Chilli non carne

Name: Chilli non carne
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Olive oil; 2 carrots (peeled and diced); 2 celery sticks (diced); 4 garlic cloves (minced or grated); 2 red peppers (deseeded and cut into 2cm pieces); 2 courgettes (cut into 2cm chunks); 2 tsp Smoked paprika; 2 tsp Ground coriander; 2 tsp Ground cumin; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 1 tsp Chilli flakes; 2 tsp Dried oregano; Salt and pepper; 2 bay leaves; 2 dried chipotle chillies (optional); 1 tbsp Chipotle paste; 2 tbsp Tomato purée; 150 ml Strong coffee; 250 ml dark beer; 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes; 2 x 400g tins mixed taco beans in spicy tomato sauce; 50 g 85% dark chocolate (chopped)

This vegetarian Chilli recipe is nourishing, hearty and ideal for batch cooking. Recipe and image from Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Batch Cookbook by Poppy O’Toole (£22, Bloomsbury Publishing). Photography: © Haarala Hamilton

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 1 hr

Total: 1 hr 25 mins

Serves: 8

Published: September 8, 2026 at 12:16 pm

Ingredients

olive oil
2 red onions, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery sticks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
2 red peppers, deseeded, and cut into 2cm pieces
2 courgettes, cut into 2cm chunks
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp chilli flakes
2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
2 dried chipotle chillies (optional)
1 tbsp chipotle paste
2 tbsp tomato purée
150ml strong coffee
250ml dark beer
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
2 x 400g tins mixed taco beans in spicy tomato sauce
50g 85% dark chocolate, chopped

Method

Step 1
Heat a large saucepan over a high heat with a glug of olive oil. Tip the onions, carrots and celery into the pan and fry for 3-4 minutes until softened but not cooked through. Add the garlic, red peppers and courgettes. Cook for another 5 minutes or so, stirring regularly, until browned.
Step 2
Sprinkle in all the ground spices, along with the chilli flakes and dried oregano and large pinch each of salt and pepper. Pop in the bay leaves, and chipotle chillies if using, and stir. Spoon the chipotle paste and tomato purée into the pan and fry them for 1 minute until darkened, then deglaze the pan with the coffee and beer.
Step 3
Leave the liquid to bubble and reduce by half. Tip in both tins of tomatoes and the taco beans with sauce. Over a medium heat, bring the sauce back to a bubble and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Stir often until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through the chocolate until melted and combined.
Step 4
Serve immediately, or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen, place in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring regularly to prevent catching, until piping hot. Or, defrost fully in the fridge overnight. Reheat in a saucepan over a medium-low heat until piping hot.

Chilli non carne

Ingredients

Method

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4