Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics and Base
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic, minced
Flavor Makers
- 30 g harissa paste
- 15 ml low-sodium soy sauce
- 5 g ground cumin
- 3 g smoked paprika
Body
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, whole
- 500 g white beans, drained and rinsed
- 470 ml vegetable broth
Finish
- 100 g fresh baby spinach
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 245 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbohydrates
- 40 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 1030 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 1085 mg
- Calcium
- 163 mg
- Iron
- 6.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 110 mg
- Phosphorus
- 186 mg
- Zinc
- 2.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 234 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 71 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 129 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.23 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.19 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 157 mcg
- Water
- 302 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the vegetables by dicing the yellow onion and red bell pepper, and mincing the garlic cloves.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, cooking until softened and translucent, about 7 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic, harissa paste, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook continuously for 2 minutes until highly fragrant and the spices toast slightly.
Pour in the soy sauce to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Immediately add the whole cherry tomatoes and stir to combine.
Add the drained white beans and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a boil at 100°C/212°F, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the cherry tomatoes burst and the chili thickens.
Remove the Dutch oven from the heat. Fold in the fresh baby spinach and lime juice, stirring gently until the spinach is fully wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.
Chef's Notes
- Harissa paste varies significantly in heat depending on the brand. Taste yours before adding the full 30g and adjust to your spice preference.
- Soy sauce acts as a powerful umami delivery system in vegetarian dishes, compensating for the lack of meat with deep, savory, fermented notes.
- Mashing about a quarter of the white beans against the side of the Dutch oven naturally thickens the broth without needing any flour or starch.
- For the best texture, add the spinach only at the very end off the heat so it wilts gracefully rather than becoming stringy and overcooked.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container. Flavors will deepen overnight.
Freezer: 3 months — Spinach may become slightly mushy upon thawing, but the chili base freezes perfectly.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until bubbling, or in the microwave in 60-second intervals.
Troubleshooting
Chili is too thin and watery
Cause: Simmered with the lid on, or not simmered long enough
Fix: Use a wooden spoon to mash a handful of the white beans against the side of the pot, then simmer for an additional 5 minutes to thicken
Prevention: Always simmer this chili uncovered to allow liquid evaporation
Chili is overwhelmingly spicy
Cause: Harissa paste was hotter than expected
Fix: Stir in a splash of coconut milk, or serve with a dollop of plain yogurt, sour cream, or diced avocado to mellow the heat
Prevention: Taste the raw harissa paste before adding to gauge its heat level
Cultural Context
This chili represents modern pantry-fusion cooking, borrowing the fiery, aromatic chili paste of North Africa and the fermented umami of East Asia. This approach to chili eschews traditional Tex-Mex flavor profiles in favor of a globally inspired, fast-developing depth perfectly suited for modern weeknight vegetarian meals.
