It’s freezing cold outside, and has been for days. All I want to eat is cozy comfort food like this vegetarian chili recipe. It’s my favorite, and leftovers taste even better the next day.
This chili is perfect for watching football games with a crowd, since it’s a hearty meatless option that carnivores will enjoy. Plus, it can be vegan and gluten free if you choose your toppings carefully. This chili will satisfy everyone.
I originally published this recipe four years ago. Since then, it’s become your favorite chili recipe as well (four-hundred reviews and counting).
I’ve cheered when you’ve told me that it won your chili competition, and love hearing that it’s become a staple recipe in your kitchen. Hooray!
How to Make the Best Vegetarian Chili
While the ingredients in this chili recipe are super basic, the flavor is anything but. Simple ingredients can taste exceptional when they start off with aromatics like onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
I added traditional chili spices and some smoked paprika for an extra-savory, smoky note. Canned beans and tomatoes contribute delicious plant-based protein and heft.
Blending a small portion of the chili makes it look and taste like a chili that has been cooking all morning long, but it only needs about 30 minutes of simmering. That’s a little trick that I learned from my lentil soup, which is another cozy option for cold days.
Finishing off the chili with a little splash of sherry vinegar (or lime juice) and fresh cilantro makes it taste vibrant and fresh. The vinegar offers a little acidity and complexity, and it makes all the difference.
Watch how to make vegetarian chili
Chili Toppings
This chili is dairy free and vegan as written. You can keep it that way be choosing vegan toppings like sliced avocado and tortilla chips.
Here’s a full list of options:
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or crème fraîche
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Tortilla chips (crumbled if desired)
- Additional cilantro
- Lime wedges
Leftover Chili?
This chili makes great leftovers that keep well for four days in the refrigerator. Reheat your chili in a bowl and it’s good to go.
You can also serve this chili as a protein-rich topping on nachos, baked potatoes or oven-baked fries. Stuff your burritos or quesadillas with chili. Why not?
Please let me know how this chili turns out for you in the comments! I always love to hear from you.
Stay warm out there, and if you love this hearty soup, be sure to check out the hearty soup recipes in my cookbook.
Homemade Vegetarian Chili
- Author:
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Chili
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
The smoky, complex flavor of this simple vegetarian chili comes from basic pantry ingredients, vegetables and spices! It makes great leftovers, too. Recipe yields 4 large or 6 moderate servings of chili.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder*
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika*
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice, to taste
- Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or crème fraîche, grated cheddar cheese, etc.
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, the drained black beans and pinto beans, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine and let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chili from the heat and discard the bay leaf. For the best texture and flavor, transfer 1 ½ cups of the chili to a blender, making sure to get some of the liquid portion. Securely fasten the lid and blend until smooth (watch out for hot steam), then pour the blended mixture back into the pot. (Or, you can blend the chili briefly with an immersion blender, or mash the chili with a potato masher until it reaches a thicker, more chili-like consistency.)
- Add the chopped cilantro, stir to combine, and then mix in the vinegar, to taste. Add salt to taste, too—I added ¼ teaspoon more at this point. Divide the mixture into individual bowls and serve with garnishes of your choice. This chili will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days or you can freeze it for longer-term storage.
Notes
Recipes consulted during the making of this recipe: vegetarian chili with winter vegetables (The New York Times), vegetarian chili (Saveur) and winter vegetable chili (Food and Wine).
Make it vegan/dairy free: This chili recipe is vegan as written. Just be sure to choose vegan/dairy free toppings, such as avocado and tortilla chips.
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my butternut squash chipotle chili and sweet potato chili. You might also enjoy my hearty lentil soup and black bean soup.
*Spice note: If you are sensitive to spice or using particularly potent spices (I hear that chili powder purchased outside of the U.S. can be very hot), you might want to scale back on the spice here. Start with half of the amounts listed and add more to taste. That said, I enjoy spicy food and found this chili to be well-balanced as written.
**Canned tomatoes note: I recommend Muir Glen brand—they have the best flavor and their cans are BPA-free!
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Samantha
I am making this right now! Very excited given the stellar comments below! One quick question: I am, inexplicably, out of bay leaves.
Should I substitute with another herb or spice?
Kate
Hi, You can omit and adjust at the end per your taste at then end. I do prefer it with bay leaves though!
Sam
This recipe doubles really well for batch cooking and it’s actually incredibly affordable too. Just had a taste and it’s pretty great
Casey
Really tasty recipe. My new fav chili. Thx!
★★★★★
Joanne
It was absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
Aysh
Amazing recipe. I did make a few changes to my liking –
1. Added 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
2. Added 1/2 tsp curry powder.
3. Also added 15.5 oz tomato sauce instead of the 2 can-diced tomatoes
4. Added beef stock instead of veg stock
5. Added Worcestershire sauce (1 tbsp)
TURNED OUT AMAZING!!!
★★★★★
Jim
The vegetarian chili looks and sounds great! I’ll give it a try. My doctor recommends that I switch to a plant based diet. I’m going to make the soups too ! I’ll let you know how they turn out.
Yafa
Really want to try this! Hoping my 9 yeae oks who loves chili will like it! Can you use white onion instead?
Kate
Hi, you can use a white onion too if that’s what you have. Enjoy!
Haley Hatfield
I’ve never made vegetarian chili before, so I was a bit nervous at first. But this chili was amazing! The extra tip to blend some of it up makes all of the difference! The only thing I did different was added a bit of brown sugar, tomatoe sauce along with the diced tomatoes, black beans and tomatoe paste in with the sautéing veggies. Best chili I’ve ever made! Thanks so much!!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Haley!
Darlene
I discovered this recipe about a year ago, and I can’t guess how many times we’ve made it since then! We usually add chick peas and tomato paste, sometimes a diced yam…and my husband is really happy if we toss in a handful of frozen corn!
★★★★★
Kate
Wonderful, Darlene! Thank you for your review.
David Cherry
I have made this recipe on 3 different occasions changing minimal things, and it always turns out amazing! I always use low sodium vegetable broth though, and it comes out just fine.
★★★★★
Jody
Just wondering if I can use dried chili peppers in this recipe?
Kate
Hi Jody, I do that in my Tortilla Soup but I’m not sure about it here without trying it. Sorry I don’t have more guidance for you!
Marcela
It is a great and easy recipe. So tasty and healthy! I just reduced the amount of Chili to 1 tablespoon (pregnancy) and replaced one of the cans ob black beans for kidney beans (I didn’t have two of black beans).
I was pleasantly surprised with the results of this meatless recipe. Will definitely make it again!
Thank you for sharing it!
★★★★★
Latha
Excellent recipe, came out very well. Didn’t have to puree, texture was good as is. It’s a keeper!
★★★★★
Teresa K
This recipe is so delicious! My daughter has a plant-based diet while my 2 sons do not. I try to make her a vegan version of whatever I make the boys, and this recipe was FAR BETTER than the meat-based chili recipe I’ve been making for decades! The cumin adds a complementary dimension, and we all loved it! Thank you, Kathryne!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Teresa!
W
I made this chili a year ago and it was a hit. I’m making it again tonight. Almost lost this recipe but found it after 2 days of searching so let’s get cooking!
★★★★★
Kate
I love it, W! Thank you for your review.
Linda Martin
It’s a nice recipe but I think 2 tablespoons of chilli powder is way too much! 2 teaspoons would be better. I notice there’s a note about using chilli powder at the end of the recipe but I think most people won’t read this until it’s too late! I’ve found that veggie chilli tastes hotter than a meat chilli which has had the same amount of chilli powder added.
I also used just half of the oil and it was fine.
★★★★
Kate
Hi Linda, I appreciate your feedback. Chili powder can be different depending on were you live (see note) so use your best judgement and taste preferences.
Troy
This is my absolute favorite chili recipe and I’ve made it so many times! The blending part is definitely worth it for the actual chili consistency. I’m not a huge fan of celery in chili, so I usually leave that part out and add in a can of corn. But that is pretty much the only changes that I make and it’s fantastic every time!
★★★★★
Angie
I made your chili for the first time tonight and it turned out absolutely delicious!!!
5 star rating for sure.
Thank you posting such a wonderful recipe.
Angie
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Angie!
Kierra
So good! I’ve really been wanting a tasty vegetarian chili recipe and this is perfect. Thank you!
★★★★★
Kayden Mason
It is tasty and very spicy.
Thank you for posting it.
★★★
Barbara Capstick
I love this recipe! My meat eating husband and his friends have given this a big thumbs up, and I last night we had our first social gathering for months and our friends all said the chilli was delicious. I am now sharing this recipe with them. Thank you Kate for your inspirational work. You make it so easy to convince those meat eaters that being a vegetarian doesn’t have to be boring!!
★★★★★
Kate
That’s great! Thank you for your review, Barbara.
Kathy
So delicious! I made it and I didn’t even need to add the stock or water – which made my chili thicker. Still super flavorful! Making this again tonight.
★★★★★
Allison
Made this for a family dinner with my parents. I’m vegan and they aren’t – it was a HUGE hit all around. We all LOVED IT. They had corn bread with theirs and I served mine over some red lentil pasta for a chili mac. Thank you!!
★★★★★
Danielle
Amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Jose
This is a delicious recipe. I added a bit of cayenne pepper to add a little kick to it though. Notwithstanding, this recipe is great by itself! Thanks so much for sharing.
★★★★★
Michele G
Hi, can I make this in a slow cooker? Thank you.
Kate
Hi, I prefer this as written, but I believe others have tried it. I would suggest seeing what others may have tried in the comments.