Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe (vegan chili!)
This Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe is our family's go-to, one-pot meal. It's full of vegetables, made with pantry staple ingredients, and is so easy to make. It's a delicious vegan chili that everyone raves about!
Photos updated in 2020. Same delicious chili recipe.
I love sitting down to a big bowl of hearty vegetarian chili on a cool evening. I actually prefer vegetarian chili to a meat-based chili, even though I can no longer refer to myself as a vegetarian.
When I was 20 years old, I decided to stop eating meat. During those 14 years, I became really attached to my meat-free comfort foods. Vegetarian chili is at the top of my list followed very closely by Thai coconut curries and Indian curries.
There's just something about a one-pot meal where all the flavors meld together to become so much more than they could have been on their own.
Enter this Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe …
I've been making this homemade chili for so many years that it's become second nature to make it. Honestly, it felt a little funny measuring the ingredients so I could share the recipe with you.
There is one thing you need to know: I wasn't joking about this being an easy chili recipe. Even though I have all the ingredients listed in proper measurements, feel free to eyeball and make substitutions. This is one chili that you cannot mess up.
And if you love your crockpot, I've made a Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili Recipe. It's basically this recipe with a few tweaks to make it work in a slow cooker.
Check out our video for how to make vegetarian chili:
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See how crazy easy it is to make vegan chili?
The one thing you need to know about this (or any) vegetarian chili recipe, is that you want to salt it well. Salt helps bring out the flavor as well as create a feeling of depth that can sometimes be lacking in vegetarian recipes. Don't be shy with the salt shaker.
I absolutely LOVE sitting down to a bowl of this chili because it's not only delicious, it's so healthy for you, too. There are so many veggies in here that you have to feel good eating it.
Usually, we'll eat it on its own or with a little cheese on top. But once in a while, we'll get fancy and make some cornbread. Our favorite is still these Cheesy Chili Zucchini Cornbread Muffins with Chili Honey Butter. If you haven't tried them yet, I highly recommend you do! We also love this chili with our Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread.
I always make my chili super spicy, but you don't have to. That's the thing about this chili, you really don't ‘have to' do anything. It's essentially just a bunch of veggies, some beans, and some spices. You can add more or less of any the veggies or spices, or leave some out entirely. You can switch up the beans by adding a different kind or a few different kinds of beans. This chili recipe is extremely flexible and can be used as a guide for making many different vegetarian chili recipes.
The only thing I wouldn't leave out of the chili is the corn. But then again, I just love the crunchy sweet bits in each bite. If corn is not your thing (do people who don't like corn exist?) then just leave it out š
Vegetarian Chili Toppings
While it's delicious on its own, we love this chili with some toppings. They make it feel extra special. Our favorites are:
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Sour Cream
- Corn chips (bonus if they're nacho flavored!)
- Sliced green onions
Vegan Chili Toppings
Don't worry vegans, we've got you covered!
- Diced avocado (amazing!)
- Chopped cilantro
- A sprinkle of nutritional yeast for some healthy cheesy flavor
- Pickled red onions. This is the recipe that I LOVE!
- Corn chips (but skip the nacho flavored ones)
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Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipes:
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili Recipe
- Chipotle Bourbon Pumpkin Chili
- Chocolate Quinoa Chili
- Black Bean and Corn Chili with Avocado Salsa
- Sweet Potato Chili with Chickpeas
- Chili Stuffed Peppers
Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe (vegan chili!)
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1-3 tablespoons chili powder, more will be spicier
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Ā¼ – 2 teaspoons chili flakes, the more chili flakes the spicier it will be
- 2 medium bell peppers, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 3 medium celery stalks, diced
- 2 28-ounce cans of whole tomatoes and their juice, use your hands to roughly crush the tomatoes
- 2 15-ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed (we like kidney and white beans)
- 2 cups frozen corn, you could use fresh but frozen is easy and works great
- Sea salt, to taste (we like about 2 teaspoons)
- Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, diced avocados, or green onion
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sautĆ© for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sautĆ© for 1 minute more. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and chili flakes and stir.2 tablespoons cooking oil, 1 large onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1-3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 tablespoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, Ā¼ – 2 teaspoons chili flakes
- Add the peppers, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Add the tomatoes and their juice and bring to a simmer. Once the chili begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. You want the chili to be at a low simmer with the lid off.2 medium bell peppers, 2 medium carrots, 3 medium celery stalks, 2 28-ounce cans of whole tomatoes and their juice
- Continue to cook the chili, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add beans and corn and let the chili return to a simmer. Cook for 5 more minutes or until the corn and beans have heated through. Season generously with sea salt.2 15-ounce cans of beans, 2 cups frozen corn, Sea salt
- Serve on its own or topped with one (or all!) of the delicious toppings. Enjoy!Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, diced avocados, or green onion
Notes
Ā
ĀServe this vegetarian chili with:
Flavor was great! It was a bit too thick for me so I had to add about a cup of water and cut the recipe in half for just me and my boyfriend =] Over all delicious! Thanks for sharing!
This chili was so delicious on this frigid winter evening. Ā Beautifully seasoned and spiced, but still, out of habit more than need, I did throw in some fennel seeds and two chipotles for smokiness. Ā This is the very first recipe I have ever come across where you have had the consideration to reprint the ingredients and measurements for each step of the recipe, saving all that unnecessary scrolling. Ā I am most grateful.
love this recipe going to make it for my friend this weekend
always love this recipe have it each week going to make for my friend soon
This chili was so good! The whole family loved it!
Delicious! I started from dry kidney beans. Sprouted them first, then cooked them. Instead of corn, I added a can of butternut squash, which added richness and sweetness without squash taste. I will make this again.
It is literally very very yummy and the best part is, it is very easy to make. Thank you for sharing chili recipe for nonveg lovers.
Can this chili be done the day before and reheated for an office event with the cheesy chili zucchini muffins
Yes! The chili is actually even better the next day. And the muffins will keep well if you store them in a sealed bag after they cool completely. š
So so delicious. I was a bit dubious at first when I saw tbsp of seasoning but it was full of flavour and so delicious. I put 2 tbsp of chilli powder in and that was perfect for me. I used mixed beans and some butter beans. So tasty. Will definitely cook again. Thank you!
Boyfriend & I love this & make on a regular basis. So simple and easy. We like spicy food so we sometimes add a jalapeƱo or habanero to add a little more heat. Even better the next day in quesadillas and such. I can’t wait to try the other sweet potato chili too!
Hi Kitty! I’m interested in how you use them in quesadillas — do you just poor some on a tortilla while in the pan?
Wow, your recipe is so amazing. I have never known this recipe. Thank for sharing. I will share this recipe for my friends and my family. I think they love it too.
Really tasty recipe – I did adapt it somewhat adding in smoked paprika, ginger, cocoa powder, a generous slosh of Worcestershire sauce and plenty of black pepper – about 1/2 teaspoon of salt (mind the arteries!) – absolutely delicious. Served with nachos and grated cheese ( melted under the grill) and a dollop of Greek yogurt in lieu of sour cream š
Made this for the family which usually want meat in everything but they all loved this. I did add some soya mince but the flavor comes from the recipe.
I prepared two types of this; one just mild spiciness so kids can enjoy also and the other one is filled chili as requested by my hubby and me. It smells good and very inviting and I personally love the mixture of corn, carrots plus the sour cream toppings.
Thank you for letting us know you loved the recipe!
Looks delicious! Can you make this in an instant pot? If so, what would you do differently?
I haven’t tried making this in an Instant Pot but I suspect that it could be. I would suggest finding an IP chili recipe and using the method for that one and the ingredients in this one. š
Look yummy! One of my favorite Vegetarian Chili, nice to see your recipe, easy to follow, will cook this for family this weekend. Thanks you!
I hope that you love it as much as we do!
Awesome! Vegetarian Chili is my favorite food. It’s great to be able to make it yourself at home, really it’s not as difficult as I thought, just follow your detailed instructions, everything becomes so easy. Best regards!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe!
I made it for dinner tonight. Itās delicious!
That’s wonderful to hear, Lynelle!
I made Ā this delicious chili for an informal Christmas party and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it!! Thank you for a quick hearty vegan meal!Ā
You’re very welcome, Susan!
Last Christmas I made this.
Very delicious and easy to make for the whole family.
Thanks for sharing
You’re very welcome!
Yum!! Made this tonight and served with pica Ā de Gallo, brown rice, avo, some corn chips for scrunch and sour cream and it was delicious. I only added half the Chili recommended and that was enough spice for me. Delicious recipe and will be trying more of your creations.Ā
Awesome! So happy you like the recipe!
Very good!! We’re cutting down on meat in general, and I stumbled on this recipe. Everyone loved it, and my 17 yr old son was shocked when I pointed out that there was no meat in it! I used the food processor on the onion, carrots, celery, and pepper. I think that made it look like meat, once the seasonings soaked into them. I also added cubed/diced butternut squash, and it was delicious!
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!
Brilliantly simple recepie big on flavour really enjoyed making this, so adaptable as well.
Thanks so much, will definitely make again and check out your other recepies.
That makes me so happy to hear! Hooray!
Where do we find the compulsion organic blog you mentioned? Thanks in advance from a fellow Okanaganite!
I wish that you could but she stopped blogging years ago. I hope she takes it up one day again as she’s a great cook!
Love this recipeĀ
I used 1/2 chipotle powder and 1/2 New Mexico Anaheim chili powder WOWĀ
Good call on the spices! Yum!
I’ve been making a vegetarian chili for a few years now – similar ingredients except one big difference is that I put in a good amount of quartered mushrooms. They add a lot of flavor and heartiness to the chili. You can even cook the mushrooms before you put them in to give them a richer flavor. Kind of replaces the meat for the depth of flavor and is added protein. First time I made it was for a potluck chili cookoff at work to provide a vegetarian option. I was surprised that it got quite a few votes for the best chili – in a group of burly meat eating men. Sometimes I’ll add some butternut squash – which is really good if you have some around.
That’s so wonderful to hear! Hooray!!
I love to cook and I’m always looking for new recipes for my menu, which makes me always interested in my work. Todayās my lucky day, Vegetarian Chili Recipe recipe is great, just follow the instructions and everything is easy, I like it. Thanks for your sharing
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!
Ā I thought this was pretty good but lacking a little bite or something. I added 3 tablespoons of dry red wine and it was perfect. I served it over brown rice. Ā Yum!carolyn
A little wine never hurts!
We love this recipe! My 17yo daughter is a vegetarian, and this is a recipe we all enjoy! My question is if it will freeze well? Canāt decide what I think. Thanks.Ā
So happy to hear the recipe was a hit. And yes, it freezes very well! I freeze it in plastic freezer bags. š
I’m new to vegetarianism and this recipe absolutely blew my mind. I can’t believe how good it tastes. I served it over rice and ate it with tortilla chips. Amazing.
Yay! Love hearing that you enjoyed the recipe!
So delicious. I added butternut squash. My son and daughter-in-law loved. Best of all my 2.5 year old grandson had 2 helpings!! Ā Definitely making again. Fun to add different veggiesā¤ļø
Good call on the butternut squash. So great when kids gobble up their healthy dinners, isn’t it?
Turned out great. I can’t do spicy so I eased up on the chili a bit. Added soy meatless crumbles and a little water as it was very thick. I will ease up on the salt next time too as it was a bit too salty. Great vegan meal. Topped with green onions and cilantro.
So happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
Iāve cooked this before and Iām cooking it again! Iām vegan and my meat eating family really enjoys this. I omit the celery and use half the bell pepper since Iām not a fan of either. I add the beyond meat and crumble it into the chili for extra protein and a nice meaty flavor! Tastes great thank you!
That’s wonderful to hear! So happy to know that your whole family likes this recipe!
Have you ever made this earlier in the day and put into a slow cooker once ready just to keep warm till ready to serve?
I haven’t but I’ve done that with other chili recipes and it’s worked well. I suspect it would work well with this recipe, too. š
Meatless chili recipes please.
Ok! We’ve got quite a few around here and you can find our vegetarian chilis and curry recipes here. I’ll have to dream up a few more!
Thank you for this fantastic recipe and clear instructions! Today I’ve made it and it’s really delicious. Can’t wait to make it again =)
You are very welcome!
This recipe is AMAZING! So simple to make, and you can pretty much throw in what you’ve got on hand , doesn’t have to be exactly the same everytime – which is every moms PERFECT recipe, right?! I didn’t have any bell peppers on hand so I cut up extra celery and carrots. I used 1/4 beef stock and put the beans in simmering pot for about an hour to help thicken it up more. Served with a little cheese , sour cream and crumbled cornbread (it’s been cold and rainy) everyone was SO happy. Thank you for sharing with us, definitly being made again… And again! āā¤
Love when a recipe makes everyone at the table happy! Hooray!
I didn’t miss meat or meat substitute one bit – great recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I’m thrilled that you love this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to come back and let us know!
Reading the reviews, I had a feeling this chili would be really good; but oh my gosh, this truly is THE BEST vegetarian chili I have ever had. So much flavor, I can’t believe it. Thank you for this recipe! I can’t wait to make it again!
That is fantastic! Thank you for coming back to let us know!
Could you make this in a crock pot?
I haven’t tried it but I suspect it would work well!
I really loved this recipe! I was a little confused about when the stock was supposed to be used, so I added in some veggie stock right after the carrots/peppers and it worked out great. Loved the complex and deep yummy flavors. Thanks for sharing! Will definitely be making again š
So happy it was a hit!
Do you think this would freeze ok?
This chili freezes very well!
My husband and I loved this recipe. This is about the third veggie chili recipe I’ve tried and we’re so excited that we finally found a winner! Usually the chili doesnt have enough flavor but this had just the right amount, I only used about 3/4 tsp chili flakes, which was perfect amount of spice for us! I cant wait for leftovers tomorrow! Thanks so much for sharing!
Yay! I’m so happy to hear that!
I didn’t have time to cook this on the stovetop, and instead dumped all the ingredients into the slow cooker before I left for work. Well, six hours later my house smells like heaven and the chili is perfect! I love that it’s vegetarian and uses simple basic ingredients I have on hand already. This recipe blew my expectations – who knew beans and veggies taste so good?!
Thank you for this recipe. Definitely a new family favorite!
I’m so happy it was a hit!
If you are not using 1/4 cup prawn stock, should you substitute another type of stock so as to have the appropriate amount of liquid?
Nope! It’s fine to simply omit it. š
Kristen, I went to the kitchen as soon as I finished reading your recipe, I really didn’t expect that I could make it. Love you very much
You are very welcome!!
Does this store well in the fridge? If so, what would be the best way to reheat it?
It does! It also freezes well, too. I heat it on a pot on the stove. If you have a microwave I’m sure that would work just as well. š
Kristen, this looks amazing! Thank you, I will try this right away)
Thank you!
Kristen, itās really awesome! This will quickly become a favorite in our house!
I’m so happy to hear it’s a hit!
Iāve tried so many different vegetarian chili recipes most found to be good but all lacking heartiness in flavor. Thank you for this delicious hearty vegetarian chili recipe! I read 1 of the reviews suggesting mushrooms so I also added Baby Bellaās and added 1 jalapeƱo for extra heat. This will be my go to recipe from now on. Went great over a scoop of brown rice.
I’m so happy to hear the recipe was a hit!
My whole family enjoyed this chili, it is surprisingly filling and flavorful without the meat! We added the sour cream and cheese for some richness. Definitely will be making this again soon!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe!