ULTIMATE CHILI "CHEESE" NACHOS

Ultimate Chili

Provided by Food Network

Categories main-dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 5 servings

Number Of Ingredients 24

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2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed (from a 15.5-ounce can)
1 cup plant-based ground meat alternative or plant protein burger, cooked and pulled apart with a fork
7 ounces green string beans, trimmed and chopped small
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon tamari sauce (gluten-free) or soy sauce
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tablespoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (standard has anchovies in it)
1 teaspoon chipotle chile paste (1/2 teaspoon if for kids)
One 14.5-ounce can chopped tomatoes
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
2 cups unsweetened plant-based milk (I use oat), or almond or soy for gluten-free
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons chipotle paste
1 teaspoon low-sodium vegetable bouillon powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
One 13-ounce bag lightly salted corn tortilla chips
6 ounces sliced pickled jalapenos, drained (half a 12-ounce jar)
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
For the meatless chili: Heat the oil in a medium-large saucepan. Stir in the onions and red bell pepper and fry at a gentle sizzle until just starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans, plant-based meat, green beans and garlic. Turn up the heat to hear that sizzle and cook, about 1 minute.
Stir in the tamari, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, chili paste, chopped tomatoes and 1/3 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook, checking and stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. The sauce should be rich, tangy and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finally, stir in the cilantro.
For the nacho "cheese" sauce: Heat the oil in a medium pan, stir in the flour and cook, about 1 minute. Gradually stir in the milk using a wooden spoon or whisk to avoid any lumps. Bring to a gently bubbling simmer and cook until the sauce thickens to a creamy consistency and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the nutritional yeast, chipotle paste, bouillon and turmeric, stirring constantly to marry all the flavors, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
For the assembly: Spread the nacho chips on a baking sheet and bake to warm them through, about 3 minutes.
Spread the chips out onto a platter or in individual bowls. Spoon the nacho sauce onto the warm tortilla chips, add the chili in the middle and top with the jalapenos and cilantro.