The Best Chili For Two (Small-Batch Stovetop Recipe) (2024)

This vegetarian small batchchili for twois ultra flavorful and bursting with spices, smoky chipotle, vegetables, and plenty of pinto beans. Rich, hearty, and oh-so comforting, it's an easy one-pot meal that gently simmers in a cast-iron skillet.

There are a few dishes I always look forward to making during the fall and winter months of the year. My spicy vodka rigatoni is comfort food heaven, this Mediterranean chickpea soup is full of flavor, and this lamb ragu is equally cozy and delicious.

But my favorite meal has got to be a batch of hearty chili! It's warm, and full of flavor and spice! But to be honest, my favorite part of making a nice pot of chili is loading it up with toppings like sour cream, tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, and cilantro. It's infinitely customizable!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

I took my favorite parts of my classic chili recipe and added a few twists to make my *best* version yet! Though this recipe is designed for small batches, it doesn't compromise on flavor in the slightest.

• Smoky flavors:Chipotle chilies add a ton of flavor! And fire-roasted tomatoes give the chili a nice depth.
• Deeply savory:The combination of spices, vegetables, beans, and miso paste adds a nice savory flavor sure to please vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike!
• Faster cooking time:Cooking this homemade chili in a cast-iron skillet allows for better heat retention and faster evaporation, producing more flavor in a shorter amount of time. If you'd like, you can serve the chili right in the skillet as a fun presentation loaded with all the toppings! It makes a weeknight dinner for two much more exciting.

This is also a great recipe if you're serving a lot of other snacks for a football game or movie night and want appetizer-sized portions! For more game day snacks, try my sour cream and chive dip or garlic pumpkin cheesy bread.

Ingredient Notes

• Green bell pepper:I love the slightly more savory flavors of green peppers in chili, but you can use a red pepper too.
• Pinto beans:Canned beans make this appropriate for a weeknight dinner. I love using pinto beans as they're super creamy, but feel free to use a combination of beans you like. A mix of kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans would be great, too.
• Vegetable stock:Vegetable stock is fine here, though I more recently started usingBetter Than Bouillon's vegetable base flavor(not sponsored, just love it!).
• Crushed fire-roasted tomatoes:Fire-roasted tomatoes add smokiness, acidity, and sauciness to the chili. Can't find crushed fire-roasted tomatoes? You can sub in regular crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce and a tablespoon of tomato paste) and a pinch of smoked paprika. Fire-roasted diced tomatoes will work too, but you may need less vegetable stock.
• Canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce:These chipotle chiles have lots of smokiness and are coated in a tangy, spicy sauce. I add just two of these to the chili, as they can be quite spicy! You should be able to find a can of these at your standard grocery store or supermarket, typically in the international aisle.
• Miso paste:A bit of miso paste helps round out the chili and add some umami. I love adding miso to vegetarian dishes, as it has such a complex depth of flavor.

For a full list of ingredients and quantities, refer to therecipe card.

Topping Ideas

Below are a few topping suggestions to get you started. I love adding a combination of creamy, crunchy, and fresh toppings!

• Creamy toppings:Grated cheddaror pepper jack cheese makes the chili nice and creamy. Adollop of sour creamhelps cut the acidity and spice of the chili. Don't have sour cream? Sub in greek yogurt with a bit of lime juice. I do this all the time, and it's a great swap!
• Crunchy toppings:I love to crush sometortilla chipsand top them with the chili for a little bit of crunch. Fritoscorn chipswould be great, too!
• Fresh toppings:Freshly choppedcilantro, thinly slicedscallions, finely choppedonionfor a bit of heat.
• Acidic toppings:A squeeze oflime juiceorpickled red onionswill add a bit of acidity.
• Spicy toppings:Try pickledjalapenosor a dab ofhot sauce.

How to Make This Chili

This chili recipe is quite easy and straightforward. Here's how to make it.

Step 1: Over medium heat, saute the aromatics until they're golden-brown and softened. The key here is to get some flavor, so golden-brown (but not burnt) edges are a must.

Step 2: Turn the heat off, then add the chipotle chiles and spices, and stir to combine. Saute for a minute, just to "activate" and toast the spices.

TIP: Feel free to adjust the spice level to your liking!

Step 3: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock, and miso paste.

Step 4: Add the beans.

Step 5: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer over medium-low heat for at least 30 minutes (preferably an hour). If you find that it's splattering, cover it with a lid.

Step 6: Season with salt and black pepper, top with fresh cilantro, and serve with your favorite toppings.

Expert Tips

Ever had a chili taste too acidic or too bland? I've been there! Typically, this can happen from canned tomatoes tasting a bit too "raw", especially if they're on the more acidic side, or if the chili hasn't simmered long enough.

If you've simmered the chili for at least 30 minutes, and it still tastes quite acidic, there are a few fixes.

• If the chili is flavorful, but also too acidic, try adding a teaspoon of brown sugar to mellow out the acidity.Or, add a pinch (less than ¼ of a teaspoon) of baking soda, which neutralizes the acid.
• Too bland? If you can barely taste the spices (maybe your spices are old, for example), spices like garlic powder, ground coriander, and ground cumin can help cut the acidity.

Storage

Fridge: Chili will last 3 - 4 days in an airtight container stored in the refrigerator. Make sure to cool it down to room temperature before storing in a container!

Freezing: For long-term storage, you can make a double batch and freeze an extra portion of chili in a sealed Ziploc freezer bag for 1 - 2 months. To thaw, defrost the bag in a bowl overnight in the fridge, then heat up on the stovetop until simmering.

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Happy eating! Love, Karishma

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