Smoky Vegan Chili Colorado with Hominy

Chili Colorado gets its name from the rich red color of its dried chile sauce, and this vegan version doesn't skimp on depth or smokiness. Dried ancho and guajillo chiles are toasted to bring out their fruity, earthy flavor, then simmered and blended into a silky, deep red sauce that forms the backbone of the dish. Seared cremini mushrooms stand in for meat, soaking up the chile sauce and adding a satisfying, savory chew, while hominy and pinto beans bulk up the chili with hearty, Tex-Mex-inspired texture. A touch of smoked paprika and chipotle in adobo deepens the smokiness, while cumin, oregano, and a hint of cocoa powder round out the sauce with warmth and complexity. This is a low-and-slow kind of dinner — the longer it simmers, the more the flavors meld together into a thick, luscious chili perfect for ladling over rice, scooping with tortillas, or piling into bowls with your favorite toppings. This dish fits beautifully into a vegan lifestyle, delivering plant-based protein and fiber from beans and hominy, antioxidants from the dried chiles, and a deeply satisfying umami flavor from the mushrooms — all without any dairy, meat, or animal byproducts. It's a comforting, nutrient-dense dinner that proves plant-based chili can be every bit as rich and soul-warming as the traditional version.</long_description> <parameter name="meta_description">Smoky vegan Chili Colorado with ancho-guajillo sauce, hominy, pinto beans, and seared mushrooms. A hearty, dairy-free Tex-Mex comfort dinner.

Ingredients

• 4 wholedried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 4 wholedried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 5 cupvegetable broth, divided
• 3 tbspolive oil, divided
• 16 ozcremini mushrooms, sliced thick
• 1 largeyellow onion, diced
• 6 clovegarlic, minced
• 2 wholeChipotle peppers in adobo, minced, plus 1 tbsp sauce
• 2 tspground cumin
• 2 tspsmoked paprika
• 1 tspdried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
• 1 tspunsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbspapple cider vinegar
• 2 cancanned hominy, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed
• 1 cancanned pinto beans, 15 oz, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 tspFine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
• 0.25 cupfresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• 1 wholelime, cut into wedges, for serving
• 1 wholesliced avocado, optional, for serving

Method

1. Heat the dry skillet over medium heat. Toast the stemmed and seeded ancho and guajillo chiles for 30-60 seconds per side, pressing them flat, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Be careful not to burn them. 1:30
2. Transfer the toasted chiles to the large pot and cover with 3 cups of vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chiles are very soft and pliable. 10:00
3. Pour the softened chiles and their soaking broth into the blender. Blend until completely smooth, forming a deep red chile sauce. Set aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer and sear, stirring occasionally, until browned and any released liquid has evaporated. 8:00
5. Transfer the seared mushrooms to the mixing bowl and set aside.
6. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent. 5:00
7. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant. 1:00
8. Stir in the blended chile sauce, chipotle peppers with adobo sauce, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and cocoa powder. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is fragrant and slightly thickened. 3:00
9. Return the seared mushrooms to the pot along with the remaining 2 cups of vegetable broth, apple cider vinegar, hominy, pinto beans, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
10. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and the flavors have melded. 45:00
11. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt as needed. Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and sliced avocado if desired.