Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: This vegetarian chili is so nutritious and easy to make. It’s a one pan meal so cleanup is easy too.
How long it takes: 55 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large pot or Dutch oven, sharp knife, can opener, small strainer
Servings: 8
Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Hearty AND healthy! With three kinds of beans (pinto, black, and kidney) and loads of good-for-you veggies, vegetarian chili is totally satisfying and nutritious. And with only 226 calories per serving, you can go a little crazy with toppings and not feel guilty about it. That’s my kind of chili!
A crowd pleaser. With just the right amount of spiciness and heat, this chili will please just about anyone. Perfect for a vegan, vegetarian, or just plain healthy eater, vegetarian chili is a hearty meatless main dish that satisfies even meat-lovers.
Not difficult to make. This vegetarian chili is a one pan meal that can be on the table in under an hour. The ingredient list may look long but other than chopping some vegetables and opening cans, it’s really not a lot of work. Some of the prep work can be done ahead of time (keep reading for ideas).
Ingredient Notes
- Kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans: Lots of healthy beans! Beans add protein and substance to the chili, taking the place of meat. Feel free to substitute different types of beans. If you like to begin with dried beans, make beans in your Instant Pot pressure cooker. It’s so fast and you don’t even have to soak them ahead of time.
- Bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, corn: Lots of healthy veggies, too!
- Tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes: And lots of tomatoes. Think of all that healthy lycopene, such a powerful antioxidant.
- Jalapeño peppers and chili powder: What’s chili without a little heat? Make your own chili seasoning blend if you like, substituting it for the chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
- Garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper: Herbs and spices to add flavor.
- Water or vegetable broth: To pull it all together!
- Your choice of toppings: sour cream, jalapeño, cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, crackers, etc.
How To Make Vegetarian Chili
Sauté. Begin by sautéing onions, peppers, carrots and celery with a bit of olive oil in a good sized Dutch oven or pan. Once they’ve softened a bit, add the tomato paste and spices. Stir them around briefly to heat and enhance their flavor.
Simmer. Next, just add everything else to the pan, except the corn. Simmer the chili for at least thirty minutes. It won’t hurt if you simmer it longer either. Add a little broth or water if it’s looking a little too thick. Chili is pretty forgiving one way or the other.
Add corn. Add a can of corn right before serving. Why wait? It will stay crisper that way, that’s all, so it’s not a big deal if you forget and put it in right away.
Add toppings and serve. I love to add toppings to any kind of chili. That’s the best part! Why have a bowl of bare chili (gasp!) when you can dress it up? Have a variety of toppings available so everyone can choose what they like best. So fun and delicious!
What to serve with chili
Serve your chili with homemade Dutch oven bread or no-knead whole wheat bread. Everyone loves homemade bread! Homemade crackers are easy and fun, too. And who doesn’t like cornbread or corn muffins with chili?
Easy Recipe Variations
- Play around with the vegetables. Cubed sweet potato is wonderful in chili and so is kale. Use what you have on hand or what you like best.
- Try different beans. There are lots of different types of canned beans and most of them will work well in chili. Canned lentils are great, too. Find your favorite combo of beans.
- Bulk it up. Add quinoa, bulgar, or chopped mushrooms to the chili for a meatier texture. Or add your favorite meat substitute.
- Make it spicy. Add more jalapeño and chili powder. Red pepper flakes or hot pepper sauce will heat it up, too.
More Chili Recipes
Chili with meat. Try slow cooker Texas chili, turkey and beef chili with beer and beans, or turkey quinoa chili (under 400 calories!).
White chicken chili. Try Instant Pot white chicken chili, white chicken chili, or slow cooker white chicken chili.
More chili. I even have a recipe for jerk chicken chili! Plus another vegetarian quinoa chili with black beans.
Prep the veggies: To get a head start on making this chili, dice all the veggies in the morning and put them in a ziplock bag for easy prep at suppertime.
Slow cooker: Put all the ingredients into a slow cooker in the morning and cook on low all day so the chili is ready at dinnertime.
Freeze it. Leftover chili is great! It reheats really well. This recipe makes a big batch, or you can make a double batch and freeze half for an easy dinner when you’re in a pinch.
Refrigerate: Store leftover chili in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Put chili into freezer safe containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheat: Warm a bowlful of chili in the microwave (covered), or reheat larger quantities in a saucepan or skillet. If chili seems too thick, add a bit more water or broth.
Cut a spaghetti squash in half and bake until tender. Fill the baked halves with warm chili, sprinkle with cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, and broil 4 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Another suggestion: Spoon warm chili into baked potatoes, Instant Pot baked potatoes, or Instant Pot sweet potatoes.
Free Meal Plan
Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at my Meal Plan #1 or Meal Plan #31. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let me do the planning for you this week!
More Vegetarian Recipes
Vegetarian Chili Recipe – Stovetop or Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
- 1 cup chopped carrot (about 1 large carrot)
- 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks celery)
- 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium. onion)
- 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, more to taste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (no salt added)
- 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
- Optional toppings: Sour cream, jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, cheese, or tortilla chips.
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add oil, bell peppers, carrot, celery, onion, jalapeño, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 6 to 7 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften and onions are translucent.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 red bell pepper, chopped, 1 green bell pepper, chopped, 1 cup chopped carrot, 1 cup chopped celery, 1 cup chopped onion, 1 jalapeño, finely chopped, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- Add tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring, for another minute or until fragrant.2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 2 tablespoons chili powder, more to taste, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce, 2 cans (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, 1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained, 1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, rinsed and drained, 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes (see note), partially covered.
- Add corn immediately prior to serving and heat through.1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained
- Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
- Cooking note: Chili can be simmered more than 30 minutes, if desired. If it appears too thick, add more water or broth.
- Slow cooker: Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Optional add-ins: cubed sweet potato, chopped kale, cooked quinoa or bulgar, minced jalapeño pepper, red pepper flakes, hot sauce … or your favorite secret ingredient!
- Storage & reheating: Store leftover chili in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. To reheat, warm a bowlful in the microwave, or reheat it in a saucepan or skillet. If chili seems too thick, add a bit more water or broth.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
We loved this recipe!!!! I added ground beef to it and it was perfect for us, the flavor and all of the veggies and beans turned out yummy! My husband could not believe I made this! Real ingredients and homemade meals CAN be affordable and yummy! Thanks Rachel for this new staple chili recipe!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This was very delicious! My husband really liked it. I added ground chuck, 2 teaspoons of Worstishire sauce, some lime juice to the bowl before serving. Had with avacado, fresh cilantro, sour cream. Planning on making this on a monthly basis from here on out, as it’s just my husband and I, and freeze single servings to pull out when I don’t feel like cooking.
I will be adding some cheyenne the next time I make it. Both my husband and I like a little kick to our chili.
I’m so glad you liked it!