Casa Alvarez Foods Review + Jackfruit Chili Stew

Jackfruit! My long lost love. I haven’t seen you in so long.

And what better way to reintroduce one of the most versatile plant-based staples in my cooking, than to pair it with the delicious, locally-made chile verde from Casa Alvarez Foods?

The Boulder-based brand prides itself on delicious veggie chile verdes that are smokey, savory and spicy, and works as an amazing soup base, taco topper or addition to hummus, enchiladas or other dips. The soy-free, gluten-free and non-GMO blends are an easy way to get an authentic tasting chile with ZERO effort. We all know I’m a sucker for cute packaging, too, so Casa Alvarez really hits the mark there, as well.

Grab a bag for yourself so you can whip up some of this incredible jackfruit stew! My roommate is transitioning to a plant-based diet and still is in disbelief that this soup doesn’t have ACTUAL chicken in it. She has dubbed this chili an incredible mind f*ck and I’m willing to bet, you will too!

JACKFRUIT WHITE BEAN CHILI

1/2 cup chopped green onions

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 small zucchini, diced

1 20 oz can green jackfruit, drained, rinsed and shredded

1 bag Casa Alvarez Foods veggie chile

2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained

1 tbsp cumin

4 cups vegetable broth

Sea salt and black pepper (note: go heavier on the pepper-the chile itself already contains a decent amount of salt, so I didn’t really add any!)

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

• Saute green onions and garlic in avocado oil in a large saucepot over medium heat for 5 minutes
• Add zucchini and jackfruit and continue cooking/stirring for 8-10 minutes
• Add chile, white beans, cumin and vegetable broth and bring to a boil
• Let simmer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes (I let mine sit for an hour to really thicken though)
• Stir in cilantro and then serve with tortilla chips and avocado