Smoky tofu and black bean chili
A thick plant-based chili with crumbled tofu, black beans, and smoky tomato sauce.
Crumbling tofu into chili gives each spoonful a mix of beans and smaller, chewy pieces. Browning those crumbles before adding the tomatoes helps them hold their shape. This is a substantial dinner on its own, with enough sauce to reheat easily for lunch.
Brown the tofu before building the sauce
Drain the tofu and break it into irregular, bite-size crumbles. Very fine crumbs disappear into the tomato sauce, while large blocks leave fewer seasoned pieces in each bowl. A wide saucepan gives more of the tofu contact with the heated oil. Stir occasionally and let some crumbles develop golden edges before the onion joins them.
The pan changes once tomatoes and water are added. Those liquids carry the seasoning through the chili, but they also prevent the dry browning possible at the beginning. Keep that first stage separate rather than trying to brown tofu in a pot already full of tomatoes. Extra-firm tofu gives more distinct pieces; ordinary firm tofu makes a softer mixture and can release more liquid.
Match the beans to the short simmer
Use cooked black beans, either home-cooked or canned and drained. The short sauce simmer is intended to heat and season them, not cook dry beans. Kidney beans can replace them when already fully cooked. Check the amount after draining so the balance between beans, tofu, and tomato stays close to the recipe.
Smoked paprika, cumin, and mild chili powder have different jobs: smoke, earthy seasoning, and gentle chili flavor. Chili powders vary widely, especially between a blended seasoning and a powder made from a single hot pepper. Check the label before measuring. Keep the garlic and spices moving during their brief cook with the onion, then add the tomatoes promptly so nothing scorches on the pan.
Finish thick enough for a bowl
Simmer uncovered and stir across the bottom until the sauce holds around the beans. If the mixture still looks thin, allow more evaporation before adding extra ingredients. If it catches while the onion is still firm, lower the heat and add a little water. The final short rest lets the bubbling subside before the chili is divided into two generous portions.
For the tofu, calcium depends on the product: NIH advises checking labels for added calcium. A different tofu brand can therefore change the nutritional estimate even when the weight stays the same. Cool lunch portions promptly in shallow containers. On reheating, stir the dense chili so the middle heats evenly; Health Canada recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F.
Smoky tofu and black bean chili
A thick plant-based chili with crumbled tofu, black beans, and smoky tomato sauce.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 31 min
- Rest / soak
- 2 min
- Total
- 43 min
- Makes
- 2 servings
One serving: one generous bowl
Equipment
Large saucepan
Ingredients
Instructions
Storage & reheating
Cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat until steaming hot throughout.
Substitutions
- Use cooked kidney beans in place of black beans.
- Choose extra-firm tofu if you prefer larger crumbles.
Contains: soy. Check the labels of your ingredients.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 622 kcal
- Protein
- 40.9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 74.6 g
- Fat
- 19.0 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.5 g
- Fiber
- 23.1 g
- Sugars
- 13.1 g
- Sodium
- 990 mg
For one original serving, excluding optional ingredients and suggested sides. How we estimate nutrition.
Ingredient nutrition sources
Estimates use the required ingredient weights above and these food references. Brands, water content, and label rounding can change the result.
- firm tofu, drained and crumbled: Nasoya Organic Extra Firm Tofu, retailer Nutrition Facts per 85 g: 90 kcal, 9 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 4.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 1 g fibre, 1 g sugars, 5 mg sodium. This is a firm-to-extra-firm branded reference, weighed after draining packing water and before pressing; products vary in water content. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- cooked black beans, drained and rinsed: USDA SR Legacy: Beans, black turtle, mature seeds, cooked, boiled, without salt. All eight tracked fields were read directly from official food_nutrient.csv per 100 g edible food; sodium mg, other nutrients g except energy kcal. Generic food estimates vary by variety and preparation. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- canned diced tomatoes with juices: Kroger plain diced tomatoes including tomato juice per 121 g half-cup: 25 kcal, 1 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 1 g fibre, 4 g sugars, 210 mg sodium. Ingredients include tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, citric acid and calcium chloride. Recipe weights include the juices. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- onion, diced: USDA SR Legacy: Onions, raw. All eight tracked fields were read directly from official food_nutrient.csv per 100 g edible food; sodium mg, other nutrients g except energy kcal. Generic food estimates vary by variety and preparation. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- garlic, minced: USDA SR Legacy: Garlic, raw. All eight tracked fields were read directly from official food_nutrient.csv per 100 g edible food; sodium mg, other nutrients g except energy kcal. Generic food estimates vary by variety and preparation. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- olive oil: Flora Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil retailer reference explicitly states 14 g of oil per serving. Panel: 120 kcal, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat; protein, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars and sodium explicitly 0. Values normalized to 100 g; label rounding retained. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- smoked paprika: Spice Islands Smoked Paprika retailer Nutrition Facts reference per 2.3 g teaspoon; all eight tracked values observed. Plain smoked paprika, not a seasoning containing oil or salt. Values normalized to 100 g; sodium in mg, other nutrients in g except kcal energy. Retailer figures and label rounding are estimates. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- ground cumin: USDA SR Legacy: Spices, cumin seed. All eight tracked fields were read directly from official food_nutrient.csv per 100 g edible food; sodium mg, other nutrients g except energy kcal. Generic food estimates vary by variety and preparation. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- mild chili powder: It's Delish Chili Powder retailer Nutrition Facts reference per 2.7 g teaspoon; all eight tracked values observed. Salt and spice proportions vary by blend. Values normalized to 100 g; sodium in mg, other nutrients in g except kcal energy. Retailer figures and label rounding are estimates. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- water: Aquafina purified water retailer panel explicitly lists all eight tracked nutrients as 0 per 500 mL. Zero quantities remain 0 independently of volume-to-mass scaling. This purified-water reference is not a measurement of every municipal supply. Water cost is excluded as a utility; no bottled-water price is used. Accessed 2026-10-28.
- fine salt: Hain Sea Salt retailer panel per 1.5 g quarter-teaspoon: 590 mg sodium; calories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, saturated fat, fibre and sugars explicitly 0. Measure fine salt by mass; teaspoon weight varies with crystal size. Accessed 2026-10-28.
Ingredient cost breakdown
Estimated cost of the amount used; optional extras are separate.
| Ingredient | US · USD | Canada · CAD |
|---|---|---|
| firm tofu, drained and crumbled | $2.94 | $4.56 |
| cooked black beans, drained and rinsed | $1.29 | $1.59 |
| canned diced tomatoes with juices | $0.93 | $0.99 |
| onion, diced | $0.35 | $0.31 |
| garlic, minced | $0.18 | $0.09 |
| olive oil | $0.18 | $0.16 |
| smoked paprika | $0.15 | $0.22 |
| ground cumin | $0.04 | $0.11 |
| mild chili powder | $0.03 | $0.03 |
| water | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| fine salt | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Recipe total | $6.09 | $8.06 |
| Per serving | $3.05 | $4.03 |
Price references: US 2026-10-28; Canada 2026-10-28. Regional prices vary. Pantry ingredients included; taxes, delivery, and utilities excluded.
Price sources & package sizes
United States · USD
- firm tofu, drained and crumbled: Walmart US, Sacramento Gerber Rd Supercenter, California page context; $2.92 / 396.89332375g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
- cooked black beans, drained and rinsed: Walmart US, US online listing; store not stated in captured result; $0.92 / 284.79566809g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Net ounces are converted at 28.349523125 g per ounce before the separate drained-yield adjustment. USDA Food Buying Guide: 109 oz purchased canned black turtle beans yields about 73 oz unheated, drained beans; this general yield is scaled to the reference can. Nutrition uses a separately identified cooked/drained reference; sodium and water content vary with brand and rinsing. No unmeasured sodium reduction for rinsing is applied.
- canned diced tomatoes with juices: Walmart US, Atlanta, Georgia; 30301 page context; $0.96 / 411.06808531g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
- onion, diced: Walmart US, Phoenix E Thomas Rd Supercenter, Arizona page context; $2.76 / 1197.4838568g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Edible package mass uses USDA Food Buying Guide yield: 1 lb purchased mature whole onions yields 0.88 lb raw ready-to-cook onion; actual trimming loss varies.
- garlic, minced: Walmart US, Sacramento Gerber Rd Supercenter, California page context; $3.07 / 170.09713875g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
- olive oil: Walmart US, US online listing; store not stated in captured result; $5.94 / 469.23333572g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Package mass is estimated from the olive-oil label reference of 14 g per 15 mL (0.933333 g/mL); retailer package quantity is volume, not measured mass. US fluid ounces converted at 29.5735295625 mL per fl oz.
- smoked paprika: Walmart US, Atlanta Gresham Rd S E Supercenter, Georgia page context; $2.14 / 56.69904625g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Avoirdupois ounces converted using 28.349523125 g per ounce. Smoked dried paprika powder, not a meat-flavoured seasoning blend.
- ground cumin: Walmart US, US online listing; store not independently selected; $1.37 / 70.87380781g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Net avoirdupois ounces converted at exactly 28.349523125 g per ounce.
- mild chili powder: Walmart US, US online listing; store not independently selected; $1.08 / 85.04856937g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Net avoirdupois ounces converted at exactly 28.349523125 g per ounce.
- fine salt: Walmart US, Sacramento Gerber Rd Supercenter, California page context; $0.94 / 737g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
Canada · CAD
- firm tofu, drained and crumbled: PriceSmart Foods, Richmond - Ackroyd pickup context displayed on the Canadian retailer page; $3.99 / 350g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Cost proxy only. Preserve the separately identified Nasoya nutrition reference and its warning that water content varies; ingredient weight remains drained, before pressing. Single displayed payable price; no was price, sale-information section, promotion label or expiry shown in captured primary product listing. The retrieved retailer snapshot was crawled six days before access; this is a dated estimate, not a checkout quote.
- cooked black beans, drained and rinsed: Walmart Canada, Canada online listing; store not stated in captured result; $1.44 / 361.65137615g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). The volume-labelled Canadian can's gross contents mass is estimated at 1 g/mL before the separate drained-yield adjustment; neither this density nor the resulting drained mass was measured by the retailer. USDA Food Buying Guide: 109 oz purchased canned black turtle beans yields about 73 oz unheated, drained beans; this general yield is scaled to the reference can. Nutrition uses a separately identified cooked/drained reference; sodium and water content vary with brand and rinsing. No unmeasured sodium reduction for rinsing is applied.
- canned diced tomatoes with juices: Walmart Canada, Mississauga Heartland, Ontario; L5V 2N6 page context; $1.97 / 796g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Package mass is estimated at 1 g/mL for this liquid food, with all juices included; the retailer label supplies volume, not measured grams.
- onion, diced: Walmart Canada, Canada online listing; store not stated in captured result; $2.44 / 1197.4838568g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Edible package mass uses USDA Food Buying Guide yield: 1 lb purchased mature whole onions yields 0.88 lb raw ready-to-cook onion; actual trimming loss varies.
- garlic, minced: Walmart Canada, Mississauga Heartland, Ontario; L5V 2N6 page context; $3.97 / 453.59237g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
- olive oil: Walmart Canada, Mississauga Heartland, Ontario; L5V 2N6 page context; $10.97 / 933.33333333g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Package mass is estimated from the olive-oil label reference of 14 g per 15 mL (0.933333 g/mL); retailer package quantity is volume, not measured mass.
- smoked paprika: Walmart Canada, Mississauga Heartland, Ontario; L5V 2N6 page context; $6.27 / 116g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28). Retailer ingredients: smoked paprika, silicon dioxide, ethoxyquin. This is smoked dried pepper seasoning; no animal ingredient listed.
- ground cumin: Walmart Canada, Canada online listing; store not independently selected; $4.47 / 85g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
- mild chili powder: Walmart Canada, Canada online listing; store not independently selected; $2.27 / 150g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
- fine salt: Walmart Canada, Mississauga Heartland, Ontario; L5V 2N6 page context; $1.63 / 1000g. Price source (observed 2026-10-28).
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