Hearty vegetarian chili with roasted poblano peppers, chickpeas, and crushed tomatoes—smoky, mild, and deeply savory.
For deeper smoky flavor, use a cast iron skillet or grill pan to char the poblanos rather than a broiler. Lime juice brightens the chili at the end; adjust to taste.
If poblanos are difficult to find, substitute 2 poblano peppers plus 1 mild Anaheim pepper, or use 2 poblanos and 1 roasted red bell pepper for less heat. Roast poblanos ahead: char and peel up to 1 day in advance; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 medium poblano peppers
- 2 cans (15 oz each) canned chickpeas
- 28 oz canned crushed golden tomatoes
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- ½ cup diced white onion (for serving, optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for serving, optional)
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 3 medium poblano peppers
- 2 cans (15 oz each) canned chickpeas
- 28 oz canned crushed golden tomatoes
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- ½ cup diced white onion (for serving, optional)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for serving, optional)
Instructions
Roast the poblano peppers
Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat until very hot.
Place poblano peppers directly on the hot surface and char, turning with tongs every 2–3 minutes, until the skin is blackened and blistered all over (about 10 minutes total).
Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a lid, and let them steam for 5 minutes to loosen the skin.
Once cool enough to handle, peel away the blackened skin under cool running water, remove the stem and seeds, and roughly chop the flesh.
Equipment: cast iron skillet or grill pan
Prepare the aromatics
Dice 1 large yellow onion into small pieces.
Mince garlic cloves.
Sauté the base
Heat olive oil (2 tablespoon) in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the chili
Add ground cumin (1 ½ teaspoon), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), and dried oregano (½ teaspoon) to the pot and stir constantly for 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
Pour in canned crushed golden tomatoes (28 ounce) and vegetable broth (1 ½ cup), stirring to combine.
Add the roasted and chopped poblano peppers and 2 cans (drained and rinsed) chickpeas, stirring well.
Simmer the chili
Bring the chili to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and the chili thickens slightly.
Finish and serve
Stir in 1 tbsp lime juice and taste the chili; season with salt and black pepper to your preference.
Ladle the chili into bowls and top with fresh cilantro, diced white onion, and shredded cheddar cheese if desired.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Roast poblanos ahead: char and peel up to 1 day in advance; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- • For deeper smoky flavor, use a cast iron skillet or grill pan to char the poblanos rather than a broiler.
- • Chili tastes better the next day as flavors meld; make it up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- • If poblanos are difficult to find, substitute 2 poblano peppers plus 1 mild Anaheim pepper, or use 2 poblanos and 1 roasted red bell pepper for less heat.
- • Lime juice brightens the chili at the end; adjust to taste.
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