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.
PrintHomemade Vegetarian Chili
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- 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!
Ashley
Made this last night…SO delicious! Great flavor. The only thing I changed was adding in some masa harina towards the end as a thickening agent. My husband devoured 2 bowls! Thanks for making our transition to vegetarian so easy with great recipes!!
Diana
This looks wonderful!! Do you know if this can be made in a crock pot??
Deanna
just made this, its simmering right now – taste test – delish!!! it has a very warm flavour, perfect for a fall day. And I will be taking it for lunches.
️Linda
Wonderful recipe thank you. I Didn’t have a capsicum, so I added a chipped zucchini. I’m going try growing some again. The fresh cilantro I have growing and the Lime which Iam garnishing with and thick Greek yogurt. Delisiousness
Brooke
Kate…let me start by sayin’ I’m the daughter of a cattle rancher in Texas. Meat was served 3 meals a day for 30 years. My mom is an excellent cook and we love good food. But I’ve been trying to eat a little cleaner these days and branch out to plant protein instead of my usual animal protein. And I am soooo impressed with this recipe! I actually prefer this to my usual beef chili. I made your black bean and sweet potato enchiladas too the other night and that was a great recipe as well! Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us. I will be tryin’ more of ‘em. God bless!
Kate
Wonderful, Brooke! Thank you for sharing.
Ellie
Excellent! Absolutely delicious!
Ro
This is my favourite ever chilli. Beautiful, delicious, tasty, amazing Making for 6th time right now
Kassandra C
The best chili ever! Was able to show my meat loving family how good vegetarian food can be, they loved it.
Heather
I don’t understand what I did wrong, but mine turned into vegetable and bean soup ♀️
I love soup so I can’t complain
Kate
Hi Heather! I’m not sure the issue as it does have a lot of vegetables and beans. :) Did you blend some? How much liquid did you put in?
Dolores
I absolutely love this recipe. The first time I made it, I gave some to my dad, who is a fabulous cook and a world-renowned food critic (!), and he loved it. I believe its the smoked paprika. What a great flavor! PS: Both times I added a half pound of 90% lean beef to the recipe for flavor and to appease the carnivores. It is delicious!
HeatherB
Delicious!!! I discovered this when looking for recipes with beans (hubby is diabetic and beans are great for controlling sugar). We absolutely loved it and now I make it at least once every two weeks. It’s such a lovely ‘go-to’ recipe to have on hand for lunches or in the freezer and (bonus) it’s diabetic friendly too. We live in Durban, South Africa where the chillies are HOTTER even than the weather, so the first time I made it I had to adjust the flavour. I’m now used to the heat and only tone it down when sharing with others. Thanks, Kate :)
Lori
This was so delicious! When my husband loved it, I knew it was a winner. Thanks for a great recipe!
Kate
You’re welcome, Lori!
Terri
Tonight, i had family here that was evacuated from fires, family that had power turned off. Some were keto diet, some vegetarians and some not. I literally tripled this recipe and everyone loved it, going back for thirds. We gathered for a wonderful meal and were grateful
Stephen Snider
Wow this was good! I wanted to make it thicker and I didn’t have a blender so I also bought a can of lentils and mashed them up using a potato masher. Thickened perfectly.
Peter
I’d never heard of you or this website before today, I was looking for a vegetarian chili recipe to try and found this one. And my god. It’s blowing my mind how good this chili is. Seriously. The flavors. How is this possible.
Kate
Welcome, Peter! I’m happy you came across this recipe. It’s a great one to start from.
Shirley
Can this be made in a Instant Pot?
Kate
I believe readers have and liked it. Although, I haven’t tried it.
Linda Monroe
This was fantastic! I made it for my book club. I did make a few adjustments. I added 2 serrano peppers, a habanero pepper, 2 roasted sweet potatoes (cut into small chunks), and a little ancho chili pepper. I also used 2 cans of chili beans and a can of black beans (instead of the beans used here). I used red wine vinegar at the end. I forgot to add the bay leaf but I will next time!
MeNotYou
Sounds like you made a different recipe then. You changed the flavor profile completely.
Everyone needs to stop making all these adjustments and then posting self serving comments about their own creations.
Make it as is, then comment.
Daria Rose
I think everyone should show their creativity, trying to staunch that is very rude @MENOTYOU
Suzanne Gombar
I so very glad people are able to adjust the recipes to their taste. I read through them to get ideas. I agree with Daria Rose, very rude @MENOTYOU
Mike
Finally a sensible comment! 100% agree! Only post comments if you’ve followed the recipe rather than saying “excellent recipe and then list more than 50% of changes”. Folks want feedback on the ORIGINAL recipe…not your version. Daria and Suzanne need to start your own recipe blog and go crazy being advise creative as you want….not rude at all.
Mike
Finally a sensible comment! 100% agree! Only post comments ignore you’ve followed the recipe rather than saying “excellent recipe and then list more than 50% of changes”. Folks want feedback on the ORIGINAL recipe… it your version.
Shirley
About to serve the chili. I didn’t have any ce!ery so I added corn, a dash of Worcestershire, a little pinch of Chipotle powder, and red wine vinegar. Serving with nacho chips, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced avocado, and homemade mango sa!sa.
Sarah Wiech
Dear Kate,
I am a huge fan of your recipes. This is simmering on the hob!! I’ve had a little taste and it is delicious. I have also made your hummus, guacamole, sweet potato and black bean enchiladas and many others. We, too, are trying to cut down on meat and your recipes are certainly making it easier. Thank you so much.
Kate
Thank you, Sarah!
Mel
This is truly the best chili I’ve ever had, meat or no meat! I’m not much of a cook at all, and I thoroughly impressed my husband with dinner by following this recipe!
Louise Lewis
such a good recipe!! smells incredible!!
Ale.
Great recipe, although I didn’t see the chilli note until it was too late – I used half what the recipe states and it blew my head off! (So for anyone cooking in the UK beware if you’re a spice wuss like me)
Kate
Oh no! I’m happy you were still able to enjoy it, Ale.
Nic (UK)
Hi Ale and everyone,
Thoroughly rate this recipe but as Ale says if your in the UK be a bit cautious with the chilli powder. I can handle hot food and have done for many years and found that 2 tbsp was too much. Will be using 1 tbsp next time. Apart from that a very tasty chilli.
Thanks Kate
Gabby
I’m an exhausted grad student with a minuscule grocery budget. Since my housemate pointed out that my dinner the other night contained two different kinds of potatoes, I’ve been looking for a large batch of something warm and healthy and yummy. I just made this Chili — followed the directions exactly — and it is an absolute triumph! I love cooking but don’t have loads of time, and this came together quickly (how delicious it smelled as it simmered away on the job). This is the best meal I’ve had in a long time. Perfect for fall. Thank you so much. I’m freezing the rest in small batches to bring along with me to campus. x
Maureen
I made this tonight for a group chili night. I made it pretty much as is except for adding some soy based chorizo. It was really delicious! I came home with very little so I think everyone else enjoyed it too.
Elaine
The last two steps are so unexpected, and yet they completely make this dish. I had used a mini Cuisinart chopper to chop my veggies, so instead of dragging out the blender, I just put 1.5 cups of what looked like a veggie stew into the mini chopper and hit the Grind button. Then, I added it back into the pan and WHAM it looked like chili! I used Red Wine Vinegar to finish it, and I could not believe what a difference that made. In those two steps this went from a really underwhelming, kind of stew thing into a seriously good chili; and I am not a vegetarian. Now, I am not a Texan either, so I do like beans in my chili, but I didn’t expect to like a chili this much that has beans and no meat.
Mag
This recipe is perfect! Thank you so much for sharing! The only thing I changed was using fresh tomatoes instead of caned. My husband who eats a lot of meat loved it, but he also asked if I can make meat version of this recipe. Is there a way of turning this recipe into meat chili somehow without messing it up? I’m scared to experiment.
Kacey
This recipe blew me away! And quite a few other people. I made it for my wife’s chili cook-off and it won 1st place beating out NINE meat chilis. Insane! I added a few jalapeños and ground Beyond meat to give it just enough of an edge! Thank you so much!
Dawn Heckert
Every Halloween we host a hotdog and chili dinner in our yard for all the trick or treaters. We have a large Indian population, who always asks if there is a vegetarian option. Last year, I made your vegetarian chili and they were so happy! This year, they came back because they were thinking about it for a year! So delicious!! I make my husband regular chili and this one just for me to enjoy.
Aaron
There’s some nice touches here, like blending a little first, and the drop of sherry vinegar but two tablespoons of chili powder is insane, and I love spicy. I’m not sure what you mean by saying that you “hear that chili powder purchased outside of the U.S. can be very hot.” All chili power is just ground chili peppers; variation is only based on what kind of chili pepper you might use. There’s not one type for other countries, and one type for America.
Kate
Hi Aaron, thank you for your comment. You can adjust the chili powder to your liking. It’s matter of the input. Some chilis can be more potent/stronger based on region grown, as to why the powder can be spicer other places. The process of making the powder could play a role.
Susan Keough
I kindly disagree Aaron. When I lived in the UK, I had to use chili powder much more sparingly due to its potency. When I made North American recipes I had to cut back on amounts. Likewise when I moved back to Canada, when using UK recipes, I have to increase the amount of chili powder. Everyone has a personal preference on spice level as well. For newer cooks it’s definitely wise to advise that certain spices may need to be adjusted to your tolerance level! Can’t wait to try this recipe today for a potluck.
Laura
Kate,
I made this tonight for dinner. AMAZING! After making the chili as written, I split it in half and added browned hot Italian sausage for the meatlovers in the family and added chopped zucchini to the original. So good. So pretty.
This is the first recipe of yours that I have made, and, certainly, not the last. I already have a few more picked out for next week.
Thank you for the deliciousness.
Brianna Thompson
Hi what if I don’t own a blinder!?
Kate
You can skip that step, although I highly recommend it!
R
Another amazing staple you bring to my kitchen! I don’t miss the ground beef in the traditional recipe at all, this is delicious! The blending of this is everything too – I used my immersion blender. I’ve also just bought your cookbook, and I can’t wait to get back into the kitchen. Thank you Cookie, and Kate!
Meagan
I modified and used a Guinness instead of vegetable broth/water for more a football game tailgate flavor =)
Susan
I made this yesterday and it was delicious. I made the overnight oats as well and then I ordered your book.
Jenn
This is amazing! Love this recipe and have made it often. One small typo for x2 recipe:
– 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices
– when you click to double the recipe it says 2 large cans (56 ounces) or 2 small cans (should be 4!)
Jessie Welton
Great chili! Replaced the celery with a green pepper.
Kate
Thanks for your review, Jessie!
Randy Berntsen
I made this its getting cold here in eastern Oregon. Served it with corn bread to 2 adults and two 10-12 year olds boys bottomless stomachs. It was all gone. Glad I had ice cream for desert. Great recipe spiced it up a bit. That’s how we roll.
My best
Randy B
Kate
That’s amazing, Randy! Thank you for your review.
Laura
When I was making this I thought it looked a little average, but then got to the blending stage and oh my goodness- it was fantastic. I had it with nachos and it was better than a meat one. As another commenter suggested I added some masa flour to thicken it up. Solid recipe, will definitely make again
Susan
I made this recipe a few weeks ago for a casual get together at our home and I followed the recipe pretty closely.
My daughter and her boyfriend are vegetarian and I sometimes struggle with what to prepare when they are joining us for a meal. This Chili was wonderful and even the non-vegetarians liked it.
Kelsi
THE BEST VEGGIE CHILI. I made this for me and my 7 year old (I did half the spicy stuff like you recommended and then doused her bowl in sour cream ). So happy I know about you and your recipes!
Kate
I’m happy you found the blog too and that you both loved this one!
Grace Steven
i found your site about a year ago and no word of a lie this dish has been in our fridge every week (sometimes twice a week) ever since! It is a staple in our home and our kids have it with brown rice, on toasted pita bread, nachos, tacos & veggie bowls just to name a few! Thank you for formulating such superb recipes that are so tasty! 10/10!!
Kate
I love to hear that, Grace! Thanks for sharing.
Dee W.
I made this chili yesterday for a school event and it came out really well. I’ve never been much of a chili enthusiast; but, now I love it!
The only chili I had made in the past was from a pre-mixed packet of spices. This recipe was liberating bc it taught me what really goes into the complex flavor of a good chili. I also pureed a small amount as recommended. So glad I did.
Note: about the smoked paprika— I bought it, opened it and it smelled so much like hot dogs I OPTED FOR REGULAR PAPRIKA. Chili seemed strong enough I didn’t want to add that extra element. But I could see how some people might like that.
I also used a little less chili powder, just scant tablespoonfuls, and it was plenty.
It came out really well!!!
Another little note is that the prep time was much longer than the estimated time on the recipe. Took almost an hour and a half to get everything in the pot: washed, chopped, sautéed, spices measured, cans opened and beans rinsed etc. I did double the recipe though!
Thank you Cookie and Kate!!!
Libby
I made this chili and it was so good!! It was hearty, healthy and delicious! I made it exactly as the recipe except I only used a sprinkle of smoked paprika. My 9 yr old and 6 yr old also loved it and that’s saying a lot!
Thank you for this recipe. Will definitely make it again!
Ashley
Just made this recipe, and all I can say is YUM! This chili turned out perfect! I omitted the cilantro because they were out of it at my grocery store, but otherwise I followed the recipe exactly as written. The flavor and texture were great, and I love that it’s made with easy-to-find ingredients. This will be my new go-to basic chili recipe for sure!
Sarah Tutko
Just made the chili. It’s really good. I followed it pretty much just adjusted the spices to my tasting. I will definitely made it again.
Justeen
I just made this for dinner and it was DELISH! We like a little spice so added a touch of cayenne and freshly ground black pepper. Blending a portion at the end was KEY and made it so much thicker. YUM!
Jennifer
My daughter has given up meat so I’ve had to change the way I cook. It was difficult for me to imagine vegan chili to be good but hot damn this is really, really tasty!
I 98% followed the recipe to the letter. The only differences were that I needed to use up a can of kidney beans so that replaced the pinto beans, and I used a yellow onion because that’s what I had. Everything else was exactly as written.
I love the smokiness of this chili! It’s so satisfying that I couldn’t wait to have some more for breakfast. As satisfying as it is, is not heavy and has a fresh taste, probably because it doesn’t cook for hours. The beans and vegetables retained their shape and chew.
Will definitely make this chili again!
Kate
I’m happy you loved it and so did your family, Jennifer! I appreciate the review.
Michelle
Made this chili 2 weeks in a row, it’s SO delicious! Every bite I took, I kept saying out loud how amazing it was! LOL The first time, I made it as written but had to skip the celery as I didn’t have any. The second time, I changed the beans and used what I had. Both were amazing. The spice mixture is spot on. Oh yeah, I did add tofu as I LOVE tofu in chili. It’s my new go to recipe. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
Carlos Rodriguez
I can’t believe I was able to cook this. It’s so yummy! My fav recipe now.
Kate
Happy to hear that, Carlos!
Carlos Rodriguez
Aw thank you for replying. I’m re-connecting with cooking again after severe depression, so thank you!
Jolinda
Thank you ! Delish. And so on point: even better day 2 !! I didn’t have pintos, fresh cilantro or red pepper and still came out fab ( I’m not a spicy girl so I used 1 tbs chili powder and it was still plennnnty warm! Added tortilla strips on top. Yum Chili crush :)
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Jolinda.
Rebecca Lindsay
Made this in the UK for my children who DO NOT EAT VEG… I blended the whole thing so it was like a sauce, mixed woth rice… They loved it. Thanks so much x
Marie
Enjoyed by the whole family! Thanks for the great recipe!
Risa
Wonderful ..!!!!!!!
I make this tonight and it is so delicious… i will try your other recipes as well. keep posting, i have my own favorite chili recipe.
Megan
I LOVE this recipe and have made it so many times! I have made it in the crockpot by sauteeing the vegetables as the recipes states and then putting everything in the crockpot on low for 6-8 hours. It was amazing! Can you suggest how long I might pressure cook it to make it in the Instantpot?
Kate
I wouldn’t know without trying it, sorry! I believe others have tried it and have made notes in the comments. I would suggestion searching the comments to see what others suggest.
Sara
Thank you so much for this recipe! I was skeptical that it would be too plain….but not at all! I won the chili cook-off at work with this recipe…in Montana! I made no changes or substitutions. I used lime juice instead of sherry. Thanks again!! This is now my go-to chili!
Kate
I’m happy you loved it and it won the chili cook-off! I appreciate your review.
Gwen
Made this yesterday and was sooo delicious! Added a Tbsp or two of maple syrup. Also made in a Dutch oven and topped with this cornbread recipe and made a casserole out of it (subbed the oil for applesauce). https://www.food.com/recipe/vegan-cornbread-115929
Monica
Followed the recipe except used kidney beans instead of pinto. Added a can of corn and an extra pepper. Delicious!!!!!
Hayley
Best chilli I have ever made. Doubled the quantities so I could freeze some but other than that made exactly to the recipe. Thank you.
Amanda
This is my new favorite chili recipe!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Amanda!
Karen Burke
Can this be made ahead and frozen? It looks wonderful.
Kate
Yes! This soup freezes well.
Alex
Amazing recipe. This is the first time I’ve used celery in my chilli recipe and also the first time I’ve attempted blending part of the end result. I used a mixture of different beans and cooked three times as much so I can batch freeze for a later day. I only used half the amount of chilli and it still had a reasonable kick to it. Would highly recommend
Don
I just went back through the older comments to see how long I’ve been making this chili. Turns out it’s been 6 months. During that time. I’ve made this once a week, usually a double batch. We haven’t gotten tired of it at all – amazing combination of delicious and wholesome.
I’ve made 2 changes to goose the heat just a little. I generally add two chopped Serano chilies and either cook them with the peppers, carrots, celery and onions or with the garlic.
Kate references chili powder being much hotter outside of the US. McCormick now has regular chili powder and Mexican chili powder in their standard supermarket display rack. The Mexician chili is much hotter. I’ve been replacing 25% of the regular chili powder with the hot stuff.
Great either way. I highly recommend this recipe! Thanks again to Kate.
Kate
Thanks for your comment, Don!
Gary Hook
Really enjoyed the feast that ensued from this excellent recipe. I couldn’t agree more with your comment about adding sherry vinegar. Did a taste test before and after and it made all the difference.
I had to add another Tbsp of chili and some more garlic as I wanted more kick.
I wanted to use my slow cooker to keep it warm and serve it, so I dumped all the beans and ‘stuff’ in there, put it on high, while I sautéed the veggies. I transferred the veggies into the slow cooker with the beans and ‘stuff’. Kept it on high for about an hour then turned it down to low until serving. Took your suggestion and used my Bamix to zap it a few times along with a bit of flour to thicken it (slow cooker effect maybe) and it was loved by all.
Thank you
Kate
I’m glad you could taste the difference and liked it! I appreciate your review, Gary.
E
Does this freeze well?
Kate
Yes! This one freezes well.
Joanna
I return to this recipe every fall and remark over and over how insanely tasty it is. OMG so good.
Kate
Thank you, Joanna!
Corey
Actually the best chili I have ever had. Brought it to a work potluck – huge hit. I added veggie ground round to trick the carnivores in the crowd to much success. Thanks for this amazing recipe!
Kate
That’s great! Thanks for sharing, Corey.
Louis
Ive made this recipe so many times! I personally like to use a whole stalk of celery (in a double batch) and I simmer it for 2-3 hours to thicken it up and let the flavors blend. I love it the first Day, but its even better after its sat.
I especially love this recipe in Autumn and Winter.
Ed
Although I enjoyed the taste, I found the carrots a bit mushy (perhaps I cooked them too long in attempting to thicken). Also it was NOT chili. It is more of a bean soup. I definitely like the blending; it helps a lot with the consistency. I am giving it 3 stars only because it is not my version of chili. Spices are very good. Too bad for me as I really enjoyed your Lentil soup recipe.
Kate
Thank you for your feedback, Ed. I’m sorry you didn’t love this one.
Alice
Love this. Even my meat loving husband loves it. Trying it tonight with the smoked paprika for the first time, (had to use up my regular paprika first). Thank you for all your yummy recipes!
Joshua
I made this recipe recently and really enjoyed it very much. I used dried beans rather than canned beans (black, pinto and kidney) and cooked them in vegetable broth for added flavor. The dish was incredibly satisfying and super flavorful. Using cilantro, avocado and lime as garnish sent it over the top. Adding this one to the regular rotation. Thanks again, Kate, for a fantastic culinary experience.
Sara
Can this recipe be simmered for longer to thicken rather than blending a portion?
Kate
Blending is really what will help the texture of this and meld the flavors.
Janell
Tried your recipe tonight and it was absolutely delicious!! We didn’t miss the meat. In fact, the beans and tomatoes made the chili very hearty. Oh the aroma permeated my kitchen and living room… I used one can of dark kidney beans, pinto beans and black beans. Also, I added more cumin because I really like the flavor. I also used lime juice since I have a tree, but next time I’ll try the Sherry Vinegar to explore a different flavor. Otherwise, this recipe is a keeper.
alison
This is great as-is! I followed the recipe exactly (before pureeing some of it), but then realized that I needed more chili- I added a can of white beans, a can of rotel, about a cup more veggie broth, and a squash and a zucchini. I then used a blender to puree a can of pinto beans with some water and added that. All of these extra steps helped make enough chili to serve at our school chili supper! Thanks for a great recipe!
Laura
This was fabulous!!!
Diane
I love this recipe! It is my go to basic vegetarian chili and so easy to adapt to many different tastes. My family likes spicy food so sometimes I up it with a can of chili tomatoes or a can of chili ready pinto beans. For a different flavor or consistency I will add kidney beans, garbanzo beans, or a tribean mix. I also can adapt it to my non vegetarian friends with chicken or beef broth. I like to add some better than bouillon vegetable base as well.
Beth
Thank you so much for your recipe! I made a few alterations as it was an end of week, use up the last of my food meal. And I popped it int he slow coploker on low for 3 hours to finish it off. Substituted carrots with sweet potato and used cumin seeds instead of powder. Tasted devine, adore the idea to bled some and stir it back in, will definitely be making this more often!
Luisa
We don’t like celery in my home–if used will we be able to tell in the final product? Will celery’s taste and texture be recognizable? If we skip it, is there another veggie we should replace it with?
Kate
Hi Luisa, celery provides great flavor. However, if you don’t like it you won’t notice it. You can add more carrots, if you like!
Celine scurry
This is the best chilli!!!!!
Loved by everyone, young & old
Kate
I’m glad you loved it! Thanks for your review, Celine.
Nicole
I’m cooking this for the 2nd time right now and I just had to say this is one of the best things I have ever made!
Patricia Nicoll
Thanks for the recipe! I placed second in a nontraditional chili contest, but I almost won (I think some of the voters couldn’t handle the heat – true chili lovers LOVED it!). I guess if I enter again I may have to cut back a little more on the spice (I used 3/4 of what was recommended). Also I used some fire-roasted tomatoes which added some nice flavor, as well as a reconstituted dried chipotle pepper. If you are pescatarian, adding a little bit of fish sauce really deepens the flavor as well. I LOVE THIS RECIPE!
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Patricia!
Tammy
This was definitely THE best chilli I’ve ever tasted (and my husband – a meat-eater) was bowled over by it! It is rich and tasty whilst being so healthy. I loved the suggestion of blitzing some of the chilli and stirring it back in. Thank you so much- I’ve been looking for a really flavourful vegetarian chilli for a long long time!
Melanie
This was really good!
Martyn Chesters
Fantastic recipe. Used fresh chilli seared in oil before adding veggies. Works ok
Steve Ameling
By far my favorite chili in the universe. The flavors, texture, everything about this is incredible. I enjoy it pretty often. Thank you from a fellow Kansas Citian. :)
La Vita Casper
Kate,
I just made your homemade vegetarian chili and it was absolutely AMAZING! I truly believe the smoked paprika adds so much flavor. My husband is a meat eater and he couldn’t believe how good the chili tasted. This will definitely be my go to.
Thank you,
La Vita
Nancy
Hi we have made this recipe over and over again it is our go to Chilli recipe. The Chilli powder content caught us out the first time as I think Chilli powder in the US is not the same as in the UK. We have adjusted the content to meet our required hotness and have recommended it to numerous of our friends and family. I even recommended it to a chap I met in the supermarket the other day
This weekend we are having a party with 17 guests and this is what we will be having – so thank you for this great recipe simple but impressive every time… cheers Nancy (happy vegan)…
Betsy Coss
my knees hurt and someone (Emilie) suggested a anti inflammatory diet. I thought, “this is gonna be awful food!” but, upon reading your recipes—-they sound wonderful! Not just “you should eat this kind of food”, but actual recipes that do not look too hard. I will make a list for the grocery! thank you. Betsy Coss
Allie
Yours has been my go-to blog for the last few months. I made your pear and cranberry crisp for my birthday a few days ago instead of having a birthday cake! Everything I’ve made of yours has been great!
This recipe is super versatile. I wanted to use only the veggies I had from my ugly vegetables box and not buy anything new, so I used zucchini instead of bell pepper, radishes instead of carrots, garbanzo beans instead of black beans, and one can of tomato sauce in place of one of the cans of chopped tomatoes, and it turned out great! It’s maybe a little on the spicy side for me, which no one else has mentioned so maybe I made a mistake cuz I’m pretty comfortable with spice. But it was delicious, thank you
Kate
I love to hear that! Thanks for sharing how you used what you had on hand, Allie.
Ashley Paige
Question: Kate, with your love of quinoa and this delicious chili, have you ever considered adding quinoa to this recipe? I’ve made quinoa chili before.. but I’m not an expert in the kitchen enough to know how to cook it in or when to add it in. Thanks to your other recipes, I’m a quinoa fiend and simply can’t get enough! Especially in these delicious soups! Any suggestions??
Kate
Hi Ashely! I like this one as is. But, if you add quinoa, you would want to increase the liquid if cooking in the chili. Or, you could the quinoa separately and add in. You would want to adjust the liquid to your taste.
Becca
Trying to cut down on our beef intake, but hubby has been requesting chili since the weathers gotten cooler. Love this chili. I think I like it better than my ground beef one. Makes plenty. We ate 1/2 and froze 1/2.
Phil Hjemboe
This is so good! I made a couple changes to fit what I had on hand. I only had one small can of diced tomatoes, so I used a couple tbsp of tomato paste instead of a second can. I didn’t take a portion of the chilli and blend it to thicken the pot – it was plenty thick enough. Otherwise, I followed your directions, and will definitely make this again. Yum!
Josie
Everybody loved it! Even my meat-eater boyfriend. It’s so comforting in the winter time and great for lunch boxes. We put some sour cream and corn chips on top. I’m making a double batch next time!
Jenn
Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Best chili ever! I forgot the vinegar. I’m DF but soooo wanted to add sour cream. I added a teaspoon of vegan mayo. A definite bookmark recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Jenn
Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! Best chili ever! I forgot the vinegar. I’m DF but soooo wanted to add sour cream. I added a teaspoon of vegan mayo. It was of the charts delicious. A definite bookmark recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Kate
I’m glad you think so, Jenn! Thanks for sharing.
Sharieff
The best no meat chili recipe in the world. I also used smoked chili powder.
Amazing flavor. My husband didn’t even notice there was no meat and he said it was delicious. He also almost devoured the whole pot. I’m like, where’s your portion control??Lol..
DanB
I just used this recipe to make some dried vegetarian chili as a gift for a friend of mine – I hope she loves it, sure smells wonderful. I’ll let you know how it goes!!! :-)
Crickett
Made a rendition of this soup last night. I forgot to add the bell pepper. I did add white sweet potatoes and I tell you it was delicious! Thank you for this awesome recipe. I brought it to work for lunch and am trying very hard not to eat it for breakfast!
HennyPenny
OMG! This recipe is AMAZING! I followed it EXACT and it came out very tasty and surprisingly filling. My teenage son and I enjoyed this chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado. Thank You! I will definitely be trying more of your recipes.
Pam OBrien
Can you adapt this recipe to a crock pot to save some room on the stove? How would you do that? Thanks
Kate
Hi Pam, sorry I haven’t done it in the crock pot. You still want to saute the vegetables to get all the flavor, so I’m not sure how much time this will save you.
Kasey Safa
The nutrition info says it serves 6 but how much is a serving? 1 cup?
Kate
Hi Kasey! Roughly 1.5 cups. I hope this helps!
Karen O'Meara
This looks amazing but I can’t eat tomatoes…I was told to substitute mangoes. What do you think? Any other suggestions for substiutions for tomatoes. Thanks!
Kate
I’m not sure. Mangos sound very interesting. I would just increase your other vegetable to try adding sweet potato here.
chris
I have made this about ten times and everyone loves it. It turns out really well