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This Easy Vegan Chili Recipe is healthy, hearty, and a perfect cozy meal for chilly days! It’s packed with protein and fiber thanks to beans & veggies.
What’s your go-to cozy rainy day food? For me it’s chili. There’s nothing quite like a steamy, chunky, meaty bowl of chili to satisfy your cravings (and keep you full!). This Easy Vegan Chili is my fuss-free, plant-based twist on the classic chili. Vegans, vegetarians, and even meat-eaters will enjoy it.
This vegan chili is a perfect weeknight or weekend meal! It’d be perfect for game day or entertaining a large crowd, but it’s also easy enough to make for meal prep for a busy week, too.
INGREDIENTS FOR VEGAN CHILI
Not only is this Chili super easy to make, but it’s also full of plant-based protein and fiber to keep you full and satisfied for hours and hours. Plus, you only need 11 healthy ingredients to make it! And I’m betting you already have most of them sitting around in your pantry too…
There are a lot of different ways to make chili, but I decided to stick with the classic flavors for this one. This Vegan Chili is a moderately-spiced, tomato-y stew loaded with chunks of celery, onion, green bell pepper, and carrot. Spices like ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, and cayenne pepper add some body to the chili, while kidney beans and pinto beans give a hearty and creamy texture. Once everything simmers together and of those yummy flavors combine, you’ll be left with a chunky and thick chili that has a surprisingly meaty texture. No need to add any animal protein here!
HOW TO MAKE VEGETARIAN & VEGAN CHILI
Did I mention that this chili comes together in only 30 minutes? It’s the perfect fuss-free dinner that’s simple, but still delicious.
- Sauté the base veggies (onion, celery, peppers) and spices to create great flavor.
- Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and vegetable broth, then simmer until all the flavors combine.
- Top as desired, then serve and enjoy!
But wait! We can’t talk about Chili without talking about toppings…that’s like, almost the best part.
WAYS TO SERVE CHILI
I love to top my vegan chili with freshly sliced green onions for a little bite, as well as some nutritional yeast for a “cheesy” taste. I also enjoy a large dollop of vegan sour cream (or thinned out vegan cream cheese) on top of a steamy bowl, but that’s not a deal-breaker in my opinion.You can also top your chili with shredded vegan cheese, avocado, cilantro, and/or tortilla chips for more of a Southwestern flavor!
But most importantly, don’t forget the side of Easy Vegan Cornbread. You can also serve this vegan chili over roasted sweet potatoes or rice for an even heartier main!
COOKING TIPS + FAQ:
- How can I make this chili even “meatier”? If you’re looking for an extra hearty meal, you can always toss in a package of imitation ground “beef” or some chopped vegan sausage – see the recipe notes for more info.
- How long does vegan chili last in the fridge? Freshly made chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Can I freeze chili? Yes! Store it in an airtight freezer-safe baggie for up to 2 months. You can also pre-portion your chili for easy-to-reheat meals.
- Canned Beans: I like to make my chili with canned beans out of convenience. If you don’t have any digestion issues, try draining your beans but not rinsing them – this makes the chili have an even creamier texture
If you’re looking for more Vegan Chili Recipes, you’ll also love this Butternut Squash & White Bean Chili and this Slow Cooker Bean & Quinoa Chili! And don’t forget to serve it all up with a side of some EasyVegan Cornbread for good measure.
Finally, if you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I love seeing your delicious recreations 🙂
PrintEasy Vegan Chili Recipe
This easy Vegan Chili Recipe is healthy, hearty, and a perfect cozy meal for chilly days! It’s packed with protein and fiber thanks to beans & veggies.
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 Servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 green bell peppers, diced
- 3 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 small carrots, thinly sliced
- 4 tablespoons ancho chili powder*
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (Optional)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 15-ounce (425 g) cans red kidney beans, drained
- 2 15-ounce (425 g) cans pinto beans, drained
- 2 28-ounce (793 g) cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup (235 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth (or water)
- Optional Toppings: green onions, nutritional yeast, vegan sour cream, etc.
Instructions
- Base Flavor: Warm a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1/3 cup (80 ml) of water (see notes for oil version) to the pot and add the onion, celery, and green pepper to a large nonstick pot. Cook until all the water evaporates, stirring occasionally. Once the pot is “dry” and the vegetables start to turn golden brown, deglaze the pot with an additional 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water. This process should take around 10 minutes total.
- Spices: Reduce to medium heat and add the garlic, and carrots to the pot along with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and optional cayenne pepper. Sauté for an additional 2-3 minutes, adding a small splash of water if things start to stick.
- Simmer: Finally, add the kidney beans, pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, and the vegetable broth to the pot. Bring everything to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to create a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot and cook uncovered for 5 to 7 additional minutes, until the carrots are tender and the chili reaches your desired thickness. Stir this mixture occasionally, to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot.
- Serve: Serve warm, and top as desired. Leftovers can be store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also store this vegan chili in the freezer for up to one month.
Notes
- Chili Powder: Your chili powder should be pure ancho chili powder for better flavor, not a “blend” of various spices and salt. If you use a spice blend with salt, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon, adding more as necessary.
- Beans: You can swap out the pinto beans or kidney beans for black beans, if you’d like. Or check out my Chipotle Black Bean Chili!
- Oil Version: Sauté the onion, celery, and green pepper in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring only occasionally so they stick to the bottom of the pan. Deglaze with the 1/4 cup of water as instructed in step one, scraping the bottom of the pan as necessary. Continue with the recipe as written.
- Make it Meaty: sauté the vegan “ground” or chopped sausage along with the garlic and spices in step 2.
Keywords: Vegan chili, easy vegan chili, vegetarian chili recipe, healthy vegetarian chili, gluten free chili
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I will be making this, soon, I love chili and live in Wisconsin – great meal for Winter!
I like this recipe as it is and all I need is a green bell pepper, though I may try it w/o
the beans but add some of my Gardein ground “burger”: bits, or soaked TVP, or just
have all in the recipe with the bits or TVP. All the options can only be delicious!
Caitlin, thank you so much for your recipes. I’m glad I discovered From My Bowl, you
are creative and are completely savvy with food. All you make is deeply appreciated.
Cheers, Carol
★★★★★
So happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes, it means so much!
Making this for Super Bowl Sunday!
Such a good recipe!! Smells incredible!!
★★★★★
Aw thank you!
if i wanted to make this in a slow cooker could i add everything in at once? anything i should change up first? thank you!! 🙂
Yes you could! 🙂
This recipe was delicious! Although it did take a lot longer to cook on the stove than directed (maybe my stove is just weird, who knows). I ended up adding some vegan beef crumbles I had leftover from another recipe and they tasted amazing in this. Can’t wait to make it again!
★★★★★
Glad you liked it! Some stoves do run hotter than others, especially if it’s gas vs electric. Thanks so much!
Can you make this in the crock pot?
Unfortunately I haven’t tested that, sorry!
This recipe is deeeeelish. I had some leftover vegan beef crumbles from a different recipe and decided to throw those in too. So good!! And so easy. Thanks, Caitlin. 🙂
★★★★★
Sounds awesome! Thanks!
So I really enjoyed this. I was worried I wouldn’t, since I’ve never sauteed veggies in water, but I absolutely do because 1) it worked and 2) it is quite flavorful with the spices. I originally halved the recipe and tonight I’m making the full recipe for my friends! Since theres no oil in the recipe and only as nutritious ingredients, it is super healthy and who doesn’t need something super healthy and delicious in their lives????? A good personal choice one may make to get just a lil more nutrients in with this recipe would definitely be throwing in your favorite greens when you get yourself a bowl. I personally have a hard time eating salad, even though I am vegan, so throwing some spinach helped me get greens in a little more. I wouldn’t add it directly in the recipe, unless you’re eating it all at once, but yes good way for greens.
★★★★★
Happy to hear you enjoyed it and found a way to make it your own!
YUM! Working to eat a more plant based diet and this was GREAT as a Fall supper.
Thank you! Glad you’re enjoying the plant based life.
I’m also a vegan and I love healthy food rich in protein. Your recipe sounds so delicious and I can’t wait to try it. How many calories are there?
Thanks so much! We don’t actually calculate any of the calories for the recipes; but there are some calculators available online that could help give you a rough idea!
Love this recipe! For anyone who wants the calories, I followed the recipe exactly only I used 10 stalks of celery and 4 medium length organic carrots.
152 calories per cup of chili
1330 per pot
Each pot is about 8 3/4 cups.
★★★★★
Glad you liked it!
I’ve made vegan chili so many times and never thought to put celery in it. Never put carrots in it either for that matter!
But I have to say that I tried it recently (based on this recipe) and thought they were awesome additions.
Thank you.
★★★★★
Glad you gave it a shot! Thanks!
This is better then a chilli with meat! Ive recently been trying to switch to a vegan diet . I didn’t think a vegan diet could be so delicious!!!
★★★★★
Always love to hear stuff like this, thank you!
This was delicious but it was SO liquid-y. More like a chili soup! Maybe it’s because I rinsed the beans before I read not to. I just won’t add the extra water next time 🙂
I am a beginner cook but this recipe was easy to make, and tastes so delicious ????
I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I got black beans for this recipe instead of red kidney beans. It that alright?
Yes, that is fine!
It says in the recipe black beans, however, the picture shows kidney beans. I’m assuming kidney beans to use?
Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it!
Whoops! Yes, it should be kidney 🙂 I’ll fix that right now!
So good but SO spicy. I added the cayenne so that’s likely the culprit
★★★★★
Depending on your spice tolerance, cayenne can be a bit upfront with the spice!
Made this tonight…it was another winner FMB!! Comments from the gallery of devourers- “This is award winning!” “This is the best vegetarian (vegan) chilli I’ve ever had.” “You got the spices right.”
I was craving something hot & homemade. This recipe was super easy and turned out great. I added a squeeze of lemon at the end after reading Payal’s comment. I think it paid off for sure.
★★★★★
Thanks for sharing Christina! Glad to hear it was a hit 🙂
I just made this and it’s really good. I used tomatoes, no canned ones, and it’s delicious!! Thank you!!!! I also added a little bit of more cayenne pepper and other spicy spices, because I like it really spicy.
★★★★★
I halved the recipe and made a vegetarian version of it, I’d say go a little ham on salt for this recipe. It was warm and I made mine thick because I like it thick. Also I’d suggest putting some lemon juice in the end for more acidity in the dish.
The recipe was very good and I’m a beginner at cooking and it was very easy to follow and delicious in taste. 10/10 would make again
Thanks for the review, Payal! And definitely feel free to add salt to taste 🙂
Should we really be adding 1/4 CUP of chili powder? That just seems like a lot for a spice.
Yes – it makes a LOT of Chili! You can start with less and add more to taste, if you’d like