Mexican Black Bean Stew with Nachos
A flavorful, hearty, spicy, and satisfying Mexican-style stew that is filled with healthy ingredients and very easy to make. Feel free to strip things down further and omit some of the optional ingredients, but these things are worth keeping around and lend tons of flavor to simple vegetarian dishes like this one.
- Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients
Units
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- Olive oil, for cooking
- 1 small sweet onion, diced (amount doesn’t have to be exact here)
- 2 poblanos, seeded and diced (these are spicy – use 1 if you’d like less heat)
- Salt and pepper to taste and as needed
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1-ounce packet of taco seasoning (low sodium, if you can)
- 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 1 heaping tablespoon vegetable stock concentrate (such as Better Than Bouillon Roasted Garlic Base or one vegetable bouillon cube will work)
- 3 garlic cloves, grated and divided
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (use chili powder if you don’t care for spicy)
- Two, 14.5-ounce cans black beans (don’t drain and rinse them!)
- 5 cups tortilla chips (give or take)
- 3 to 4 cups shredded cheese (I like Monterrey Jack and/or a Mexican blend)
- 1/2 cup Mexican crema (sour cream can be subbed)
- 1 lime
Topping suggestions: Pickled jalapeños, cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil (two turns of the pan) to a large pot or deep skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the onion and poblano, season with some salt and pepper, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until tender.
- Add the diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, tomato paste, and veggie stock concentrate/bouillon cube and cook for a couple of minutes. Add â…” of the grated garlic, the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and chipotle powder. Cook for about a minute, stirring, to toast and activate those spices. Add the black beans, liquid and all (this helps thicken the stew).
- Add 1 cup water, stir to combine, put the lid on, and reduce the heat to low so things can stew properly.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, remaining garlic, and the juice of half the lime. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lay the chips across a large sheet pan in a single layer. Top with the cheese and, if using, some pickled jalapeños. Bake just until the chips are nice and toasted and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown; about 6 minutes or so.
- Taste the stew and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Add more water, if you like. Serve in bowls, topped with some of the garlicky lime cream, some cheesy nachos, and cilantro.