Chili Mole

This wonderfully different, entirely plant-based chili features plenty of spices along with some delicious and decidedly unconventional mole-inspired ingredients. Adapted for the Instant Pot electric pressure cooker from a recipe in 'Bean by Bean' by Crescent Dragonwagon.

Course Main Course, Main Dishes, Soup

Cuisine American, Mexican, North American

Keyword chili with chocolate, chili with peanut butter, mole chili, vegetarian chili

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 10

Servings people

Calories 428kcal

Ingredients

Beans

1 lb dried black beans (approx. 2.25 cups, picked over for quality)
2 quarts vegetable stock
2 bay leaves
1 ancho chili (or 1 tbsp ancho chili powder) stem and seeds removed
1 jalapeno pepper stem and seeds removed, halved
black pepper freshly ground
6 medjool dates chopped

Sauté

1/4 cup olive oil
2 large onions chopped
1 green bell pepper stem and seeds removed, chopped (large dice)
2 poblano pepper stem and seeds removed, chopped (large dice)
1.5 tbsp cumin seeds
1.5 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicier)
1/4 tsp fennel seed
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 clove
1.5 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
4 cloves garlic minced

To Finish

28 oz canned tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp peanut butter (non-hydrogenated variety, see note)
2 tbsp tahini (or toasted sesame seeds, see note)
1 large chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (optional) plus 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce
salt to taste (don't be shy)

To Serve (all Optional)

sour cream or plain yogurt, or vegan alternative
sharp cheese grated
tortilla chips
cilantro or flat-leaf parsley chopped
avocado

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Beans

Rinse the beans and pick out any rocks or dirt. Place all of the bean ingredients in the Instant Pot and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes before venting.

Sauté

Grind and mix the spices, then set them aside.
Add the oil to a large pan set over medium heat on the stove top. Saute the onions for 4-5 minutes, then add the peppers and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and spices, cook for 2-3 minutes further.

To Finish

Add sauteed veggies to beans. Pour some liquid from beans into the pot to deglaze the pan and scrape out the browned bits, then add this mixture back to the beans.
Set the pressure cooker to saute for 30 minutes (the default on the Instant Pot). Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste after 10 minutes, then continue to cook.
Use a slotted spoon to remove large tomatoes (if you used whole), any big pieces of jalapeno, and a generous helping of the beans and liquid. Add to a blender, food processor, or container for immersion blender.
Combine the removed portion of the chili with cocoa, peanut butter, tahini, and chipotles in adobo & sauce (if using). Blend to form a thick paste. Stir this paste into the chili and mix well. Salt to taste.
Serve with fixings. Tastes even better if made in advance.

Notes

Note: to adapt this recipe to a slow cooker or stove top, or to substitute canned beans for dry, refer to the recipe notes section in the main post above.

Nutrition