Mushroom Chili

I’m having a hard time finding meatless recipes to make since I’m not a fan of eggplant and I think every recipe I’ve found has eggplant in it. I had this recipe for a year or so, it was given out by a mushroom farmer that had a stand at my town’s farmer’s market. I was disappointed to find out that he wasn’t going to be attending this year’s market since he had the best crimini and portabella mushrooms. He was from Kennett Square, PA – the mushroom capital of the world! That area of Chester County produces 65% of all mushrooms for the United States. There’s a big festival every year to celebrate mushrooms. I didn’t realize it was last weekend; I’ll need to add it to my calendar next year to check it out!

This recipe was quick and easy. It was a perfect dinner for a cool fall night. Make sure you have a chunk of crusty bread to go with it!

2 Tbsp olive oil
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
1 small banana pepper, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp chili powder
28 oz can Italian style small diced tomatoes
15 oz can light kidney beans
Small can of no-salt tomato sauce
Salt & Pepper

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions and pepper until they are tender. Stir in the garlic and chili powder to combine. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir occasionally until they are tender and cooked through.

Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes for sauce to thicken. If desired, sprinkle with cheese before serving.