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. 
PJ
I’ve never been a fan of chilli but made this today, and I’m a convert! I followed most of the recipe but used black beans & kidney beans, and also added sweetcorn.I look forward to future vegetarian recipes, Kate.
Kate
That’s great to hear, PJ! I appreciate your review.
Lisa Godsey
I have made this chili a few times, in fact, when I use up the last portion in the freezer – I immediately make another batch. The only change I make – I dice a slightly firm avocado and put it right in the chili instead of using it as a garnish.
★★★★★
Alex
The beans that you use- they’re canned? I shouldn’t use raw beans that I cook first? Thank you!
Kate
Hi! You can add cooked beans too. I used canned. Let me know what you think!
Misty
This is an delicious chili recipe!!
I did add 2 cans of chili beans because mine seemed a little thinner then I like and served it with corn bread!
★★★★★
Joanne
This was perfect.I used 1 teaspoon of chilli powder and half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, everything else the same.Looking forward to baked potato with the left overs. Thank you, this recipe was easy and just as you described.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Joanne!
Joy
I loved the vegetarian chilli and so did the friends that I made it for. I was just wondering if it’s possible to freeze leftovers (when there are leftovers)?
★★★★★
Kate
Hi Joy! Yes, this is good to freeze.
Kaitlyn
This was delicious! We loved this recipe and will definitely be adding it into our dinner rotation. Do you have any advice of how to make it spicier? We thought that the flavor was delicious, but we love spicy chili in our house!
★★★★★
Kate
You could add some cayenne. Be careful, a little goes a long way!
Fiona O'Keeffe
This is one of my favourite vegetarian recipes. It hits all the right spots. I always use red kidney beans and they are fantastic in it, they give it a particularly authentic flavour I think. Wonderful! Thanks Kate.
From a drizzly and grey Ireland!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m excited this is a favorite! I appreciate your review.
David McDaniel
Sour cream and cheese on vegan chili? Really?
★★★
Kate
Hi David, you don’t have to add it if you prefer. This is a vegetarian, not vegan recipe. Choose the toppings that work best for you!
Ashley
There is vegan sour cream and vegan cheese! :)
Donna Parno
Vegetable chili doesn’t mean you’re vegan! I don’t eat a lot of meat so this is a great recipe for any pallet!
Matilde
This recipe is really delicious and super easy to follow. I meal prep quite often and this recipe really came in handy since it’s easy to portion and freeze. Great go-to recipe if you want to make a meal in advance for yourself or a larger group. Thank you for your work, Kate!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Matilde!
Monica
Hi Kate,
Are you able to do this in a slow cooker ?
Thanks
Monica from Vancouver, BC
Kate
Hi! I prefer this as written. However, I know others who have made it in a slow cooker and didn’t mind the results.
Robyn
Hi,
I’m going to make this recipe (it sounds delicious) and printed out the X2 recipe which reads – 2 Large can (56 ounce) or 2 small cans (30 ounce each) diced tomatoes. Shouldn’t it be 1 large can (56 ounces) or 4 small cans (15 ounces each) of diced tomatoes. OR…. approximately 60 ounces of diced tomatoes in their juice?
Kate
Hi Robyn, you will want to just double the quanitites. 4 cans of beans and 2 28 ounce cans of diced tomatoes. Does that make sense?
Jessica
The perfect pot-luck dish— everyone can eat it! Serving a broad variety of toppings makes it fun for people too.
And
It’s delicious!
★★★★★
Kate
I agree! Great to for group gatherings. I appreciate your review, Jessica.
Elena
I made this chili to take to a vegetarian family. Tasted it and it was wonderful. Going to add it to my rotation during the winter months. Clearly a winner! Going to try the lentil soup recipe that you posted on the blog next. Thank you so much for such a tasty recipe!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Elena!
Janice
Hi, I am cooking for a party so I scaled the recipe by 3. Don’t know if I am being dense but the weight of tomatoes seems wrong. 3 large cans (84ounces) or 2 small cans (45 ounces) each ??? Could you please clarify as I am looking forward to cooking this recipe as it sounds lovely and has great reviews!
Thanks so much. Looking forward to trying out many of your recipes.
Janice
Kate
Hi Janice! You will want to increase everything by 3. So, 3 large cans of tomatoes at 28 ounces each. Does that make sense?
Maria
Made it last night. I added 1 up rinsed and.picked lentils with the.onions and peppers.
My husband asked what did I do differently . He thought this was the best vegetarian chili I ever made. I told him it was a new recipe. .are it again
I also added a few shakes of liquid smoke to the onions, peppers and lentis.
★★★★★
Terry
Outstanding recipe! Even the meat eaters licked their bowls clean. Thank you!
★★★★★
Ellie O'Toole
Beware. This recipe has a typo, I think. The amount of chili powder (1 tablespoon) is excessive considering there are also fire-roasted tomatoes in the recipe and only 1 cup of stock. I used 1/2 teaspoon chili powder but in combination with the fire-roasted roasted tomatoes the chili was still “hot”. Disappointed.
★★
Kate
Hi Ellie, see the note for outside the US. Other chili powders can have more spice..
Angela
This is one of my favorites! I make all my own soups and chili and keep them in the freezer. This one freezes wonderfully! Also I am not a vegetarian but eat a lot of vegetarian recipes for health reasons and also I do Weight Watchers. This recipe is very low on WW points but so full of flavor. I made this again today but used fire roasted diced tomatoes which added even more flavor. I also just discovers Cotija cheese recently and tried a couple of tablespoons for a topping along with tortilla strips. OMG!!! Cotija is perfect on this chili!!!!
★★★★★
Paula
We are carnivorous but trying to add some meatless options to our rotation. I don’t like carrots (I know, it’s crazy) and my significant other doesn’t like celery. If you can’t tell it has the celery, I’d love to put it in. Is the celery taste strong? Any suggestions for no carrots, no celery? I really want to try this! It sounds delicious (minus the carrots, lol)!
Kate
Hi Paula, I don’t think it has a distinctive taste, just adds to flavor. If that makes sense?
cindy
I made this for a friend on moving day to feed her crew. They raved about it! I also gave it to my son, who usually avoids veg. Shockingly, he loved it too! He asked if I could add meat next time :)
I threw in sweet potato, but otherwise stuck to the recipe. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Cindy!
Mary Rowlands
This chilli recipe is delicious…my go to
any& everytime!
Delightful any season…especially in winter!
★★★★★
Kate
I love to hear that, Mary! Thank you for your review.
Janis
First time making it today, and it won’t be the last. It’s delicious and the spices are right!
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Janis!
Anna
Thank you so much for this recipe. It’s the most delicious vegetarian meal I’ve made recently. Used baked beans as I didn’t have the pinto beans. Got to the end of step 3 and it was lunch time. Decided to eat the chili and not blend it as we were hungry. It was so yummy! Ate it with freshly baked sourdough and a bit of melted cheese on top.
★★★★★
Kate
That sounds delicious, Anna!
Laura
I am going to try this recipe, however I don’t care for cilantro. Should I just remove it from the recipe or replace it with another spice?
Kate
You can omit it if you prefer, Laura.
Lisa Bojazi
I made the vegetarian chili , it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
★★★★★
Lucy
I have tried A LOT of chili recipes and I have to say, this one just might be my favourite! The flavour is so well-balanced and the ingredients come together so quickly and easily. I made this with a cornbread topping and it was amazingly delicious! Thank you, Kate! I’m looking forward to making this again :)
★★★★★
Claire Wilson
Hi there from bonnie Scotland!
I just wanted to let you know that I and my family absolutely love this recipe myself and my husband don’t eat meat but our son is most definitely a carnivore and he said he wouldn’t really have known it was vegetarian as its so tasty
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe that we can all enjoy
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Claire! I appreciate your review.
Mary
This was so good! We’re trying to eat less meat & didn’t miss it at all in this chili. Even my1-year-old finished a big bowl of it. The only changes I made were using a little less broth (we like it thicker) & mashing it up a bit with a potato masher instead of blending.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Mary!
Janice McNicol
★★★★★
Janice McNicol
Oops, I forgot to write comment! I made this recipe for a party of 50 and the feedback was amazing. Although I am not a vegetarian I have been adding vegetarian meals to my weekly meal plans and now probably eat veggie 4 times a week! I also made your lentil soup which was equally amazing. Looking forward to trying out more of your recipes and sharing them with my coaching clients! Thanks. Janice
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad that you did, Janice! I appreciate your review.
Kayleigh Crawford
Wow! Made this recipe tonight & it is fantastic! Just the right amount of heat for me. I made cornbread and crumbled some on top too! Ugh, just DELICIOUS! Thank you for this one! Definitely going to be in the repertoire.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Kayleigh! I appreciate your review.
Gaby
I have been using a lot of your recipes for a few years now and I love the way you explain the recipes and all your little tricks to make it taste even better. Thank you
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Gaby!
Joni
This is my go-to. Although I have to admit I sometimes add a handful of tvp, even my carnivore relatives compliment by requesting seconds. Thanks for posting!
I love getting your newsletter❤️
Julie K
Thank you for this very tasty and satisfying recipe! Being the lazy cook that I am, I dumped all the beans and their liquid in and omitted the broth/water. I figured the bean liquid was a kind of vegetable broth. Saved having to wash a colander. Thanks, again.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Julie! I appreciate your review.
Bern
I have just finished it.. looks & tastes great. Did anyone else find it was a little loo liquidy?
I imagine for leftovers it will thicken slightly.
★★★★
Its me
I made this at 4;30 AM this morning for later today and the weekend. OMG, how delicious, I took a spoonful and will eat it later today.
Thank you
★★★★★
Bob
I’ve made this recipe several times, and have passed it around to friends. It’s delicious! I’ve added half of a turnip or rutabaga (1/4” diced) to mine. Can’t get enough!
★★★★
Michelle
Love this recipe and made a slight tweak. Put can of corn, chickpeas and only one can of black beans. Dinner is served!
Rachael
I love this recipe so much, and your whole website, thank you!!
:)
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Rachael! I appreciate your review.
Melody
The best chili recipe I have ever made. It’s hearty, full of vegetables, and delicious. I like the instruction to blend a bit of the chili, it really makes it resemble the chili we are all used to (if you were a carnivore prior). And the blending makes the flavors come together even more. Thank you for a great recipe.
Liz
Have you ever tried adding tempeh? I almost did but decided to try it as is first.
★★★★★
Kate
I haven’t tried it, sorry!
Scott
Love it!!! Thank you
★★★★★
Julie
This chili is absolutely delicious, I make it every couple of weeks, it’s easy to make and comes together quickly AND it is healthy. What else could you ask for?
★★★★★
Lynne Barrett
Made this Chilli today on a cool day it’s wonderful did to the recipe with the exception of 1 can black beans and the same of Northern beans serving with a side of rice tomorrow and I’m having some tonight with a side of buttery mash.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Lynne!
Carol R Salyers
Today was the third time I’ve made your recipe, and I can say it has become my favorite vegan/vegetarian chili! I used canned beans and mixed black, pinto, and cannelini beans. I also add half of a fresh jalapeno for more heat. Having made it once before, blending the 1.5 cups of chili and once NOT blending it, the recipe is waayyyyy better when you take the time to blend it. I add vegan sour cream, avocado, and fresh cilantro to mine. Great recipe!!!!
Tierry
Hello.for the diced tomatoes would you recommend no salt added or the Muir Glen with salt added?
Thank you
Love your cookbook!!
Kate
If that’s what you prefer. Adjust to your tastes.
Marcia
This chili is the bomb!! Great taste, texture and heat. Love your recipes.
★★★★★
Kate
Great to hear, Marcia! I appreciate your review.