Vegetarian Chili Recipe (easy to make with lots of veggies)
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I was a vegetarian for 14 years, and during that time, I perfected this vegetarian chili recipe. It’s a one-pot meal that is full of vegetables, made with pantry staple ingredients, and easy to make. I still make it for my family today, and even our non-vegan friends rave about it.
I love sitting down to a big bowl of hearty chili on a cool evening. Although I can no longer call myself a vegetarian, I prefer vegetarian chili to meat-based chili.
When I was 20 years old, I decided to stop eating meat. During those 14 years, I became attached to my meat-free comfort foods. Vegetarian chili is at the top of my list, followed very closely by my coconut lentil curry, one of my most popular recipes. 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.
I’ve been making this homemade chili for so many years that it’s become second nature. Honestly, measuring the ingredients so I could share the recipe with you felt a little funny.
You need to know one thing: I wasn’t joking about this being an easy 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.
Key ingredients
This vegetarian chili recipe comes together using pantry-staple ingredients – you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand.
- From the spice rack: Chili powder, ground cumin, oregano, and sea salt bring warming flavor to your vegetarian chili.
- Vegetables: Use some fresh bell peppers, carrots, celery stalks, and frozen corn in your vegetarian chili.
- Canned goodies: Grab two cans of whole tomatoes and two cans of beans – I like kidney and white beans!
Tip ⇢ 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 and create a feeling of depth that can sometimes be lacking in vegetarian recipes. Don’t be shy with the salt shaker.
Vegetarian Chili Toppings
While it’s delicious on its own, I love this chili with some toppings. They make it feel extra special. My favorites are:
- Grated cheddar cheese or sour Cream
- Corn chips (bonus if they’re nacho flavored!)
- Sliced green onions
- Diced avocado (amazing!)
- Pickled red onions. This is the recipe that I LOVE!
Serving suggestions
Most of the time time I serve this with a topping or two and call it dinner. But sometimes it’s fun to add a side. My favorite chili sides are garlic bread and zucchini cornbread. And while this is a vegetable loaded chili, a side caesar salad goes nicely!
Store and reheat
Store: Let the chili cool completely, then transfer it to a sealed container, keep it in the fridge, and eat it within one week.
Reheat: I like to reheat this in a pot over medium-low heat, but a microwave also works.
Freeze: This chili freezes very well! Make extras and store some in freezer bags for a quick meal. It will keep for at least 6 months in the freezer.
Vegetarian Chili Recipe (easy to make with lots of veggies)
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
- ¼ – 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 – like kidney and white beans)
- 2 cups frozen corn (you could use fresh but frozen is easy and works great)
- Sea salt (to taste -I 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 sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 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, ¼ – 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
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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This chili was so delicious on this frigid winter evening. Beautifully seasoned and spiced, but still, out of habit more than need, I did throw in some fennel seeds and two chipotles for smokiness. 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. 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. 🙂
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 jalapeño 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 🙂
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. 🙂
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!