Plant-based Chili Mac (oil-free)

A tasty plant-based twist on the classic chili-pasta medley packed full of vegetables, pasta, beans, and flavor!  Whole food plant based one pot cooking.  Oil-free, dairy-free, and can be gluten-free.

It snowed this morning, and it’s supposed to snow this weekend. Granted, it’s still technically winter. But still. And I don’t know about you, but any time the weather is cold, I tend to crave soup and chili. There’s something about chili weather, eh?

Oh, and how I love chili! I’ve already posted my Instant Pot Veggie Bean Chili, Instant Pot Pumpkin Chili, and Cornbread Chili Pie recipes. The first two of these recipes use the convenience and ease of a pressure cooker, which is great for soups, stews, broth, and chili. But the Cornbread Chili Pie and this Chili Mac work out easy and quick on the stove.

I love that all of these recipes are chock-fun of standard chili fare – beans, veggies, tomato sauce, spices, and herbs. And they’re all nutritious and delicious. They all have different nuances. So it just depends on what you’re in the mood for.

For instance, this Plant-based Chili Mac is fantastic when you’re in the mood for chili, but also want pasta. This recipe combines the two in bonafide Chili Mac fashion! In fact, I love that the pasta is cooked in the pot with the chili! It’s incredible synergy.

But there are also several great reasons why I love this Plant-based Chili Mac and recommend you make some today.

1. It tastes and smells amazing!
2. It combines chili and pasta in one pot
3. It’s super good for you!
4. It’s thick and hearty!
5. It’s super easy and delicious!

So let’s chat about the ingredients. First, there’s the standard chili fare – vegetables, beans, tomatoes, and seasonings. But then there’s the added bonus of vegetable protein, pasta, and cheese. I mix things up a bit, but let’s first check out the vegetable scene.

This Chili Mac features onions, bell peppers, carrots, and tomatoes. Nothing fancy. Just good wholesome fresh ingredients chopped up. Plus, instead of oil, I sauté my vegetables using a little water or vegetable broth. It works great!

In fact, I like using my Umami Vegetable Broth – it provides an incredible depth of flavor and is easy to make in a pressure cooker. Simply save your vegetable scraps and add water. Not only is it absolutely free, it doesn’t contain any sodium, artificial colors or flavors, or preservatives. And it really captures the essence of vegetable flavors. Umami Vegetable Broth is also quite versatile and can be used in a variety of soups, stews, beans, and oil-free sautéing.  I especially love that it doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients, colors, or salt.

Next up are the beans. You’ll need three cups of cooked and rinsed beans. This is essentially two cans. I prefer using a variety of beans in most of my chili recipes. And this one is no different. I recommend using a combination of great northern beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, and/or white kidney beans.  If it’s a bean, you can more than likely include it this Plant-based Chili Mac.

I like soaking my beans overnight and then cooking them in my Instant Pot. Soaking helps improve digestibility and iron absorption. But beans also pack quite a bit of nutrition. As an example, one cup of pinto beans contains 15 grams of fiber, 15 grams of plant-based protein, and 1 gram of fat. Pinto beans also contain quite a bit of healthful vitamins and minerals, including thiamine, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, and calcium!

Rich in antioxidants, pinto beans actually combat free radicals and decrease inflammation. And the vitamins and minerals help lower cholesterol and heart disease, which reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Due to their high quality fiber and protein content, pinto beans help maintain a steady and slow stream of sugar in the bloodstream – not too fast, but just right. (Healthline)

Third are the tomatoes. I like using crushed tomatoes, but I’ve also used diced tomatoes. I think sometimes the chunks of tomatoes are too big and compete with the beans and veggies. And in this case, the pasta. But crushed tomatoes mingle well with the other ingredients. Again, it’s all about synergy.

And that’s where the seasonings come in. Of course you could use a packet of chili seasoning; but those are typically loaded with salt and fillers. Plus, you have so much more control when you add in your own herbs and spices. You can add as much or as little as you want. So if you want more garlic, add it in. You prefer more kick? Add in more chipotle or cayenne. You’re the boss after all.

My recommendations are a balance of chili powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Then I like to add a little garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, and some heat in the form of ground chipotle pepper or cayenne pepper. The key is to taste your brew to make sure it’s the way you like it. I like mine with a pinch of garlic, and my husband likes it with a little more chipotle. So we settle on a happy medium and it’s just right for the two of us.

Next up is plant protein. You’re probably asking what I mean. I like using texturized vegetable protein or TVP. It’s super easy to throw into the pot. It adds a bit of texture and variety. It’s optional though. If you have vegan ground beef or plant-based mince, feel free to substitute the TVP with either one. You can also use cracked bulgur but I recommend cooking it before adding it to this recipe since it might affect the cooking time.

Please keep in mind that if you aren’t using the TVP, you need to decrease the amount of broth you use. I advise starting with three cups of broth. You can always add more if you need it.

The next ingredient in this recipe is pasta. I like using macaroni since it’s called Plant-based Chili Mac. Just in case you didn’t catch that last bit, the Mac is short for macaroni. It’s not absolutely critical that you use macaroni in this Chili Mac. You can always use penne, rotini, bean/lentil, or gluten-free pasta.  Brown rice macaroni is great in this!  Healthy and gluten-free made easy. So your pot may not look like traditional Chili Mac if you use different pasta, but it will still be incredibly nutritious and delicious.

Speaking of not being close to traditional, I love incorporating my Mighty Cheez Sauce in this Plant-based Chili Mac. It is a phenomenal addition. Think about it. It’s super smooth and creamy, full of color and flavor, and super nutritious. Why wouldn’t you want to include it in Chili Mac? Since the answer is obvious, we do.

Of course you can use regular vegan cheddar cheese if that’s what you have on hand, are in a hurry, and don’t want to use the Mighty Cheez Sauce. It’s up to you. You can also sprinkle a little Mighty Cheez Sauce or Vegan Cheddar Cheese shreds on top of your Plant-based Chili Mac. When I have time, I make my own Vegan Cheddar Cheese. But when I don’t have time, I like using Violife, Follow Your Heart, and Daiya cheddar shreds.

Oh, and if you want the shreds to melt real nice, go ahead and put a lid on your pot for a few minutes before serving, or at least until the shreds get nice and melty. My husband loves cheese so he prefers sprinkling a little vegan cheese on top. Conversely, I prefer mine with chopped cilantro.

Now that we’ve covered the ingredients. Let’s look at the process.

It’s fairly straight-forward and simple. And absolutely delicious. If you’re using dry beans, you’ll want to soak your beans the night before, or at least early in the morning before you head to work. There are a lot of different opinions about soaking or not soaking beans. But I think beans cook better, taste better, and digest easier if they’re soaked overnight. It also helps with nutrient absorption since the phytic acid breaks down and allows your body easier access.

After your beans are soaked and rinsed, cook the beans in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.  Lock the lid in place and ensure the sealing knob is turned to sealing.  Set to 10 minutes on Manual/High Pressure and allow the pressure to release naturally.  You can also cook your beans on the stove. They’ll just take a little more attention and time.

Meanwhile, prep your vegetables.  Start by sautéing the onions, carrots, and bell pepper.  Feel free to add a little minced jalapeño or serrano pepper if you want to kick things up a bit. After the vegetables are tender, I like to add the garlic. So many times I see chefs and cooks add garlic in the beginning. And yes, I do this, too, but only if I’m not going to sauté them for long. If I’m cooking the onions and carrots longer than five minutes though, I wait to add in the garlic since they only need a couple of minutes to release their aromatic essence.

It’s now time to add in the tomatoes, beans, TVP, pasta, seasonings, and broth. You’ll want to cover your pot with a tight-fitting lid to reduce the amount of steam released. Rather, you want the TVP and pasta to absorb the broth. Oh, and remember, if you aren’t using TVP, you’ll need to reduce the amount of broth you are adding, at least initially. You can always add more broth.

Allow your brew to simmer for at least ten minutes, but more than likely twelve minutes. The pasta typically takes less time when it’s cooking by itself in water. But it seems to take a bit longer when mingling with all of the other ingredients.

Once your pasta is cooked, you can stir in the Mighty Cheez Sauce and cilantro. Now is the perfect time to taste your Chili Mac and adjust seasonings to your liking.  If you think it needs a little more chili powder or chipotle, go ahead and add it in.  If you prefer more salt and pepper, same goes for both.  Your taste buds are in charge here.

This Plant-based Chili Mac is so versatile. Feel free to garnish it with your favorite chili accompaniments, such as sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, hot sauce, shredded vegan cheese, non-dairy sour cream, chopped avocado, and more. The sky’s the limit!

I hope you enjoy this Plant-based Chili Mac as much as I do.  

I would love to see your results! Please leave a comment and rate it down below, tag a picture @pebblesandtoast and #pebblesandtoast on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook!   Enjoy!!

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Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 5-6 cloves garlic, minced (2 Tbsp)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp ground chipotle or cayenne pepper (to taste)
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1½ cups TVP (or 2 cups Plant-based Mince)***
• 8 ounces (1 cup) macaroni*
• 4½ cups  Umami Vegetable Broth***
• 28 ounce canned crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups beans,** cooked and drained (2 cans)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
• 1 cup Mighty Cheez Sauce or vegan cheddar cheese
• 1 cup Vegan Cheddar Cheese shreds (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large pan, sauté the onion, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic over medium heat for 6-8 minutes, adding 1 Tbsp of broth or water to prevent from sticking. If using mince, sauté with the vegetables.***
2. Stir in the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro, cheez sauce, and cheese.  If using vegan mince, use 3 cups of broth.***

1. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the TVP is fully reconstituted, the pasta is cooked, and the sauce has thickened, about 10-12 minutes.  
2. Turn the stove off.  Remove the lid and stir in the cilantro and Mighty Cheez Sauce.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  
3. Top with vegan cheddar cheese shreds, if desired, and replace the lid until the cheese melts.
4. Garnish with cilantro or cheese, if desired. Serve immediately or store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator up to five days.

Notes

* I use macaroni in this recipe because it is the traditional pasta used in Mac n Cheez and Chili Mac; though you can use any type of pasta you have on hand, including bean/lentil and gluten-free.  Brown rice macaroni is great in this!  Healthy and gluten-free made easy.

** You can use just about any kind of bean you have on hand or prefer.  I like using a mixture of beans used in traditional chili – pinto, black, kidney, etc.  As an example, if you’re using canned beans, use one can of pinto beans and one can of kidney beans.  If you’re soaking and cooking your beans, you’ll generally need 1¼ cups dry beans to yield 3 cups cooked.

*** I like using textured vegetable protein (TVP) because it has a great texture.  Alternatively, you can use vegan ground beef or Plant-based Mince.  Just brown it with the vegetables in step 1.  If you prefer to substitute with vegan mince, reduce the broth to 3 cups.