Four Ingredient Vegan CHILLY Con Carne

Words by Bianca Maria Schioler (she/her; Italian, Danish)

Continuing the winter warmers theme to keep you fed and cosy through the colder months, I present my absolute favourite, go-to lazy meal: vegan chilli con carne. All you need are long-lasting ingredients you probably already have in the pantry— if not, go buy them now and keep them on the shelf for emergencies. Everyone needs an easy, comforting meal they can make with stock-standard ingredients that are easily topped up. It doesn’t even taste like a canned meal. This vegan chilli con carne easily tops Zambrero anyday. 

This recipe makes a large dish, with up to five servings. It’s perfect for a flat shared dinner night or weekly meal prep, and probably outlasts you in cool climates (you can refrigerate for up to four days). 

Vegan Chilli Con Carne

Makes 5 portions Cost per portion: $1.68

FOUR KEY INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 can of lentils

  • 1 can of sweet corn

  • 1 can of diced tomatoes (no added ingredients or sugar)

  • Old El Paso nacho spice mix (add to ½ cup of water)

For the basic bitch version that’s ready in 5 minutes, add all the ingredients to a big pot or deep pan and stir it up. Once it thickens, it’s ready to serve, and you can eat up your steaming hot mess. I’m talking about the chili con carne, not you ;)

If you’re going for the “high class” version, you’ll also need:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 2 cloves garlic

  • 1 small onion (red or white)

  • 1 red capsicum

METHOD

  1. In a large pan, heat the olive oil, garlic, and onion on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the capsicum and fry for another 3 minutes until it softens.

  2. Add the lentils, corn, and beans and fry for 5 minutes. Add the pureed tomatoes and spice mix, let it simmer until the consistency becomes thicker, roughly 5 more minutes.

  3. If you want, add some fresh coriander to garnish, and serve your canned food masterpiece either as it is, with white rice, in tacos, or as a burrito.

Bianca Maria Schioler