Three Bean Chili With Spring Pesto

I found this recipe in my Real Simple magazine this week and it looked so yummy and sounded so easy, I had to try it out. I had most of the ingredients at home already and I improvised where necessary so that I wouldn’t have to go to the store and buy more stuff for it.

The recipe in it’s entirety is as follows but I’ll make notes where I changed things up to suit what we had in the kitchen

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced – *** I didn’t use carrots because I didn’t like the sound of carrots in my chili
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid
Kosher salt and pepper
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained – **I didn’t have chickpeas. I dared to be different and threw in a can of black beans instead
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons pine nuts, chopped
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Crusty bread (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, 2 cups water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Add the chickpeas and beans and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Combine the garlic, pine nuts, parsley, the remaining olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.

Divide the chili among individual bowls and top with the pesto. Serve with the bread, if desired.

Shortcut: Instead of chopping the garlic, pine nuts, and parsley by hand, pulse them in a food processor before adding the oil. ***Note – I have a stash of jars of pesto in my cupboard so I just used that instead of making my own. Way easier and convenient since I had it. If I didn’t have it, I’d have given making my own a shot.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

***I served it with crusty bread with chunks of garlic in it and it was sooo good. Hubby couldn’t believe how yummy it all smelled and raved about it a few times. I guess I should try new recipes more often.

Enjoy!