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This vegetarian chili recipe is full of tender vegetables, a combination of beans, and loaded with seasonings. It’s an easy one-pot chili bursting with so many flavors and textures that you won’t even miss the meat!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This incredibly hearty chili can be on the table in just 30 minutes. It’s perfect for busy school nights!
- Healthy Option: This recipe is a high protein vegetarian option. Other recipes that offer this are this vegetable stir-fry, my vegetable soup, and Cuban black beans.
- Vegetables: I can’t always get my kids to eat their vegetables unless they are in a soup or chili like this. They taste amazing, and the kids don’t even realize it!
Ingredients You Will Need
Chili doesn’t have to have meat to be chili! In my opinion, chili is ALL about the beans and the flavor. Trust me, you won’t be the meat in the vegetarian chili recipe. The exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Olive Oil: For cooking onions and garlic.
- Onion: Adds a sweet flavor and nice texture.
- Bell Peppers: I used red and green bell peppers to add some color and crunch.
- Garlic: A tiny clove with a big punch of garlic makes everything taste better.
- Green Chilies: Adds to the Mexican-inspired flavors in this chili.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes: I love the extra char and flavor from the canned fire roasted tomatoes in this recipe. It adds depth to the flavor!
- Kidney Beans, Chili Beans, Black Beans: The best trio of beans that add protein and texture to the vegetarian chili.
- Vegetable Broth: A key ingredient to making this a vegetarian chili. The broth is a savory base for the chili.
- Spices: It’s time to break out your spice rack! I used large amounts of chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. I like my vegetarian chili seasoned very well!
- Salt: Season to taste!
Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Gather those ingredients, grab your soup pot, and let’s get cooking! Vegetarian chili is SO easy to prepare. All you need to do is give your onions and garlic a quick sauté, then combine all of the ingredients together. Let it cook until it’s hearty, rich, and packed with flavor!
- Sauté Onion, Peppers, and Garlic: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the oil and onion and cook until the onions are tender. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
- Combine Ingredients: Add canned tomatoes, green chilies, broth, chili beans (with juices), kidney beans, black beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt.
- Simmer: Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Serve: Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Garnish with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Can I Cook it in a Crockpot or Instant Pot?
Yes! This vegetarian chili recipe can be cooked in a slow cooker and an Instant Pot! This recipe is so incredibly easy to make using any method you choose.
- Crockpot Vegetarian Chili: Before adding the ingredients to the slow cooker, sauté the onions and peppers. Add the oil to a medium sized skillet, then heat over medium high heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook for 5-6 minutes. Once cooked and tender, add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours.
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili: To cook this in the instant pot, add the olive oil, onions, and peppers in the “sauté” mode. Cook until tender, then add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add the rest of the ingredients to the instant pot and cook on “manual” for 20 minutes. Then, do a slow release of the steam and enjoy!
Vegetarian Chili Variations
Here are a few ideas on how you can easily switch up this vegetarian chili. Depending on what ingredients you have on hand at home, this chili can be different every time!
- Use Different Vegetables: Switch this chili up easily by using different vegetables! Some that I like to add in are bell peppers, chopped zucchini, or peas!
- Turn up the Heat: Red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or Tabasco sauce on top would make it spicy!
- Switch Up the Beans: I love the chili beans in this recipe because of the tomato sauce they come in. It adds so much flavor, but feel free to use pinto beans or white beans. Any beans work in this chili.
- Toppings: Top your chili with whatever you desire! We love cilantro, lime juice, sliced avocado, and jalapeños. It’s also delicious with sour cream and cheese!
Storing Leftover Vegetarian Chili
This vegetarian chili is perfect for meal prep throughout the week! Make a big batch for future lunches or dinners. It’s so easy to store and enjoy later.
- In the Refrigerator: Once the chili has cooled, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- In the Freezer: After cooking, allow the chili to cool down, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Be sure to leave some space at the top to account for expansion as the soup freezes. Then, label it with the date. This chili will last about 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: When you’re ready to use the frozen chili, simply thaw it in the fridge overnight. Once thawed, you can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave until it’s heated throughout.
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Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups bell peppers, diced (I use a combination of red, green and yellow)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 28 ounces fire roasted tomatoes, with juices
- 4 ounces green chilies, canned
- 3 cups vegetable broth, or water
- 15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces chili beans, with juices
- 15 ounces kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- avocado, cilantro, or limes, for topping
Instructions
- In a large pot add the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté until tender.
- Add in the canned tomatoes, green chilies, broth, chili beans, kidney beans, black beans, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt.
- Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings if desired. Enjoy the chili with your favorite toppings!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What are “chili beans” ? Pintos?
Hi John, thank you for your question. Yes chili beans are basically just pinto beans. The only difference is the sauce they are canned in is slightly different. You can use whatever beans you’d like. I just like the flavor they add.
This is very flavorful, but as others mentioned thin. With that in mind, I used 2 1/2 cups water with the amount of Better Than Bouillion that I’d use for 3 cups. It was still thin. Normally, I’d mash some of the beans then add them back like I do when making Cajun Red Beans. However, I had Masa Harina in the pantry, so instead used 2T of that(same that I add to a pot of my regular chili). Perfect.
Best veggie chili that I’ve tasted or made. Thank you!
Veggies good but found it to be too watery. I only added the appropriate broth as per instructions. Is there a way to thicken it? Might serve over rice.
When making Cajun red beans,,I mash a large spoonful of beans to thicken it. That should work with this recipe.
Alyssa … Thank you so much for sharing these recipes with us. I am anxious to try this Chili Recipe.