Vegan Green Chile Stew
Happy Fall and Happy Balloon Fiesta week! Here in Albuquerque, the first week of October is the official kick off of fall. The air is crisp, local schools give students a 4 day weekend to fully enjoy the Balloon Fiesta, this season's green chile is roasting at every grocery store, and we're all looking to the city's valley to spot our favorite balloons pop up again. It's truly a magical time anywhere, but even moreso in a place like this! After months of 90+ degree weather, we're all whipped into autumn by a random 40 degree day that we did not see coming. The best thing you can do on that day, after you've bought your year supply of chile, is make a hot pot of green chile stew. NM fall/winter staple, that even a vegan should not have to live without. If meat alternatives aren’t your thing, sub the Beyond Meat for mushrooms or simply add more pinto beans and potatoes to make this stew a little heartier.
Equipment
- Instant Pot or Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 serving of Beyond Meat or 2lbs of mushrooms
- 5-6 mushrooms loosely chopped, it's going into a blender, so it doesn’t have to be precise
- 2 large potatoes diced into large chunks
- 1 white onion
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 3/4-1 cup cup of green chile depending on spice level/preference
- 6 fresh diced or 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 can of pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of cumin
Instructions
- First, dice your onion, garlic, tomato, mushrooms, and potatoes.
- Begin sautéing HALF the onions on medium heat, after 2 min add your 5-6 mushrooms. Stir frequently. The other half of onions will be used later.
- After the mushrooms are beginning to brown, sprinkle a pinch of salt, and add a spoonful of the green chile, along with your garlic and cumin.
- Things should begin sticking to the pan, that’s okay. Pour in ½ cup of vegetable broth and stir vigorously to release everything, then turn off the heat. (If you don’t have vegetable broth, use the liquid from your pinto beans, or some water with a little soy sauce!)
- Transfer this gloopy medley into a blender and blend until you’ve made a dark vegetable smoothie.
- Now, add your “meat” to the pot and sauté until fully cooked, about 15 minutes. Then, add the potatoes, diced tomatoes, and the rest of your diced onions. Add some salt and pepper, here.
- After about 2 minutes, add in the remainder of the green chile and pinto beans, and pour your blended veggies over the top.
- Now, pour in 3-4 cups water or vegetable broth, until ingredients are fully covered plus a little more. It’s soup, not pasta.
- Allow to cook on a medium heat until potatoes are fully cooked. This should take about 30-45 min.
- Serve with a warm tortilla on a chilly, autumn day.