Swap The Meat In Your Chili With Sweet Potatoes For An Easy Vegetarian Upgrade

The flavor of meat without the meat

Replacing sweet potatoes with meat means losing the rich flavor of fatty hamburger in tomato sauce that many people associate with chili. However, it's worth noting that many meat alternatives available today come quite close in taste to the real thing. That said, these substitutes often contain numerous additives and are highly processed, which could be disappointing if you chose a plant-based diet to avoid such ingredients.

Fortunately, there’s a better way. Enter walnuts, sun-dried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, and soy sauce. Many vegetarians create a vegan Bolognese sauce using these components, with walnuts and mushrooms playing a crucial role. The same concept can be applied to chili. When combined, these ingredients produce a "meatier" chili that closely resembles the flavor of the traditional meat-filled dish.

To achieve the texture of ground beef, simply grind the walnuts in a food processor. Cooked mushrooms also provide a meat-like mouthfeel, and when marinated in soy sauce, they absorb a savory umami flavor reminiscent of beef. The oils and flavors from the sun-dried tomatoes, combined with canned crushed and diced tomatoes, can easily trick your taste buds into believing they’re experiencing chili meat. This effect is enhanced when the recipe is seasoned with classic chili spices such as cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika.

Other ingredients to add

One challenge of transitioning to a plant-based diet is dealing with increased hunger, as many vegan and vegetarian meals tend to be lower in fat. Among the various nutrients in your diet, fat is the last to leave the stomach and intestines. This means that fat takes longer to digest compared to other foods, which helps enhance feelings of fullness. Meats and dishes rich in meat, like chili, are high in these fats, contributing to a satisfying sense of fullness and adding delightful flavors to the meal.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t achieve the same level of satisfaction and taste with your vegetarian chili. By incorporating hearty vegetables and some plant-based fats into a simple vegetarian chili, you can feel just as content as you would with a beef chili. Additionally, you can savor the rich, complex flavors of seasonal produce. Consider adding vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower, white potatoes, carrots, and corn to your next batch of vegetarian chili. To substitute for animal fats, try including slices of avocado or a plant-based sour cream made from raw cashews. With all those fresh garden flavors in your bowl, your vegan chili is sure to impress everyone who tries it.