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!
Michelle
Tweaked a bit (used Mexican flavoured tinned toms, Mexican bean mix and red kidney beans), much less chilli powder (yes it’s super hot in Australia!!! And the chili was absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
Sheena Lyttel
I have made this recipe several times now and it’s a winner every time fantastic combination of flavours!! Thank you
Kate
You’re welcome, Sheena! Thank you for your review.
Renee
Hi,
Does the onion have to be red?
Kate
I prefer red here, but you can use yellow too.
James Stokes
You could use any type of onion you have available that you like the taste of. Purple or yellow for example.
Renee Schouten
Hi again,
What does the * on the chili powder mean?
Renee
Kate
See the note below. Chili powder can vary by country for level of spice.
Sophia
Love this recipe. Better than any meat chilli I’ve ever had. I’ve made it multiple times and it always turns out excellent.
Lysanne Pelletier
Love this recipe! Always made it with beans in cans but would like to make it with pre-cooked dry beans next time. Do you know how many cups of dry beans I need? Black and Pinto. Thanks in advance!
Kate
Hi, Each can is roughly 1.5 cups I believe. Or if you have a scale, you can measure the ounces that are listed in the recipe. Thank you for sharing you enjoyed this one!
Sarah T
Hi there – I have made this with canned beans about 5 times. I made it with dried beans (soaked then cooked), and it wasn’t as good!! I thought it would be better, but nope – I will be going back to canned for this one.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Sarah!
Sydney
This is delicious and I’d highly recommend! I did omit the bay leaf and used beef stock instead of vegetable. My family also loves spice, so I added a whole jalapeño(seeds and all) to the blender. It turned out great!
Hannah
Second time making this chili and it’s delicious! I throw in whatever beans I have around and it turns out great every time.
Deirdre
Would have been a good idea to add the comment about the chili powder in the ingredients list. Luckily I only used 1 tablespoon but even that was too much! Did you mean to write teaspoon rather than tablespoon?
Kate
HI Deirdre, I made special note that some chili powders vary as to the * next to the ingredient. I’m glad you went with what worked for you!
Sandy
This really good. I used mexican hot chili powder, added 1 tbsp. Cocoa powder, fire roasted diced tomatoes and used my immersion blender. Will be making this again.
Thatch
I am considering trying this recipe with bulgur. Have you tried it with bulgur? How might that change liquid proportions?
THANKS!
Kate
I haven’t tried it. I would cook it prior to adding it, otherwise you would need to change the liquid amount. I’m not sure how much.
DeeDee
Because of all the great reviews, I am making this for a football watch party. However, I SO wish ingredients like “2 medium red onion”
“2 large red bell pepper” and “4 medium carrots” were translated into cup/oz measurements.
Bunnie
Whatever size the vegetables are, that will do. Doesn’t need to be an accurate weight.
Natalie
Love this chili! Recommend!! Adding it to fall & winter favorites!
Dani
Fantastic chilli! Love your recipes and I’m finally getting around to rating all of the ones I have saved to my phone home screen.
Cheryl Craig
My husband and I loved this recipe. Same as the chipotle chili, I used bean broth and extra water if I needed it, instead of vegetable broth. I’ve made this even when I’ve been out of carrots and celery, and it’s still delicious. I’ve made two of your recipes and both are five stars!!
Kate
I love to hear that! Thank you for sharing, Cheryl.
Corrina
I appreciate you and others that help us to make such wonderful, flavorful vegan dishes!! I come to your site offen, when I need help with being creative and trying out new dishes; and this chili recipe, I use often. So thank you very much!!
Kate
You’re welcome, Corrina!
Karen
Would this recipe freeze well?
Kate
Yes! This recipe is a great freezer option.
Maria
How can I do this in an instant pot?
Kate
I don’t have instant pot instructions, but I believe others have tried it. I would suggest looking through the comments to see what others recommend.
kim
This was delish. I did not miss the meat because it was so tasty and hearty
Kathy
I LOVE this recipe. It converted me to vegan chili. I don’t blend and I don’t add water. I also add a bunch of random spices (whatever I have on hand) and some cucumber. I love that I can just throw in random stuff I have! Thank you.
James Stokes
Adding cucumber sounds very interesting! Do you add it before or after you simmer the chili?
Prabhjot Ragbotra
This was by far the best vegeterian chilli I have ever made! I’m keeping this one for the books. I used gardein veggie ground and it was perfect. Even my neighbour’s picky kid loved it! I find I can trust most of your recipes to be delicious… so kudos to you!!
Kate
That’s great! I’m glad it was a hit, Prabhjot.
Anthony Gonzalez
Very high in sodium how can I cut that sodium by 75 percent? And also half that sugar? Thank you
Kate
Hi Anthony, you can adjust by using no or low sodium ingredients and omitting the salt. More on my Nutrition Disclaimer
Sada
I made a few minor adjustments because of what I had/didn’t have on hand (yellow onion instead, regular paprika with a bit of liquid smoke, kidney beans instead of pinto and added beyond meat grounds), turned out really good! Will make this again and would recommend :)
Thanks Katie!
Kate
That’s great, Sada! Thank you for your review.
Claudia
Just made this and it’s AWESOME! The combination of the spices works really well. Thank you for sharing with us.
Kate
You’re welcome, Claudia!
Barbara Doherty
I would love to try to cook in a sliw cooker…any thoughts?
Jocelyn
hands down, the BEST chili recipe!! I make this ALL the time because 1.) It tastes amazing 2.) It’s extremely easy to make 3.) The recipes makes enough to have leftovers for dayyysss 4.) The concept of “fall/winter foods” does not exist in my book because I live in Florida where it’s almost always summer. I’ll just turn my AC way down, pretend it’s cold outside, and eat my delicious vegetarian chili :) Thanks for the great recipe!!
Carolyn
This is a delicious recipe that everyone I’ve served it to has loved, from vegans to meat lovers. Thank you!
Jamie
I just made this and I’m enjoying it now. I had to say that, This chili is delicious, right away! I added cheyanne pepper, black pepper, 1/2 a can of roasted corn and thyme. Blending 1 1/2 cups is a must for consistency.
Amy
HOLY delicious! My husband and I both agree this was the best chili we have ever made. I halved the chili powder and added extra red wine vinegar. Topped with a homemade lime cashew sour cream and lime tortilla chips. DEF making this a regular recipe in our lives!
Kate
I’m so glad you both loved it, Amy! Thank you for your review.
Jenn F
Amazing! I just went pescatarian, and chili used to be one of my signature recipes. I have to say, I like this vegetarian version even better. I added a bit extra salt, pepper, and chili powder for an extra kick, and it was super flavorful (even though I forgot the cilantro). I’ll definitely be making again!
Kate
That’s great, Jenn! Thank you for your review.
Dee
Hi looking forward to making this chilli, sounds so nice. As I love to batch cook was wondering how well it freezes? Thank you
Kate
Hi Dee! This is a great option to freeze. I hope you love it!
Deirdre Fennelly
Thank you
Kelly Bee
FABULOUS. Thank you so much, it was delish, my family loved as well. I like the idea of blending-never thought of this.
Austin
This was a huge success with my wife and mom! They said it was just the right amount of spice, and the flavor is wonderful! Thank you for sharing this!
Sarah
Absolutely delicious! We didn’t have chili powder so I subbed 1/2 tsp cayenne and 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder and it still came out great. Also subbed 1 can on chili beans, 1 can of red kidney and 1 can black beans since we didn’t have exactly what the recipe called for. I’m definitely saving this recipe and will make it again and again.
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you were able to adapt it to what you had on hand!
Rachel
Can this be made in an instant pot? Any tips or recommendations on that? Thank you!!
Kate
I don’t have Instant Pot directions, sorry!
James Stokes
I cooked my beans using an instant pot and added some diced onions, salt, and pepper to the pot before bringing it up to pressure. I then took the beans the next day and added them to a pot on the stove and followed the recipe above with a couple of tweaks.
Some advice for if you wished to cook the entire thing in the instant pot would be to cook the beans first, to where they are pretty much finished cooking. I would then remove any excess liquid from the beans so the consistency is closer to chili.
After that, I would follow steps 1 and 2 of the recipe and saute the veggies and add the seasoning etc.
From there I would combine the beans, tomatoes, sauteed veggies in the instant pot and then cook for maybe 1 or 2 minutes (this is just a guess, you would need to try it out and determine if longer is needed) and then let the pot slow release for maybe 10 or 15 minutes (you would need to play with the time desired to cook everything to the level of doneness needed). If you feel the chili needs more time you could either add another minute or two of pressure cooking time or you could finish it off on the stove.
I would then finish it off by following step 4 of the recipe and blending a portion of the chili.
Finally follow step 5 and add some salt if needed, the vinegar, cilantro and whatever else you usually accompany your chili with.
I would also skip the veggie broth since you would be cooking in a pressure cooker where you lose a lot less moisture than cooking on the stove. If you think more liquid is needed you could always add some of the bean juice or something like that.
As a substitute for broth, you can also add stuff like Worcestershire or Red Boat Fish Sauce, along with nutritional yeast.
Jenna
This recipe is amazing! I think it is the smoked paprika that gives it the depth of flavor. This dish is flavorful and both satisfying and somehow light at the same time. Even my meat-eating husband and son loved this! I can’t wait to make it all winter! (I had some extra fresh ears of corn and I added the kernels from 2 ears during the last 10 minutes.)
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Jenna! I appreciate your review.
Patty
Love this recipe! I’ve made it several times, Thank you!!
For my meat eaters, do you think adding grass fed ground beef to this exact recipe would work? Would you cook the meat, then add the onions, peppers etc then continue with the recipe?
LOL can you tell I’m not a cook.
Kate
Hi Patty, I’m sorry I can’t say as I’m a vegetarian and don’t have experience there.
James Stokes
You definitely can add ground beef to the recipe. I would advise cooking the ground beef first and then adding the onions and other veggies once the meat is nearly done.
You could also saute the meat and veggies separately if you wanted to, although I am not sure there would be much benefit do doing so.
Lee
This chili is amazing! I followed the recipe except I also added a can of fire-roasted Rotel for extra flavor plus a bit of V-8 juice to thin out the chili. I pre-cooked some bulgar and added in about 1.5 cups to the finished chili. The bulgar looks exactly like ground beef and gives the dish a little extra heft.
Viva
Another PHENOMENAL recipe. Love the trick to puree a small amount at the end, it creates a filling and satisfying texture.
I used Rotel because that’s what I had in the pantry, and I didn’t have any carrots so I added extra onion and red pepper.
I served this with cornbread, guacamole, and sour cream.
Jared S Terry
Recipe was VERY tasty but we had to scale the chili powder back by over half. My partner couldn’t even eat it the first time we made it.
Kate
Yes, be mindful of the chili powder (per the note) depending on where you live. Thank you for your feedback.
Monica LM
I just made this chili and I have to say, it’s the best I’ve ever tasted! I didn’t have 2 cans of tomatoes, so used one can plus an equal amount of diced fresh tomatoes from the garden plus a little tomato paste. I also had to use frozen bell peppers, and didn’t have celery either, but the end result was still amazing! This is definitely going to be my go-to chili recipe from now on.
Julianne Guselle
Hi Kate,
Thought I would share my vegetarian recipe with you. I basically ‘wing it’ with the amounts; basically, these are the ingredients.
cremini mushrooms, cut into chunks and caramelized
chopped onion also caramelized
lots of garlic
cumin, ground ancho or chili pepper, chili flakes, fresh corriander
roughly pitted and chopped kalamata olives
kidney beans, chick peas, black beans
diced tomatoes and tomato paste
We love it more than the regular meat variety chili. Hope you find this interesting We love your recipes!
Jessica
Just came here to say this is a great recipe, just like all your others I have tried. You are my go to on the internet! In lieu of sherry vinegar, we used juice from our favorite jar of pickled jalapeños and it tasted GREAT. Thank you!
Kate
Thank you, Jessica! I’m delighted you have confidence in my recipes.
Angie
Love this recipe. I’ve made it as is and it’s amazing, and I’ve also made it with mods. My favoite mods are adding cremini mushrooms, a tablespoon of chopped chipotle with adobo, and a tiny bit of brown sugar at the end.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Angie!
James Stokes
Those additions sound delicious! I will have to try them out and see how it tastes.
Lisa
Have made a few times – always great!
Ann
Can this be done in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have. I would suggest looking at the comments to see what others have done.
James Stokes
You definitely can make it in a slow cooker and I don’t see any reason to not be able to make it in an instant pot. I wrote a reply to Rachel further up the comment section with my input on making this recipe using an instant pot.
Cara Crump
I have made it in the slow cooker, and it works fine. I think I just sautéed the veggies at the beginning, then added them and everything else (except for the final additions) to the slow cooker and cooked for a few hours. I add a tsp of liquid smoke for extra flavor.
Holly
I made this last night and I really loved the texture and taste with the cumin and smoked paprika. I used plant based beef in it as an add in. My husband, who is very vegetarian skeptical ate three (3) bowls! I think it was a hit. I will definitely make this again.
Kate
I love that! Thank you for sharing, Holly.
Patricia
Best vegetarian chili recipe!! Sooo good.
Kate
I’m glad you love it, Patricia!
Kathleen B
I made this last night and it was delicious! I only made a couple of minor changes to the recipe to use what I had in my pantry. I used a can of navy beans in place of pinto beans, along with a 28oz can of Muir Glen (diced) roasted tomatoes. The whole family loved it.
Thanks for all the fantastic recipes. I changed my diet to plant based two years ago and your website has made the transition so much easier!
shirley
I just had to tell you your baby is beautiful. Chili looks good too. I will have to try it.
Robyn
Great recipe. I enjoy all types of chili, my meat-loving husband does not really like any of it. I made this last night (followed exactly – served over rice, topped w/ jalapeños, red onion, sour cream) and he said it was the best chili he has ever had. He even took leftovers to work this AM. Psyched to add a very tasty vegetarian chili recipe to the queue.
Suzanne Brooke
Mmmmmm. Just made this lovely chilli. I used lime juice to flavour, and half avocado to garnish. I Didn’t have the cilantro (I don’t think I’ve ever seen it before in the supermarket).
Looking forward to serving it up in a couple of days for me and my friend.
Suzy uk
Charlie
okay this was fantastic! I will be honest I changed some things – I increased the amount of most of the spices (I’m kind of a spice nut), added red kidney beans, and didn’t blend any of it. but because I didn’t blend any of it i had to add some powdered instant potato mix to get the texture just right, which worked like a charm. I paired it with a nice pumpkin pie for dessert.
but yeah thank you so much for this recipe Kate! me and my boyfriend both really enjoyed it and I will definitely be making it again
Julie Nguyen
Do you have recommendations for using a Crock-Pot or transferring it into a Crock-Pot after cooking to keep it warm? I got suckered into participating in a chili cook-off at work, and we have to bring it in a Crock-Pot. I wanted to have a vegetarian option for all of my coworkers who don’t eat meat. :)
Kate
I don’t, sorry!
James Stokes
You should be able to transfer it to a crockpot to keep it warm for the event at work.
The only thing I would keep an eye on is making sure the chili does not get too dry, although if you keep a lid on the chili that should stop too much moisture from being cooked off.
Stephanie Sc
I am trying this in my crockpot as I type! Cooked the onion and pepper together first, then dumped the rest in. Your spice combo smells delicious! Only mod I made was to do 3 types of beans and added a little can of diced green chilies just because.
Chris
This was very good! The only thing I switched up was using chicken broth and a little less cumin (due to my family’s preference) and it was delicious.
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Chris. I appreciate your review!
Sue
I cut salt in half, reduced chili powder and vegetable broth by 1/4, and added can of tomato paste to lower sodium but it still tasted too salty to me. Next time, I will try cutting back broth by 1/2 and add sweet potato or corn to increase natural sweetness. Thanks for this recipe!
Kate
Thank you for sharing how you made this, Sue! I appreciate your review.
susan
Best Chilli recipe! It’s my go to chilli recipe on a cold day. The whole family loves it, even the kids! Thanks for the yummy recipe :)
Kate
Hooray! That’s wonderful to hear, Susan. Thank you for your review.
Joy
Delicious recipe! I get compliments on it every time I make it. And my favorite part – it’s kid-approved!
But help, please! I missed it up this time… Usually I use a non-electric “masher” to blend it up at the end, but this time I tried my immersion blender and went too far with it and over-blended it. I made a huge amount of it to feed a large group, so starting over isn’t really an option. Is there anything I can do to help salvage it at this point? Thanks!
James Stokes
I know it is likely too late for your particular situation but I would saute some extra onions and bell peppers and then add a bunch of beans to the chili.
The purpose of doing this is to add texture to the chili. You could then add some ingredients to act as thickeners such as nutrition yeast (don’t overdo this one or it will affect the flavor. For example, I might add 1/4 cup nutritional yeast to a 4 or 5 quart pot of chili. I also saw some folks in the comments that added instant potato mix to thicken up the chili. Regardless of what you add I would add a bit at a time and keep tasting it to make sure the taste and texture turns out how you want it to.
You could also try simmering the pot without a lid for an hour or two to reduce the amount of liquid. And then add the sauteed veggies and extra beans and finish it with cilantro and vinegar, as well as adding some salt if needed.
Deborah Schlef
Hello
Can you make this in a crock pot and are there any adjustments that need to be made or can I just dump everything in. How long would I cook it for?
Kate
I haven’t made it in a crock pot. I would suggest to see what others have tried in the comments. Sorry!
Dave
Made this today for dinner. My Daughter is a vegetarian and is going to college virtually. So I thought I would make her a vegetarian dish. I was nicely surprised at how good the chili turned out. It was fun to make as well, chopping up all the fresh veggies. I added a little Cayenne Pepper to step it up a notch. LOVE the recipe. Never used red wine vinegar before, it adds an interesting flavor to the dish. I guarantee you could make this chili and people would never know it was vegetarian!
Neil Mather
As three omnivores, we absolutely loved this veggie chilli. Really food flavours and texture. We’ll be doing this again – a lot! Thank you.
Jem
Hi Kate,
We absolutely love this recipe in our house and have made it on a good few occasions for ourselves and a whole houseful for a Halloween party in 2019, it’s such a crowd pleaser!
Would this work as a slow cooker recipe once the first two steps were complete? If so, would you know roughly how long it might take?
Many thanks, Jem
Kate
I love that! I don’t have instructions for a slow cooker, but I still recommend to saute the vegetables as that is what gives you the depth of flavor. I know several people have tried it in a slow cooker and enjoyed it.
Nancy
Made this today, delish!! Will be making this again!
I’m keeping track of calories these days. Best guess on what a serving size would be? Any help would br appreciated.
Naomi
I absolutely love this recipe! I’ve used this same one whenever I make chili over the past 2 years and it just gets easier and simpler every time! It’s always so flavor and filling and warms my soul during those times it starts to get chilly (no pun intended!). This will always be my go-to!
Charlie
This was a miss. It was more like bean-vegetable soup without the characteristic flavor of chili (heat, warmth, smokiness, slight sweetness) and texture was more similar to soup, very thin for chili.
Kate
I’m sorry to hear you didn’t love it.
Dawn
I’m wanting to make this tomorrow. It looks amazing. I’m wondering if anyone has added beyond meat to this recipe.
James Stokes
When making this I found that in order for the texture to turn out thicker I had to make a couple of adjustments. First I used nutritional yeast to add body to the chili as well as adding slightly nutty flavor. I also cooked the chili in a wide pot without a lid for about 40-45 minutes on medium-high in order to reduce the amount of liquid from the tomatoes and bean juice (I made sure to stir it every 5 or so minutes to keep it from sticking to the bottom).
I also made sure to get a good browning on the onions and veggies I sauteed to get a nice flavor for the chili, finished the saute off by deglazing the pan with fish sauce and soy sauce (Worcestershire sauce would also work). I added those sauces for the umami or depth of flavor seeing as I did not have any broth.
Beth Lees
Brilliant!! I’ve never made veggie chili before so had no idea what I was doing beforehand but it turned out great! The advice to blend some of it was really helpful, gave it a great texture.
Rachelle
This looks great! I’d like to make it in a crock pot. Have you ever tried that and if so any suggestions?
Kate
I have not, but I know others have and didn’t mind the results.
jayne
Family fave we make almost every week :)
Anthony
Thanks for another wonderful recipe – the red wine vinegar at the end is an inspired addition!
Sharon Page
I made this chili recipe last week. It was delicious! I’ve been making more meat-free meals and this was a great addition to the list! I used chili beans and black beans. Loved the smoked paprika and even added a bit of cayenne pepper for some kick. My husband loved it too!
Thank you! :)
Mary Ellen Barnes
Love this recipe! I accidentally over spiced it but it was easily fixed by squeezing 1/2 lemon into the mix! Love the avocados and creme fraiche on top!
Suzanna Stein
This was delicious. Since I am such a terrible cook I followed your instructions to a T. My husband, who never eats my food, because it’s not good, LOVED this.
I can’t wait to try other recipes. Thank you!!!
Sorrel
Loved this recipe. Even my toddlers didn’t complain! And it was easy to make vegan for my husband. All around win. Thanks!
Kate
That’s great to hear, Sorrel! Thank you for sharing.
Jessica
Can you do this in a slow cooker?
Kate
I haven’t tried it, but I know others have and didn’t mind the results.
Sandy
I tried your veggie chili tonight. I made it exactly as written, and loved it! Easy, yummy, and quick! It’s a winner!
Braden
am i supposed to put a lid on over the pot when cooking?
Kate
Hi, no need to cover.
Diane
Absolutely delicious! Made it exactly as written and it’s the best vegetarian chili I’ve ever made. It’s my go-to for chili now. I’m new to your website but I’m a fan!
Deb O
10/27/21
This recipe is awesome. I used canned tomatoes with cilantro and lime, added some corn, and had a green pepper on hand so used it. You really can’t go wrong. Spices were perfect!
Valerie
Does this recipe freeze well?
Kate
Hi Valerie, Yes this is a great option to freeze.
Barbara Figlewicz
We had one problem with this chili – we made it for a split gathering – vegetarians and carnivores – and the meat eaters demolished your chili and left the meaty one! The flavors in this are subtle and explosive at the same time – it’s such a rich and complex dish! Thank you so much for the recipe. We just love it and will serve it often – probably in place of the usual meaty variety we always made. Move over meat – Cookie and Kate are here!
Kate
Hooray! I love that. Thank you for sharing, Barbara.
James Stokes
I just made this recipe with my own tweaks added and it turned out very nice! I am making it for my moms birthday tomorrow so hopefully, it is well received :)
In addition to the ingredients listed, I also added soy sauce, fish sauce, taco seasoning, small amounts of rosemary, and thyme along with some broccoli. I also added nutritional yeast for texture.
Kate thanks for the tip about blending a portion of the chili. I tasted the chili before and after doing that and it made a striking difference. Blending it did something that made me feel the chili tasted more like what my reference model of chili is in my head.
M
I’m honestly not even a big chili person but this recipe is so good. I’ve made it about three or four times now and I’m going to make it again in a few days. Most of the time I change recipes in some way to suit my taste but this one is great as is!
Kelsey
This is a GREAT recipe! I added 1/3 c lentils, sweet potato, vegan Worcestershire sauce and amaranth after trying it the first time. I like this varied texture best, and cannellini beans are a creamier bean to puree for my family’s palette. Regardless, even without the changes, the flavor is 100% awesome just the way it is! I might add some chipotle adobo pepper next time as well, for fun!
Hermann the German
It’s the second time now that I made this recipe and it turned out great every time. I add corn in the beginning when browning the onion which adds a great flavor for us.
Great recipe, thank you so much for sharing.
Greetings from Germany.
Kate
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing.
Lisa
Absolutely wonderful chili. So satisfying. It will be great on a veggie dog for a chili cheese dog. Also, plan to have a Frito chili pie with it. Yummy. Thanks Kate. Tell Cookie hello!! ♥️
Kate
I’m glad you loved it, Lisa!
Julia
This is a fantastic recipe. What makes it perfect is whizzing a few cups of the mixture in the food processor when it’s cooked. Gives it an amazing texture.
Kate
Thank you, Julia!
Jan Forstrom
Just quadrupled the recipe for a neighborhood Halloween gathering this evening. Probably the best chili I’ve ever tasted. Love the touch of brown sugar!
Dolly
Can I give it more than 5 stars? Thank you, Kate (and Cookie)! This has been my go-to chili recipe for a couple years now; it’s about time I comment how wonderful it is. The blender trick is everything – I just love the resulting chili texture. No need to modify as this recipe contains basic pantry ingredients (for me) and is tasty just as written! Making some right now :)
Mia
Hello, Kate—in your recipes that call for chili powder, do you mean the chili powder blend of spices or chile powder made from just chiles? I’ve had problems with overpowering cumin flavor in recipes that call for both chili powder blend (has cumin) and also additional cumin so I want to be sure. Thank you!
Kate
Hi Mia! The blend works great here. Let me know if you try it!
Steph
This one is going into the fall/winter dinner rotation! Both my husband and 11 y/o gave it a big thumbs up. Glad I didn’t skip the step of blending the1.5 cups chili. It makes the final dish nice and hearty. Served with jackfruit and cheese quesadillas but husband got out the scoop corn chips and shoveled it in that way. Thanks for another great vegetarian recipe!
Allison
I made this chili this week and it was delicious. I didn’t have black beans in my pantry so I substituted for 1 can red kidney beans and 1 can of pinto beans. We topped with crushed tortilla chips and cheese with a side of cornbread. Great for a fall dinner and leftovers even better.
Carline K Ash
Can I make your vegetarian chili in a crock pot?
Kate
I prefer it in the method it was written, but I know others don’t mind it in the crock pot! The cooking of the vegetables before hand and the blending are key to the flavor here.
LeoMomof3Ninjas
Excellent. Not a great cook, but this came out a winner for my carnivore family. Thank you!
Sonja
obsessed. i forgot black beans so i doubled down on pinto and cut back on the broth a little. the spices in this are perfect. served mine with cornbread.
Mary
Great recipe. I like to use the small red beans with the black. Re chili powder. In the US chile powder is a spice blend with dried ground chiles as one of the ingredients. In many countries chili powder is dried ground chiles only and not a blend. Much hotter as a result. Many of us (ahem) learned that the hard way!
Jennifer Corbett
This chili was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as written, and my husband and I loved it with fresh cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. I took out abut 3 cups of chili and used an immersion blender to purée some of the chunky veggies and beans, then returned it to the pot. It was amazing! Looking forward to having it for today’s lunch as well. Thank you!
Laura d.
A tip for people who love chili but not spicy foods: Buy California chili powder from your local Mexican store, it’s made from sweet peppers but gives you the same color & flavor without the spiciness. It’s how I get my kid to chow down on various Mexican recipes. I’m excited to try this dish this tonight with some cornbread!
Pattie
I am vegetarian and have never eaten any meat or fish!
Finally, found some good vegetarian recipes. I am 78 years young!
Thanks
Pattie
Kate
I’m glad you like this one, Pattie!
Diana
Hi Kate! I loved the recipe (made it exactly as instructed). Would this work in a crockpot/slow cooker? What would I have to do differently?and what would be the cooking time? Should I add the beans at the start of cooking or towards the end?
Kate
Hi Diana, I know several people who have made it in a slow cooker. I suggest you check the comments to see what others may be recommending.
Lisa
Oh wow! I just made this and it is the best chilli recipe that I have ever tasted!
I served it with fresh coriander, avocado, and vegan sour cream.
Will definitely make this again.
5 stars to you.
Kate
Thank you, Lisa!
Susan
Amazing! Everyone loved it, even stacked up against traditional chili in a contest. I decreased the beans and subbed in roasted sweet potatoes. Also used fire-roasted tomatoes. Thanks for another winner!
Kate
You’re welcome, Susan!
Ann
I have used this recipe time and time again, the flavour and consistency is wonderful. As soon as the weather turns colder it’s the first meal I think of making. You can add extras too, I like to add some sweet potato, corn and chopped mushrooms, I also add some cayenne pepper. You just can’t go wrong! Thank you, I just love your recipes ❤
Kate
I’m glad you keep coming back to this recipe, Ann! I appreciate your review.
Meg in N.H.
So hearty, easy and delicious. Even better the next day! I make a batch and have it for lunch throughout the week. I substitute red kidney beans for more color and heft.