Tomatillo And White Bean Chili Recipe

Chili usually wins the award when it comes to an easy and filling meal that's universally liked. On top of that, it's a one-pot meal, making it easy to prepare and easy to clean up. Bursting with vibrant flavors, this tomatillo and white bean chili stands out from the standard chili recipe. The slight, citrusy flavor of simmered tomatillos, along with tender white beans, delivers a much lighter chili than the meat-heavy versions. It's the perfect option if you are looking to add more plant-based meals to your weekly rotation. If you have meat eaters in your household, don't worry — they'll love it too.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miram Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "This chili is a great meal prep recipe because it'll last all week in the fridge. It's easy to heat up for a quick lunch or dinner, and it's fun to set up a toppings bar so that everyone can add what they love. If you like to eat your chili wrapped up in a burrito, just add more rice to the pot to thicken it up."

To make this recipe, head to the produce aisle at the store and grab some tomatillos, onion, and jalapeño. Lots of fresh toppings enhance the chili, so you may want to add radishes, cilantro, scallions, and avocados to your cart. If you haven't bought tomatillos before, they have a light green papery husk that will hug the tomatillo. They should feel firm to the touch, and if you peel back the husk, it should be bright green inside.

For dry goods, pick up some cannellini beans, vegetable broth, and long grain brown rice. Then, check your pantry for avocado oil, coriander, cumin, garlic granules, salt, pepper, and chili powder.

Remove the husks from the tomatillos.

Rinse them well and let them drain in a colander.

Chop the tomatillos into chunks.

Add the oil to a soup pot and bring the heat to medium.

Drop in the onion and jalapeños and saute for 5 minutes.

Add the chopped tomatillos, coriander, cumin, garlic granules, salt, and chili powder. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the beans, broth, and rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

Serve, topped with radishes, cilantro, avocado, and scallions, if desired.

To start, there are several other vegetables that pair will with tomatillos and are easy to add to the chili. Any type of bell pepper will add lots of color and texture. Just slice or chop them, and then add them when you are cooking the onion and garlic. Diced carrots are another vegetable that can be added at this stage for some sweetness.

Diced zucchini and corn blend well in this chili. Since they are more delicate vegetables, add these to the pot during the last 30 minutes of simmering. That way, they will still have a firm texture.

Any type of greens make a nice complement and add extra nutrition. Add up to 4 cups of chopped spinach during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. It's best to remove any long stems. Red chard or kale are nice options, too. You'll want to remove the center stem and chop the leaves into slivers before adding them during the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

If you want to add a little more protein, add some cubed tofu or a can of drained chickpeas. Super-firm tofu will save you a step because it doesn't require pressing. Just cube it and add it when you add the tomatillos.

Tomatillos are an easy way to add incredible flavor to all kinds of dishes. One of the most common ways that you'll see them used is in salsa verde, which is made by roasting tomatillos along with jalapeño, onions, and garlic and blending the vegetables with cilantro and lime juice. Or, you could try this creamy salsa verde, which adds avocado into the mix for a thicker consistency.

For other easy dip ideas, add diced tomatillos to guacamole for a twist of flavor. Or, use a mix of diced tomatillos with red tomatoes in a creative pico de gallo. which you can serve with chips or use as a Mexican food topper.

Green enchilada sauce is another excellent use for tomatillos. Here, you blend cooked tomatillos with green chiles, garlic, and onion for that famous topping you've ordered at restaurants. You can also use tomatillos in baked goods. If you want to pair your chili with something special, how about a corn bread that's a notch up, like this tomatillo and green chile cornbread? Or, jazz up a Mexican salad with diced tomatillos, corn, avocado, romaine, and black beans.