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meat-free, full of flavor

Kidney bean chili sin carne with polenta

An everyday dish for 2, ready in 45 minutes, around $2.69 a serving. People actually plan it with Popotam, and it's in season in October.

45mintotal
≈ $2.69a serving
656kcalper serving
23gof protein
VegetarianIn season in OctoberFreezes well
Let's cook

Step-by-step recipe

check things off as you go

  1. Chop the onion

    Peel the onion and cut it into small, even cubes. Set it aside in a bowl.

  2. Cut the bell pepper

    Wash the bell pepper, pull out the seeds and white ribs, then cut it into small cubes. Add them to the onion.

  3. Cook the veggies

    Heat the skillet over medium heat with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 min, stirring often, until they soften.

    Tip · If the veggies stick, turn the heat down and add a splash of water to loosen them without burning. The cumin should smell great, not burnt.

  4. Add the spices

    Sprinkle the ground cumin over the veggies, stir well and cook for 1 min to wake up the flavors.

  5. Stir in the tomatoes

    Pour the crushed tomatoes into the skillet, salt lightly and let it simmer over low heat for 10 min, stirring now and then.

  6. Add the beans

    Drain the kidney beans and add them to the skillet. Stir well and let it heat for 5 min so the flavors come together.

  7. Cook the polenta

    Meanwhile, bring 500 ml of water to a boil in the saucepan. Off the heat, sprinkle in the instant polenta while whisking hard so there are no lumps. Put it back over low heat and let it thicken for 3 min, stirring.

    Tip · For creamier polenta, swap some of the water for vegetable broth if you have it, otherwise just stick with water.

  8. Season the chili

    Taste the chili and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to your liking.

  9. Serve hot

    Split the polenta between two shallow bowls, spoon the chili over the top and serve right away.

And there you go, it's readyCheck off every step to celebrate.

The questions you're asking

short answers, numbers you can check

How many calories in a serving?

One serving has about 656 kcal. 58% comes from carbs, 14% from protein and 23% from fat.

94 gCarbs
23 gProtein
17 gFat
Per serving (the dish for 2, divided by 2)
Energy656 kcal
Protein22.9 g
Carbs94.3 g
of which sugars11.6 g
Fat17.1 g
of which saturated fat2.6 g
Fiber20.6 g
Salt1.2 g

Worked out ingredient by ingredient with the ANSES Ciqual 2025 table, never written by an AI. It's an estimate: veggie sizes and brands make the numbers vary.

How much does it cost?

About $2.69 a serving, adding up the average prices of the ingredients you need to buy.

≈ $5.38for 2 people
≈ $2.69a serving

Pantry salt, oil and spices aren't counted. Your store and your brands will move the total, but the ballpark is right.

How long does it keep?

2 days in the fridge, in a closed container, once cooled within two hours. And it freezes really well.

2 daysin the fridge
Very wellin the freezer, thaw it in the fridge the day before

Times Popotam uses for meal prep, based on ANSES guidance, rounded down. The details: how long cooked dishes keep.

and the rest of the week?

Popotam plans your whole week

Lunch and dinner, with dishes like this one, based on your tastes, your time and your budget. The grocery list is sorted by aisle. Free, no account.

Build my week

With the same ingredients

canned kidney beans, instant polenta, yellow onion…