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Chilli con Carrot Mince

Prep Time15 minsCook Time35 minsTotal Time50 mins

Before we became Whole Food Plant Based, Chilli con Carne was a staple at our house. Either eaten with rice, or with corn chips, it made it onto our dinner menu most weeks. When I changed the way I cook, and removed meat from our diet, I wondered how I could still make this dish. I tried many things, but was surprised when carrot worked out to be our favourite substitute for mince.

Photo of two dishes of chilli con carrot mince on served on rice

 1 large onion - peeled, finely diced
 2 fresh chillies - finely chopped (remove seeds if desired)
 3 cups minced carrots - approximately 2 large carrots
 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
 1 tsp ground cumin
 1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste)
 ½ tsp chilli flakes (or to taste)
 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
 1 400g tin diced tomatoes
 1 tbsp cocoa powder
 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (or to taste)
 ½ tsp low sodium salt (or to taste)
 1 400g tin kidney beans - drained and rinsed
 ½ cup corn kernels - fresh or frozen (optional)
1

Add the onion and fresh chilli to a large non-stick saute pan. Fry on a moderate/high temperature until softened and slightly browned. Add a little water to prevent sticking, but don't add so much that the onions end up being boiled in the water.

2

Add the vegetable stock powder, cumin, chilli powder, chilli flakes and cinnamon. Stir to combine and cook for another 2-3 minutes to allow the spices to cook.

3

Turn the temperature down to medium. Add the carrot mince and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring regularly until the carrots are cooked.

4

Add the diced tomatoes, kidney beans, corn kernels (if using) and cocoa. Stir to combine, and cook until the mixture comes to the boil. Then turn the heat down to a simmer. Stir from time to time. Taste the chilli and add maple syrup and salt, depending on what is needed. Maple syrup will smooth the heat of the chillies.

5

Continue simmering, while stirring from time to time, until the chilli becomes thick and tomatoes have lost their wateriness.

6

Serve according to your own preferences! Our favourite is to serve it on a bed of boiled brown rice with a dollop of mashed avocado or guacamole on the side. You could also serve it with tacos or in nachos. Leftovers are great in a tortilla wrap with salad and avocado.

Notes for this recipe
7

Photo of food processor with minced carrot

CARROT MINCE

Make the carrot mince by adding the carrots to a food processor. I like to use the small food processor that attaches to my stick blender. If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the carrot then finely chop the shreds. Grated carrot can be used, but it doesn't give the look of mince that you get from chopping the carrot in the food processor.

Nutrition Facts

0 servings

Serving size

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