Anne Morgan Delia Smith’s vegetarian chilli is made with haricot beans, lentils and pearl barley, with no meat at all. You cook them on the hob with carrots, celery, tomatoes and chilli powder, then add a green pepper at the end. It serves 4 people and takes just over 3 hours.
Her name for it is Haricot and Lentil Chilli, and it comes from her book Frugal Food, from 1976. Delia says that meals without meat can be just as good, and she wrote this recipe to show it.
Her black bean chilli recipe is not vegetarian, because it has braising steak in it. So this is the one to make when you want a Delia chilli with no meat.
The beans and lentils turn soft and thick, and the chilli gives a gentle warmth. For a beef version, try her classic chilli con carne.
Delia Smith’s Haricot and Lentil Chilli
Course: DinnerCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy4
servings20
minutes2
hours50
minutes400
kcalA meat-free chilli of beans, lentils, pearl barley and vegetables, cooked slowly on the hob in one casserole.
Ingredients
- For the chilli:
110g (4oz) haricot beans
110g (4oz) whole brown or green lentils
50g (2oz) pearl barley
50g (2oz) butter
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 carrots, scraped and thinly sliced
4 sticks celery, thinly sliced across
400g (14oz) tin Italian tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato purée
¼-½ teaspoon chilli powder
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped
salt and freshly milled black pepper
Directions
- Beans: Put the haricot beans in a small saucepan with plenty of cold water. Bring them to the boil and boil them gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, cover it and leave the beans to soak for about 1 hour.
- Simmer: Bring the beans back to the boil, cover them and simmer for 30 minutes. Drain them, but keep all the cooking water.
- Lentils: While the beans cook, pick over the lentils carefully. Rinse them in a sieve with the pearl barley under the cold tap. Cover them with boiling water for 30 minutes, then drain them and throw that water away.
- Vegetables: Heat the butter in a casserole until it froths. Cook the onion, garlic, carrots and celery gently until soft, without letting them brown.
- Mix: Add the tomatoes and the purée, then stir in the lentils, barley and beans. Make the bean water up to 275ml (½ pint) with fresh water and pour it in.
- Simmer: Sprinkle in the chilli powder, add the bay leaf and bring it up to a simmer. Cover it and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Pepper: Add the green pepper and simmer for 30 minutes more, until everything is just tender. Add a little more water if it looks too thick.
- Serve: Taste it, season it with salt and pepper, and serve it hot with brown rice cooked with onion.
Notes
- This chilli has no meat, so it suits vegetarians. Her black bean chilli has steak in it, so it is not vegetarian.
- Pick over the lentils on a white plate, so you can spot any small stones. That's my own tip.
FAQs
Is Delia’s vegetarian chilli vegan?
No, because she softens the vegetables in 50g of butter. Everything else in her recipe is vegan, so it is simple to change.
For a vegan chilli, use 3 tablespoons of olive oil instead of the butter, my own swap. Serve it with plain brown rice, and it stays completely plant-based.
Can I use tinned beans and lentils?
Yes, and it saves the soaking, my own swap. Use a 400g tin of haricot beans and a 400g tin of green lentils, both drained and rinsed.
You still need to rinse and soak the pearl barley, because it cooks in the chilli. Since there is no bean water, use 275ml of hot vegetable stock or water instead.
How hot is this chilli?
It is mild, because Delia uses only ¼ to ½ teaspoon of chilli powder. Start with ¼ teaspoon, taste it near the end, and add a pinch more if you like it hotter.
Her spice notes explain that chilli powder loses some of its character if you keep it too long. They also say you can always add more heat, but it is hard to take it away.
What rice goes with a vegetarian chilli?
Delia likes nutty brown rice, cooked with a little onion. The rice makes it a full meal, and it soaks up the tomato sauce.
For the rice, soften a chopped onion in a little oil, then add the brown rice and cook it as usual, my own method. A spoonful of plain yoghurt on top is also nice, my own idea.
Can I make it ahead or freeze it?
Yes, it reheats well, and Delia herself says to reheat it before serving. It keeps for 2 days, covered, in the fridge, my own rule.
It also freezes well for up to a month, my own advice. Thaw it in the fridge, then warm it gently and add a splash of water, because the lentils and barley soak up liquid.
