Ahhh, a hearty, satisfying bowl of chili to fuel your body with good nutrition! Just what the doctor ordered (literally). This Texas Vegan Chili with Sorghum certainly delivers a flavorful, delicious meal packed with plant protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and more. Filled with beans, veggies, whole grain sorghum, tomatoes, and spices, this Texas Vegan Chili recipe is a great budget-friendly, healthy meal the whole family will love! Cook up a whole pot for a healthy meal prep for the whole week. What goes with chili? You can serve this chili recipe with cornbread, toppings like avocados, green onions, and tortilla chips, or a side salad to balance out your meal.
The cool thing about this Texas chili recipe is that it is packed with whole grains. One way to boost your disease protection is to infuse your diet with more healthy, wholesome whole grains, such as oats, wheat, quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, brown rice, wild rice, teff, millet—and sorghum (which is grown in abundance in Texas) in this recipe. Sorghum combined with beans in this chili recipe means it is a good source of amino acids and proteins, too. And the whole grain sorghum answers your questions about how to thicken chili too. The grains help soak up the extra moisture to create a thick vegetarian chili. And you can also make this vegan chili recipe in an Instant Pot or slow cooker (see below).
What is sorghum?
This ancient, nutrient-rich whole grain also happens to be gluten-free. Sorghum originated in Africa, and from there it traveled on the Silk Road to Asia and India, eventually making its way to the United States on slave ships. While it was primarily used for animal feed, there is a growing appreciation that people can gain benefits by enjoying this delicious whole grain, too!
Sorghum is a nutritional powerhouse. Unlike other grains, it has no inedible hull, which allows you to eat the entire grain and reap the benefits. Just ½ cup of cooked sorghum packs 6 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein. Sorghum is also rich in iron (15% DV per serving) and phosphorus (13% DV), which help foster red blood cell development and bone health. Black sorghum is also packed with anthocyanin, an antioxidant that is not found in many other grains. Sorghum is also a sustainable grain, as it thrives in drought-like conditions, therefore requiring very little water or maintenance. It is naturally resistant to many plant diseases as well. Though it comes in many varieties, white, brown and bronze colored sorghum grains are the most common.
It’s a good idea to include more whole grains, like sorghum, in your day to fill your diet with fiber, which is linked with reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. So, get started with this easy, healthy completely plant-based, gluten-free recipe for Texas Vegan Chili with Sorghum. Learn more about how to cook sorghum here.
What beans go in chili?
In this recipe I call for dried black beans. However, you can use any kind of bean in chili, including red beans, white beans, pinto beans, and even black-eyed peas.
How long is chili good in the fridge?
I recommend keeping this fresh chili in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in a covered container. You can also freeze it in airtight containers for up to 6 months!
Check out the video for this delicious, plant-based recipe here. And watch me make this recipe on my Instagram here.
Description
Looking for a delicious, satisfying, healthy vegan Texas chili recipe? Then give this Vegan Texas Chili with Sorghum a try. Plant-based and gluten-free, this hearty, flavorful, veggie-rich chili recipe is the real deal!
- 2 cups dried black beans
- 1 ½ cups dried whole grain sorghum
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup yellow corn, frozen or canned, drained
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted, crushed tomatoes with juice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons Mexican seasoning blend (learn how to make your own seasoning blend here)
- Salt to taste (optional)
- Garnish (as desired): tortilla chips, fresh avocado slices, green onion slices, chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh tomatoes
- Place beans in a large pot, cover with water, and soak overnight.
- The next day, discard the water, and add 4 cups fresh water and 4 cups vegetable broth. Add dried sorghum, stir well, cover and simmer over medium-low for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add celery, onion, garlic, pepper, corn, tomatoes, tomato paste, and Mexican seasoning blend*. Stir well to combine, cover, and simmer for an additional 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans, sorghum, and vegetables are tender. May need to add additional water lost to evaporation. Should make a thick stew-like texture.
- Serve in bowls and garnish as desired with tortilla chips, fresh avocado slices, green onion slices, chopped fresh cilantro, and chopped fresh tomatoes.
Notes
May use prepared Mexican seasoning blend, or make your own with this recipe here.
Slow Cooker: Follow step 1. For steps 2-3, add all ingredients into the container of a slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low on 8-10 hours, according to manufacturer’s directions. Follow step 4.
Instant Pot: Do not follow step 1. For step 2-3, add all ingredients into the container of the instant pot, fasten on lid, and cook on “bean/chili” setting, according to manufacturer’s directions. Release pressure and follow step 4 to serve.
- Prep Time: 12 minutes (not including soaking time)
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 272
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 245 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 13 g
