Vegetarian Skillet Chili

By Melissa Clark

Updated January 15, 2025

  • Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Liza Jernow.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(11,834)
Comments
Read comments

If you keep canned beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in your pantry, you can make this dish on any weeknight without having to shop. The pickled onions aren’t strictly necessary, but they are simple to make and add a welcome tangy contrast to the beans. Pickled peppers are a fine substitute. If you have a bell pepper or jalapeño or two, chop them up and sauté them with the onions. And if you want to be fancy, grate the zest off the lime before juicing for the pickles, and stir it into the sour cream.

Featured in: 5 Easy Meals for the Distracted Cook

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

FOR THE PICKLED ONIONS

  • 1 lime

  • 1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced

  • Large pinch of kosher salt

  • Small pinch of granulated sugar

FOR THE CHILI

  • Olive or grapeseed oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 3 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced

  • 1 teaspoon chile powder, plus more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more to taste

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained

  • 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices

  • Kosher salt

  • Fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream, for garnish (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

58 grams carbs; 300 calories; 1 gram fat; 14 grams fiber; 959 milligrams sodium; 18 grams protein; 7 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the pickled onions: Squeeze lime juice into a bowl, and add onion, salt and sugar. Let rest while you make the chili.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the chili: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil. When hot, add onion and sauté until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, chile powder and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add beans and tomatoes and a few large pinches of salt and let simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Taste and add more salt, chile powder and/or oregano to taste. Serve with the pickled onions and any of the garnishes you like.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
11,834 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

B Mehta

Never add chili powder and sauté, unless you want to burn the chili and have a coughing fit. Instead, add it after the tomatoes soften and just before you add the beans

Lauren

Instead of using canned beans, which are too mushy for me, I bring a bag of dried beans to a boil and let them go for 5-10 minutes, turn off and let them sit in the water, covered for an hour. I take what I need and bag the rest and freeze. I do this with every type of bean I use regularly so I have beans with a little tooth to them. This could be done on a weekend day so it wouldn't cut in to after work meal cooking time.

Chamomile

Make it 28 oz of tomatoes, 2 tb Chile powder and 1 tb each of oregano and cumin. Intense and delicious.

Anne

Adding a little cinnamon does wonders as well. Yum!

Jan

True confession. I added a tad sugar as I often do with tomato dishes. Perfection. To me, at least.

Laura B

Delicious, although I start with a tablespoon of chili powder rather than a teaspoon.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.