Veganized Café Latte Salsa Chili with Soy Curls
Adapted from Café Latte's 1990s Chicken Salsa Chili, St. Paul, Minnesota
A vegan adaptation of the salsa chicken chili served at Café Latte on Grand Avenue in St. Paul. Soy curls replace the chicken, while the tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cilantro, and lime preserve the character of the original recipe.
Servings: 6–8
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
100–120 g dry Butler soy curls (about 1/2 package)
Vegetable broth for rehydrating soy curls
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1½ cups chopped yellow onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons chili powder
1–2 teaspoons of ground cumin
2 cups vegetable broth
1 can (28 oz) whole tomatoes, undrained and broken up
1 can (29 oz) tomato purée
2 cans (15–16 oz each) red kidney beans, drained
1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
Optional: 1 can (15 oz) white or yellow hominy, drained and rinsed
For serving
Corn tortilla chips
Vegan sour cream
Vegan shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Finely chopped red onion
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Instructions
Prepare the soy curls. Place the dry soy curls in a bowl and cover with hot vegetable broth. Soak for 8–10 minutes, until softened. Drain and squeeze out excess liquid. Discard the soaking broth.
Brown the soy curls. Heat 1½ tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the rehydrated soy curls and sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer to a plate.
Cook the aromatics. Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook for approximately 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, jalapeño, crushed red pepper flakes, and chili powder. Cook for another 30–60 seconds, stirring constantly.
Add the tomatoes and beans. Transfer everything to a cooking pot. Pour in 1½ cups vegetable broth, followed by the whole tomatoes, tomato purée, kidney beans, and chickpeas. Stir to combine.
Simmer. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the soy curls. Return the browned soy curls to the pot and simmer for another 5–10 minutes. Add additional vegetable broth if needed to achieve the desired consistency.
Finish with cilantro and lime. Stir in the chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice. Season with salt to taste.
Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with crushed corn tortilla chips, vegan sour cream, vegan cheddar, finely chopped red onion, and additional cilantro.
Notes
Soy curls: Browning the rehydrated soy curls before adding them to the chili improves their texture. Avoid prolonged simmering if you prefer a firmer, more chicken-like consistency.
Consistency: Café Latte's chili is relatively brothy. Add vegetable broth as needed rather than reducing the chili until very thick.
Seasoning: The original recipe relies primarily on chili powder, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime. Additional cumin, smoked paprika, or chipotle will change the flavor.
Optional hominy: Add one drained 15-ounce can of hominy if desired. Hominy appears in some descriptions of Café Latte's chili but not in the older published recipe.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe attribution
Adaptation of Café Latte's Chicken Salsa Chili.
Original recipe: https://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Cafe+latte+chili%2B
