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!
Cass
Hello Kate,
This recipe sounds wonderful! I’d like to make it, but I have one question about chili powder : is it the mix of spices or the ground chili pepper?
Thank you
Kate
Hi Cass! It’s the mix of ground spices (with chili pepper being the predominant spice).
Jackie Thompson
Stage 1 of convincing my family that vegetables can taste amazing. Lovey chilli recipe. Easy to do. Filling and very tasty. I will be trying out more of your recipes. Thanks:0)
Marc
I make this all the time. Adding sweetcorn makes it amazing too 10/10
Gail
That’s a great idea!
Smaranda Alecu
Great recipe! I just made this with dried beans so I had to boil them first. Turned out amazingly satisfying
Sending all the love!
Keep doing what you do! You are an inspiration to all of us!
Callum
Great recipe! I added a tin of jackfruit as well. Will be making again.
Deni K
The chilli was fantastic! Just what the doctored ordered for our rainy and cold British weather.
I served it with everything you suggested: nachos, cheese, sour cream, coriander, lime.
Will be making it again, thank you!
Amy
I made this in the instant pot. It was delicious but too liquid so I added 1.5 cups of TVP and it was perfect!
Jondell
How long did you cook in the IP?
Amy
I think 15 minutes but honestly 8 would be enough because that’s what I do for spaghetti. Like I said, to be sure I added extra water but I didn’t need it. Thanks to TVP for soaking up the extra liquid!
Jondell
Awesome! Thanks!
Rachel
Absolutely love this chili recipe!!! It is SO easy and DELICIOUS!! My husband… is not really a vegetarian… and this is his favorite!! I leave out the cocoa… simply because i didn’t have it… and it’s still so yummy. (I love every recipe I’ve made of Kate’s… and Cookie! lol) Thank you for posting delicious and simple meals for our busy family!
Brenda Gutierrez
Hey there! I’m getting ready to make this. The “cocoa” intrigues me but I didn’t see it in her recipe? How much would I use?
Ana
she misspelled it
Gail
Is cocoa powder in this recipe?
Kate
It is not :)
Mike
This chili was amazing. My first time making vegetarian chili and it came out great. I have never had chili before without meat but this was amazing. 5 stars!
Sam
I was on a search to make a vegetarian chilli and I came across this recipe. The pics definitely made the chilli look sooo tasty. So I had to try this recipe.
I made the vegetarian chilli but with a few tweaks. Firstly I only had 1 can of black beans, the recipe states 2 cans. So, I used a can of kidney beans. Secondly I couldn’t find pinto beans so instead I used a can of chickpeas.
I followed the recipe with less red chilli powder. When I added the tomatoes and vegetable broth (I used Knorr Vegetable stock cube). It felt like there was too much liquid in the pot but once it started to simmer it reduced. I then blended 1½ cup of the chilli and added it back to the remaining chilli. I didn’t add any more salt but one thing I did add was a bit of fresh lemon instead of the red wine vinegar/Lime juice.
I made boiled rice to go with it. My partner and I really enjoyed it. It was full of flavour, texture and most definitely tasty.
I would like to say thankyou Kate, for such an amazing recipe. I definitely recommend this recipe to anyone who is willing to try making a vegetarian chilli. It’s perfect.
Marla Luster
This chili was good. It has a traditional chili flavor. It’s very flavorful. I thought about skipping blending some of the chili, but it was not that hard with only one pot to clean for the cleanup.
Cass
Hello Kate
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Is it spice mix chili powder or the one from grounded hot chili peppers ?
Kate
Hi Cass, it’s chili powder spice blend. I’ve heard that chili powders sold outside of the U.S. can be extra strong, so you may want to scale back initially and add more to taste.
Julie
Great recipe. Used Hunt’s diced fire roasted tomatoes w/garlic instead of regular. Followed it to the t otherwise and it was fine.
Janet F.
Only my second time making veggie chili, cooked beef chili for 30+ years. I used what I had in, white and red kidney beans and some wrinkly peppers. First time putting in celery, carrot and paprika. YUM! ate it with shredded cheddar and toast. I’ll make this a again, lots of layered tastes.
Jess
Will never go back to a meat chilli ever again. Used less chilli powder than the recipe says but as stated above I think it’s true that chilli powder is a bit spicier outside the U.S. Thank you for another amazing recipe Kate!
Louise
We are consciously adding more vegetarian meals to our diet and so I made this chilli last night – wow, it is SO tasty!! The final blend really makes the texture work! An absolute go to recipe from now on, thank you!
Inge Leysen
Thanks for another great recipe! My children protested at all the veggies going into the pot and then refused to eat it. Upon being forced to at least try, the pot promtply emptied and the extra I’d made for freezing mysterioulsy disappeared before I had a chance freeze it. I can’t think of a bigger compliment!
An extra thank you for the tip about the non-US chili. It saved my pot of chili from becoming inedible.
john williams
Excellent! My new favorite chili recipe. Garnished with some sharp cheddar, cilantro, avocado, and pickled jalapeños. This will definitely get made again and soon!
Alycia Joy
This chili is absolutely amazing! I’m vegetarian but my boyfriend eats meat – I add in the yves, beyond meat, or litelife “ground beef“- and he absolutely loves it! His mom has been making chilli for years and he admitted that this is by far the best- even without any animal products! I add a little cayenne pepper because we both like spice, but the recipe as is is unbelievable! Thank you for sharing this!
Betty
Hey, just wondering, how much beyond meet beef do you use?
Linda Heflin
This is such an incredible chili!! So very good for people that are watching cholesterol and fat. I always use fresh cherry tomatoes in my recipes for soup and chili and this was superb!
Thank you!
Linda Heflin
Crystal
The blending at the end really seals the deal on this recipe; I find myself returning to it consistently. I find it stores well in the freezer for up to a month. Hearty, healthy, and delicious!
Sarah
I made this last night and thought it was great! My husband and son went back for seconds, so I think they approved as well. The only thing I didn’t do was mash/blend part of the chili in step 4. I felt it had reduced enough while simmering that it was plenty think. Just personal preference and a bit of laziness on my part.
Hansa
Best Chili ever. This is my all time Winter meal now onwards.
Patty
Dear Kate or anyone reading this review.
My husband found Kate’s recipe online. We made it on Thursday; however we served it up for dinner on Friday. It was a BIG hit!!! By waiting until the the next day to eat the chili, the spices had more time to blend which made the chili so incredible. Everyone raved about the taste, flavor, and texture of the chili. I like this better than a chili with meat. Blending that cup and a half of the chili and stirring it back into the pot of chili is a must do; it really improves the texture. Again, my family loved it, and they want me to make it again!!! Thank you.
Naya
Just made this. So amazing!!! The blending step made all the difference! Thank you for this.
Helen
Delicious! Tasty, colourful, satisfying – all the good things. Love your site, so inspirational – Thank you
Wendy Easter
Hi Kate
Great recipe! I made slight adjustments as I was using what I had in the cupboard, so I used red kidney beans and chicken peas. My chilli powder was low so I substituted chilli flakes, phew but the men loved it. I served it with rice to calm it down and grated mature cheddar. Will definitely make it again and again. Thank you
Rhonda
Just made your recipe. This is absolutely the best chili my husband and I have ever tasted!! I’ve been wanting to try a vegetarian chili, since my husband and I are eating more vegetarian these days, and am so glad I tried yours!! I did not do the last step, since I felt the chili was thick enough from simmering. Thank you so much for sharing this fantastic chili recipe!!
Jackie
Ive made this chili several times now. It is absolutely PERFECT. Do not skip any step, especially the blending and adding vinegar steps. That is what brings this chili over the top. It only gets better as the days go on. I have a special smoked paprika seasoning from Spain, it is the only little special thing I add. Just wow.
Todd Gautreau
Hello, I plan to try my hand at making the vegetarian chili recipe available from your site, but had to ask two things, one being do I leave the bay leaf in? (I understood it was always removed), and two is what makes the sodium level so high? Thank you for your time
Kate
Hi Todd! Thanks so much for pointing out that I didn’t provide instructions on the bay leaf. I’ve corrected that now. The sodium level is calculated based on the amount of salt specified in the recipe, plus the sodium in regular canned tomatoes, beans and store-bought broth—which can all be high in sodium. To reduce the sodium content, I’d use no-salt-added tomatoes and beans, use water instead of broth, and be judicious with your added salt. Hope that helps!
Todd Gautreau
Thank you for your reply, I am sure most people would know this anyway… I did three things outside the recipe, and that cost me, but will try again!
Debra St Martin
I cannot buy this type of blended chilli powder in my country so do I just use a teaspoon of ground chilli or do I need to add other spices to try and replicate the blended chilli taste?
Kate
Hi Debra, since this recipe includes additional spices for flavoring, I think your idea will work well. If it’s not spicy enough from 1 teaspoon, you can always add more, to taste.
Desiree
I made this chili tonight. I made the mistake of using Indian red chili powder. Even using less than half of what the recipe calls for, it is extremely spicy! Had I not made this error, this chili would have been perfect. I look forward to making it again. Thanks for sharing!
Bobby
This is my go to chilli recipe and have made it many times. It works everytime. I aslo add quorn mince (meat substitute) to it to thicken it up and make it more attractive to the meat eating kids. My eldest loves it
Katty Coffron
Loved it!
Kate
Great to hear, Katty!
Inger
This chili is so great and super easy to make! My husband and I both love it and don’t miss the meat at all. This also freezes really well and will be added into our regular rotation of go-to meals. Thanks for this delicious recipe, Kate!
Aspinall
Fantastic .
Im vegetarian.
And i have tried lots of menus on my husband to get him to eat more veg.
Untill tonight when he said .(
YOU know i dont do veg .but this chilli is really nice . ) success .
Thank you . He has no issues with this chilli becoming one of our go to meals
Thats veggie .
Jasmine
This recipe turned out amazing! Blending a cup of the chili made all the difference in texture. So flavorful, I will definitely be making it again.
Kate
Great to hear, Jasmine!
Sonya B
My family loved it! My omnivore husband said it’s the best chili he’s ever had! Thanks for another great recipe, Kate!
Emily
Made this chili recipe tonight, Wow, it was so delicious! The spices and the blending to create the thicker texture made it so tasty! Topped it with micro cilantro, shredded cheddar, avocado and crushed tortilla chips. So happy to have leftovers and will be saving this recipe! Delicious and healthy! Thank you!!
MARCELLA ROULHAC
This vegetarian chili was simply the delicious! I made it for my new daughter in “love” who is vegetarian and she loved it as well. I will make this from now on instead of the beef chili for the whole family.
I did add a plant-based protein starter, Italian style, to the mix.
I am excited to try more of your recipes!
Angi
May never make meat chili again! Very good!!! Lots of good veggies, added a few extra, very tasty and filling!
Carolyn Law
Made this for the Rugby in February, everyone loved it. I did add a few extra veggie aubergine and courgettes.
Irene
Hello Kate
This is absolutely the best vegetarian chili I have ever eaten and I make it often. My 21 year old granddaughter is a vegetarian and every time she is home form college,I have to make a batch for her to bring back to the university.Thank you for this recipe.
Cheryl Minshew-Morrison
I am not surprised to see this recipe on cookie and Kate. lately if i am reading recipes and find one i like the looks of, it is more than likely your site. nice going
Gabi
Hi! Excited to make this chilli after reading all the great comments! Was wondering if I’d be able to add beyond meat to it, and if so, should I add more liquid to the recipe?
Kate
Hi Gabi! You could if you like. Of course I like this as is, but you can. The consistency is up to you. You would likely want to add more liquid if you aren’t replacing anything else.
Linda Briggs
Just found your recipes tried vegetarian chilli everyone loved it and we are not vegetarian
Jewel Choquette
We looooved this chili. It was as good as my mother’s… if not a bit better. I doubled the recipe & then split it, to allow for adding meat to half, for my hubby & son. To their meaty half, I added a pound of ground beef, a tsp cacao powder & 1/2 tsp of marjoram. It turned out wonderful as well… plus they got the benefit of the veggies, which they would not have had, had I simply made a beef chili. So win-win for all- yayyyyy!!
Kate
Better than your mothers, that’s a compliment! Thank you for sharing, Jewel.
Joey
I changed this up a bit, using what I had. Instead of 2 cans of diced tomatoes. I used one can of diced and a 28oz can of crushed peeled tomatoes. And instead of 3 cans of beans. I used one can of kidney, one can of black, and 2 cups of veggie grounds. Holy smokes, it came out good! The kid even liked it. Thanks!
Janette
Made this chilli for supper last night for my son and I. Absolutely delicious and very satisfying. Only tweet was subsisting pinto beans for chickpeas as didn’t have any. Served with nachos, cheese and sour cream. Will be having leftovers for tomorrow night with tacos and salad. Thanks Kate. Will be a firm favourite from now on x
Josephine
Hello from Dublin Ireland. I’m trying out lots of your wonderful recipes! We are confined to the house. I be just served the Homemade Vegetarian Chilli. Yum yum …..delicious. There’s enough for tomorrow. Can’t wait
Thank you
Kate
Hello! I hope you all stay safe and this soup can bring some comfort.
Ben
Delicious! The big pot I’ve just made will keep me in dinners for a while in locked-down Berlin.
Greena
Versatile and Tasty! I followed everything except I used a combination of chickpeas, black beans, and fava beans (it’s what I had) and it’s super hearty and flavorful.
When we had it for dinner, I added a splash of balsamic and more salt to mine. Someone else only added a dollop of sour cream. It’s refreshing to find a rich and flavorful recipe for chili that is actually spicy and balanced.
I’ve never been disappointed by your recipes! Tonight we’re having the leftovers over top of crispy roast potatoes with a little melted cheese. The little one is super excited about chili “nachos”.
Esther
I have been skeptical and have thought vegan chili would be very bland. Now I did use aquafaba instead of the oil and didn’t have fresh cilantro so I used the dried but I really have to say, I think you outdid yourself on this recipe. Or at least that is what my husband told me when I made it. Ash it’s all about pleasing the ones you love/serve. If they hum at the dinner table you know you did a good job.
Kate
I’m happy you tried it and loved it, Esther!
KLF
SO GOOD. SO GOOD. SO SO SO GOOD. Just made it and it will now be my new go-to chili recipe. I used an immersion blender instead of blender. Served with mini cornbread loaves. Cold weather bliss.
Angie
Can u use red wine vinegar? It’s all I have at home today? Can’t wait to cook this tonite!!
Kate
You could try it, if that is all you have. I would start with less(maybe half?) and then adjust to taste. Let me know!
Angie
Simmering away on the stove as we speak.. omgosh yummy!!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!!
Christine Albanese
Oh. My. God. This was THE best vegetarian Chili I have ever had! This was the first recipe I tried from your website (just 4 days ago) and now I am obsessed with all your recipes! I’ve been making 1 recipe of yours each day. Thank you!
Kate
Hooray, so happy to hear it, Christine! I’m glad you found my blog. Stay well. :)
Latina Ellis
I luv this soup! I accidentally added the whole vegetable stock 4 cups instead 2 but it was still good. I also added 2lbs ground plant base/soybean sausage to trick the family and to show them u don’t need meet in everything.
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
Jenna
Hi Kate,
I love this recipe and use it all the time but always wondered what is the reason for adding the garlic after cooking all the other vegetables? Thanks :)
Kate
Hi Jenna! It’s with the other spices as to not overcook it while the other vegetables are tenderizing. I hope that helps!
Griselle
This was a hit!!!
I live in Chicago and we are at a stay at home order. I made back to back the homemade chicken noodle, lentil soup, and this vegetarian chicken. I am set for the next couple of weeks.
Each recipe is very similar in spices and ingredient, I had a blast making them all in one sitting.
Thank you!!!
Annika
First chilli I have ever made and I am blown away! You’re right, SO much flavour! I am in love! Perfect vegetarian alternative!
Kate
Planning on trying this out today but just wanted to clarify if your recipe actually calls for cocoa powder or if that was just a bunch of people who commented on how they changed your recipe since I didn’t see it in the ingredient list.
Also, I’m assuming it will freeze well, but have you actually tried freezing it successfully?
Thanks for your help!
Kate
Hi Kate! No, I don’t add cocoa powder. Yes, this does freeze well!
Janie Syed
I did not alter the recipe in any way. Which is actually very unusual for me. The flavors were just right. Oh, I did add some soy crumbles .I sauteed them when the spices were added with the vegetables. This will be my chili recipe.
Stacy Forget
You = A Culinary Genius. Thank you for this, and so many other, delicious recipes! Took the advice of one other reviewer and added corn. Great addition.
Kelly
What a treat. To please my husband, I added 1/2 t. liquid smoke, and some rolled oats and a small can of tomato paste to make it even thicker. (And omitted some chili powder.) It was a hit! To my own bowl, I added some canned pumpkin. Delicious!
Lindsey
This was the first recipe I tried on your blog about 3 years ago, and it hooked me! I’ve made probably 25 of your recipes now, and a lot of them weekly!
I’m trying to only go to the store every 10 days during this time, and since I’m out of lettuce I’m moving onto my carrots and wrinkly peppers. Thank you for making me and my family healthier Kate. Also it means a lot to your followers that you posted food preservation and storage tips for us ❤️
Kate
Lindsey, thanks so much for your nice note, and happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes! Stay well.
Katrina
Hi Kate, this recipe is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!!
karen Haughton
.. correction. . ‘ Chilli ‘ ( double l )
.
great recipe tips – I add a chunk dark 70% cocoa chocolate , 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp palm sugar/muscovodo brown sugar
adds depth
Polly
I’m not a good cook or at least I don’t cook very much so don’t have much confidence or experience in terms of knowing how flavours go together. However, I made this chilli and it was an instant hit with my husband who is generally a meat eater. The flavour is wonderful and the chilli is just as good if not better when eaten the following day. It is so easy as well and you can substitute ingredients for similar products depending what you have in the house. Delicious!! Thank you so much!
Ellen H
This is the best ever chili! Seriously delicious and so simple to make. It’s also going to be the recipe for the next time I have my nieces over and we cook together. It froze and reheated perfectly
P.S. I will confess that I forgot to add the vinegar – if that makes it even more yummy
Thank you for the recipe!
Kate
I’m glad it was delicious without the vinegar! And yes, try it with the vinegar next time. I appreciate your comment and review, Ellen!
Anita
Loved making and eating this and happily approved by the vegan fiance! ;) Added some sweet potato and Mrs. Dash Chipotle and Table Blend seasonings… the blending step is perfection when it comes to texture!! It was wondedul! Thank you for sharing!
Tahisha
I made this in my Instantpot, 10 minutes on high pressure. I sautéed in the instant and then followed all the other step. It was so delicious! But it was a bit liquidy. Even after taking some out and blending it (which helped a little). I think next time I might drain the tomatoes or only use 1 cup of broth. But it was still delicious! Every one loved it, including a 10 and 6 year old! I will be making this again!
Denise
Great chili recipe! Perfect on cold rainy in N.Ca. Thank you for posting.
Sue Mills
Hi Kate (and Cookie). Can you please clarify for me, the recipe says 2 large cans OR 2 small cans of diced tomatoes; do you mean 1 large can or 2 small cans? I’m assuming you do but just want to check. Many thanks. Hoping to make this tonight.
Kate
Hi Sue: 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices is what the 1x scale says. Did you by chance check the 2x scale? That would get you want you indicated, which you are correct – it should be 2 large of 4 small cans if you wanted to make it a double recipe. The scale feature isn’t perfect and still working on that so I apologize!
Sue Mills
Kate, thanks for responding so quickly, and please don’t apologise. I am very embarrassed; I thought the x2 scale was for the size of text when printing! I will now find it much easier to make as with current restrictions I can’t buy 6 cans of beans at one time! Was wondering why the amounts of ingredients seemed so big! Many embarrassed thanks.
NANCY
Hi Kate!
We started enjoying your recipes with this vegetarian chili. It’s already a favorite in our household! So delicious! Now we have tried your baked ziti with roasted vegetables- MAGNIFICENT! Next on my list is your Minestrone soup and Enchilada casserole. Can’t wait to try these! Keep the recipes coming- you are so talented and we love your great sense of textures and flavors! Stay well!!!
doug
I don”t know if you will see this but I hope so. Just want to say thank you so much for putting this recipe available for people like me to use. Very helpful. My daughter was the first in our family of three to make the vegetarian chili. For the first time I made it tonight. 4-8 2020. I added sour cream(low fat) and and grated cheddar. So just to expand a bit….it’s important to not cook meat all the time. This recipe helped me do that. So thanks again. Doug
Aly
Love this recipe so much! I cook it in the instant pot for 10 minutes and it comes out perfectly. Thank you for sharing.
Harper
Hi Cookie and Kate,
I made this tonight, didn’t change anything except the bean combination (used Black, Pinto and Great Northern white) and added a cup of frozen corn.
Wow, it was great, thanks so much for this recipe, it is my new favorite chili recipe. I used Rose Elliot’s recipe for vegetarian chili for the last 30 years, but this is better, a little spicier and more veg, we all loved it!
Georgina
I was looking for a bean chilli and came across this & I’m so glad! Even managed to impress my boyfriend who insists that all means must contain meat! Thank you so much, it’s absolutely delicious!
Aimee
One of my favorite recipes!
Brenda
Delicious. I added 2 TBS of tomato paste, 1 can or corn, 2 cups of mushrooms and 1 zucchini. Served with corn bread, lime, avocado slices and sour cream. Oh, and a margarita.
Liz
This was so good! Sadly, I didn’t have any celery or cilantro so had to do without. Apart from that I followed the recipe exactly, and used lime juice as the added acid at the end. Oh, and the vegetable broth was home-made a while ago, and then frozen, from scraps I’d been saving. Will def. make this one again, making sure I have celery to hand next time.
Jess
This was absolutely phenomenal. I added an extra pepper to mine and finished it off in the crock pot. So delicious.
Amy
This was delicious! I’ll definitely make it again. I didn’t have pinto beans, so I added a can of corn and a white sweet potato.
Anita Huber
Great veg chilli recipe and I’ve tried 1000. I added a tbsp of soya sauce or fish sauce depending if I’m keeping it vegan and a cup of frozen corn (because why not). Blending a bit is key to give that thicker “ground beef” texture. All in I’d make this my go to recipe!
Amyk
Absolutely delicious! The recipe is wonderfully flexible. Based on what was available I subbed kidney and navy beans for black, caraway seed for cumin, dill for cilantro,used green rather than red pepper, left out paprika. I was lazy and gave a few presses with a potato masher. Served over mashed potatoes.
What is the best way to freeze the leftovers? Thank you!
Kate
So glad to hear it! You can freeze chili in a wide-mouth glass mason jar (leave extra space at the top for expansion), or in freezer bags (well-sealed and lay them flat to freeze). Hope that helps.
poppy
Hi I don’t have any pinto beans, would it be better to substitute with chickpeas or kidney beans
Kate
Kidney beans could work, or you could add more black beans if you like. I hope this helps, Poppy!
Gloria J Loposky
I have never cooked with wine.
Can you recommend something simple and that most stores carry?
I really want to try this recipe !!
Thank you
Kate
Hi Gloria! You’re referencing the chili recipe, right? The good news is that this recipe doesn’t call for wine. You’ll just need a little bit of lime juice or vinegar for acidity (it’s a nice finishing touch). Here are your options: sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice
Neil
Superb love it, kids, wife, granny, well done u legend!
dsdfsf
This was an incredible recipe and very forgiving for substitutions. I soaked 1/2 cup each of red, pinto, and black beans and cooked them in the instant pot to add to this recipe. Did not have peppers or celery so subbed with extra corn and frozen carrots. Also did not have enough diced tomatoes so subbed with a can of tomato sauce…again, this recipe is very forgiving as long as you blend the chili at the end! Thank you!
Kate
Thank you for sharing!
Ade
Turned out super amazing, I served the chili with some rice on the side and I can’t get over how good the chili is!
Kate
I’m happy to hear that, Ade!
Dave Nettleton
Love this recipe. But where are the mushrooms…some good size chunks of regular old white button. Add it with the other veggies at the start. Extra 1/2 cup broth, shrooms love their aqua. Investors done the blender & the potato masher. I go masher all the time…extra dishes to clean aren’t worth the added thickness. Too watery, simmer longer. Beans don’t matter which ones, pinto, white, red, black…all work well. Mix-n-match. I have season football tickets and this has replaced our traditional “meat chili” at tailgates. No one even noticed there wasn’t any meat for 4 games. This is great…the black bean soup is awesome too
Lisann
Hi Kate!
I had a question, what if I want to use fresh tomatoes instead of the canned ones? Do you have any guidelines? I don’t live in the US and we don’t really use canned tomatoes. Thanks!
Kate
Hi Lisann! I think you could use about 4 cups juicy chopped tomatoes in place of the canned tomatoes.
James Haynes
A fine recipe. I added some Chili/Garlic paste to heat things up a tad, but will absolutely add this to the family rotation. Thank you.
Donna
Hi there,
Tried the vegetarian chilli a few days ago.
It was excellent. My husband and I absolutely loved it..I added a lot more chilli powder—as I would do for meat chilli—-bumped up the flavours even with regular paprika.
I will try your lentil soup—I pray that canned lentils will do, as we have no dried on hand and we all know about procurement war zones these days!!!!
I am of the “older, expendable “ age group—-just recently transitioning to much less meat in our diets. Will purchase your cookbook hard cover..would love to know if any other avenues but Amazon behemoth from which to buy?!!
Cheers.
Kate
Thank you, Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili and adjusted it to suit your taste buds. You can find more purchasing details on my cookbook page. If you click on the Indiebound logo, you can search for local bookstores near you that might have it, or you can always call your favorite local bookstore to request it. :) I know our nearest bookstore is shipping orders right now. Hope that helps!
Siena
Thank you so much for this recipe. I just added more spices that I have including parsley, cinnamon, ginger powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper powder. I happened to add 2 TABLEspoon (not TEAspoon) of smoked paprika, but it was all good.
I didn’t have carrots at the moment, but I replaced with potatoes. The most important thing was to blend some of the chili! It upgraded the soup so much!! I just had a cup of this, but plan to have them over nacho chips later today! :) So exciting!
Kay
This is THE best vegetarian chilli I have tried! So tasty and so easy to make – we love it. I added sweet corn and used mixed beans in chilli sauce instead of the beans you recommend. Thank you, it’s delicious
Kate
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing you loved it, Kay.
Meg
My all time FAVOURITE recipe. I use this to eat on its on, in a burrito, nachos or with a fried egg for breakfast. Freezes great. I’ll usually make up a massive serving and keep it ready to go in the fridge. SO many of my neighbours, family and friends comment on how good it is Thank you Kate for sharing this!
Kate
I’m happy it’s been such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to comment, Meg. I appreciate it!
Tony
Great chili! I added three tablespoons of cornmeal to thicken it up. Also adds an interesting, subtle flavor. Next time I’ll make it spicier as well. Don’t like eyes watering – burn your lips heat, just a little more warmth.
Sandy
I found that adding a tsp. of liquid smoke & using mushroom broth deepens & enriches the flavour. I also added 2 T. of instant coffee & a little cocoa dissolved in a bit of boiling water to add more layers of flavour. Absolutely the best vegan chili!
Rena
I’ve made this recipe a dozen times in my pressure cooker (Instant Pot Duo) using 1lb of unsoaked dry black beans. I sauté the veggies and add the spices as instructed then add the liquid (5 cups water instead of 2) and the tomatoes and cook for 50 min on high pressure. Thanks for a perfect vegetarian chili recipe.
Michelle
This is a staple in my home, and has been since I first made it a few years ago. I always make a double batch and freeze the leftovers – they’re so good for a quick hearty meal. I like mine with tortilla strips! Never has this recipe let me down, it’s always delicious. I love to cook it when friends are due to be over, since I can get it to the point (paragraph 3 of method) prior to them arriving that all I need to do is turn on the hob back on an hour before dinner, set it to a slow simmer and it’s done. I love how cheap it is and everyone can add toppings to suit their own taste! Topping inclusive, I spend AU$3-4/hungry human. If I announce I’m cooking for friends, I often get an eager “Your chili?”
The only time this has gone wrong is the time I forgot to do a last check for seasoning. So I got out the salt shaker for everyone to add to taste to their bowls. My friend grabbed the shaker and froze, mid grind. The salt lid had come off. There must have been a full cup of rock salt just in his bowl! He stared, disbelieving and upset, while we laughed at him. He tried scooping salt out. That worked a bit, visually. But remember, this is chili, soupy, viscous chili. He shrugged. Then mixed the rest in, tested it, and cried some more. Not wanting to waste food we kindly agreed to take a spoonful each from his salted concoction. Big mistake. Even that was enough to out-salt the ocean. Have you ever accidentally swallowed seawater? Every mouthful dried and I doubt our tears of laughter helped. Eventually we finished, served seconds and he had his first unsalted taste. “Wow!” he said, “This is actually really good!” Turns out he never tasted it before he salted it, a lesson we’ll never let him forget.
Anecdote aside, your recipes are my go to. We make your carrot cake or banana bread every Sunday for the working week. I own your cook book and I’m not even vegetarian. You must test your recipes so much because they’re always spot on, filling, healthy and easy to understand. I can always trust your recipes to be the highest standard.
From good meals rise good times.
Thank you, Kate. For everything.
Kate
Hi Michelle, thank you so much for your note! I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying this chili, and your anecdote about your friend made me smile. :)
Gloria Y Fredkove
Just made this tonight and it was super delicious! Can’t wait to eat leftovers in two days, then another two days. I’m wondering if I fry up some mushrooms and add it to the chili, do you think that would taste good? I almost added them tonight, but I didn’t want to ruin what seemed like a perfect recipe. And it was great!! Thank you.
Kate
Hi Gloria! I’m so glad to hear it. Sure, you could try adding mushrooms with the other veggies. Some vegetarian chilis include mushrooms for some “meatiness.”
Becks Low
Had this the other night and now I’m making it for the second time in a week – yum – we are not big on lots of spice and I halved the chilli powder. Still it made a huge impact – and I’m now heading to my stove again – thanks Cookie and Kate