Please note that all recipes and images on The Veg Space are copyright protected. If you would like to share the recipe, please use the share buttons provided. Do not screenshot or copy and paste the recipe, (even if credited to The Veg Space). Many thanks for your understanding
Sue Wilkinson says
I made this for tea and it is delicious. Glad I made double the quantity so that I can freeze 2 more servings for those nights when we arrive home late from work.
Kate Ford says
Perfect - I always double it up too as it is hardly any more effort but stocks up the freezer for another day! So glad you enjoyed it. Kate x
jackwilliamnl says
Great recipe. I’m definitely going to have to try it and share my feedback with you.
Barbara Alfeo says
I absolutely love your recipe! I am writing vegetarian recipe round ups on my blog in 2018 (to encourage people to try meatless monday- everyone has to start somewhere) and would love to feature you. You can check out my blog (for beginner environmentalists) at sunshineguerrilla.com. Is it alright if I share this link to your recipe?
thevegspace says
Please do Barbara! Thanks so much.
Elinor Kugler says
Bring on the spice! This looks super delicious, and I love the fact that I could make it ahead of time, and freeze it. ????
I just have to get my hands on the chipotle paste, and then I’m ready to try it out.
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com says
Fab recipe - I am a huge fan of a beany chilli. I do something very similar, but with different beans and it is one of my go to midweek meal lifesavers!! And as you say, super flexible...I usually just serve mine with brown rice and avocado midweek, but the basis of a great Mexican feast at the weekend too!! Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare 🙂 Eb x
Kate | Veggie Desserts says
Oooh this chilli sounds so good. I’ve had a jar of chipotle paste in the fridge for a while and I have all the other ingredients so shall make this at the weekend!
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I love how simple and quick this is. My chilli has a heck longer list of ingredients and takes a lot longer to cook. This would be a great one to try midweek.