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Vegetarian Wheatberry Chili with Cilantro Pesto

This chili can be made in the vegetarian version or with the addition of ground turkey or beef can be a more traditional chili. The wheatberries add a chewy texture that combines well with the beans and seasonings. 

Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups uncooked wheatberries
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 onion medium diced
  • 1 red pepper medium diced
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 bay leaf broken in half
  • 1 15 ounce can Great Northern Beans drained
  • 1 15 ounce can Pinto Beans drained
  • 2 cups butternut squash cubed
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 can vegetable broth or beef broth if you want a non-vegetarian option
  • 1 bunch cilantro stems cut off and tied together and leaves finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts toasted until light brown and cooled
  • 1 pound ground turkey optional if you do not want this to be vegetarian

Optional garnishes:

  • Chopped red onion
  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Avocado slices

Instructions

  1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add wheatberries, lower heat to a simmer and cook the wheatberries, covered, for 1 hours. Drain and set aside.
  2. In the same pot in which you cooked the wheatberries, over medium heat, add the olive oil and sauté the onions and red peppers for 6-7 minutes until they are softened. Add the garlic and stir for another minute.
  3. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, coriander, bay leaf and oregano and heat until the spices are fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. If you want to add ground turkey for a non-vegetarian version of this chili, add it now and brown it with the spice and onion mixture for 7 minutes until it is brown and no pink remains.
  4. Add both kinds of beans (or other beans of your choice), butternut squash, salt, brown sugar and vegetable broth. Tie the bundle of cilantro stems with cotton twine and add the stems to the chili mixture. Cook the chili for 1 hour, covered, over low heat stirring every 15 minutes.
  5. While the chili is cooking, in a small food processor or Nutri Bullet, combine the cilantro leaves, remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the pine nuts.
  6. Spoon the chili into bowls and garnish with any of the optional garnishes. Add a teaspoon of cilantro pesto on top and serve with corn muffins and a salad.