Since I’m all about meatless meals and simmering big pots of warm, comforting stews on my stove these days, naturally I made another vegetarian chili recipe recently. This one was very rich and hearty, thanks to two kinds of beans (kidney and chickpeas) and the “secret” ingredient—chocolate.

The Vegetarian Chili With Chocolate recipe takes a bit longer to make than most of our recipes, but there’s only 15 minutes of hands-on work. The longer simmering time allows the liquid to thicken and gives the flavors time to meld. A small piece of bittersweet chocolate stirred in at the end adds a surprising depth and just the barest hint of sweetness to the final dish—a tiny bit goes a long way. It definitely gives the chili a little something extra to intrigue your dinner guests. I served this with quinoa on the side to soak up all the stew and a bottle of Tabasco—a must, in my opinion. The extra layer of heat from the hot sauce brightens up all those heavy, rich flavors and adds an exciting kick; toss in as much spice as you can handle, and enjoy.

(image: Susie Cushner)