Homemade Vegetarian Chili
This simple vegetarian chili recipe tastes incredible! It's easy to make with basic pantry ingredients, vegetables and spices. Gluten free and easily vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on October 3, 2024
It’s freezing cold outside, and has been for days. All I want to eat is cozy comfort food like this vegetarian chili recipe. It’s my favorite, and leftovers taste even better the next day.
This chili is perfect for watching football games with a crowd, since it’s a hearty meatless option that carnivores will enjoy. Plus, it can be vegan and gluten free if you choose your toppings carefully. This chili will satisfy everyone.
I originally published this recipe four years ago. Since then, it’s become your favorite chili recipe as well (four-hundred reviews and counting).
I’ve cheered when you’ve told me that it won your chili competition, and love hearing that it’s become a staple recipe in your kitchen. Hooray!
How to Make the Best Vegetarian Chili
While the ingredients in this chili recipe are super basic, the flavor is anything but. Simple ingredients can taste exceptional when they start off with aromatics like onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
I added traditional chili spices and some smoked paprika for an extra-savory, smoky note. Canned beans and tomatoes contribute delicious plant-based protein and heft.
Blending a small portion of the chili makes it look and taste like a chili that has been cooking all morning long, but it only needs about 30 minutes of simmering. That’s a little trick that I learned from my lentil soup, which is another cozy option for cold days.
Finishing off the chili with a little splash of sherry vinegar (or lime juice) and fresh cilantro makes it taste vibrant and fresh. The vinegar offers a little acidity and complexity, and it makes all the difference.
Watch How to Make Vegetarian Chili
Chili Toppings
This chili is dairy-free and vegan as written. You can keep it that way by choosing vegan toppings like sliced avocado and tortilla chips.
Here’s a full list of options:
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Sour cream or crème fraîche
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Tortilla chips (crumbled if desired)
- Additional cilantro
- Lime wedges
Leftover Chili?
This chili makes great leftovers, which keep well for four days in the refrigerator. Reheat your chili in a bowl, and it’s good to go.
You can also serve this chili as a protein-rich topping on nachos, baked potatoes or oven-baked fries. Stuff your burritos or quesadillas with chili. Why not?
Please let me know how this chili turns out in the comments! I always love to hear from you.
Stay warm out there, and if you love this hearty soup, be sure to check out the soup recipes in my cookbook.
Homemade Vegetarian Chili
The smoky, complex flavor of this simple vegetarian chili comes from basic pantry ingredients, vegetables and spices! It makes great leftovers, too. Recipe yields 4 large or 6 moderate servings of chili.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder*
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika*
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnishing
- 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice, to taste
- Garnishes: chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, tortilla chips, sour cream or crème fraîche, grated cheddar cheese, etc.
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, celery and ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
- Add the diced tomatoes and their juices, the drained black beans and pinto beans, vegetable broth and bay leaf. Stir to combine and let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chili from the heat and discard the bay leaf. For the best texture and flavor, transfer 1 ½ cups of the chili to a blender, making sure to get some of the liquid portion. Securely fasten the lid and blend until smooth (watch out for hot steam), then pour the blended mixture back into the pot. (Or, you can blend the chili briefly with an immersion blender, or mash the chili with a potato masher until it reaches a thicker, more chili-like consistency.)
- Add the chopped cilantro, stir to combine, and then mix in the vinegar, to taste. Add salt to taste, too—I added ¼ teaspoon more at this point. Divide the mixture into individual bowls and serve with garnishes of your choice. This chili will keep well in the refrigerator for about 4 days or you can freeze it for longer-term storage.
Notes
Recipes consulted during the making of this recipe: vegetarian chili with winter vegetables (The New York Times), vegetarian chili (Saveur) and winter vegetable chili (Food and Wine).
Make it vegan/dairy free: This chili recipe is vegan as written. Just be sure to choose vegan/dairy free toppings, such as avocado and tortilla chips.
If you love this recipe: You’ll also love my butternut squash chipotle chili and sweet potato chili. You might also enjoy my hearty lentil soup and black bean soup.
*Spice note: If you are sensitive to spice or using particularly potent spices (I hear that chili powder purchased outside of the U.S. can be very hot), you might want to scale back on the spice here. Start with half of the amounts listed and add more to taste. That said, I enjoy spicy food and found this chili to be well-balanced as written.
**Canned tomatoes note: I recommend Muir Glen brand—they have the best flavor and their cans are BPA-free!
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
SO GOOD. SO GOOD. SO SO SO GOOD. Just made it and it will now be my new go-to chili recipe. I used an immersion blender instead of blender. Served with mini cornbread loaves. Cold weather bliss.
Can u use red wine vinegar? It’s all I have at home today? Can’t wait to cook this tonite!!
You could try it, if that is all you have. I would start with less(maybe half?) and then adjust to taste. Let me know!
Simmering away on the stove as we speak.. omgosh yummy!!! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!!
Oh. My. God. This was THE best vegetarian Chili I have ever had! This was the first recipe I tried from your website (just 4 days ago) and now I am obsessed with all your recipes! I’ve been making 1 recipe of yours each day. Thank you!
Hooray, so happy to hear it, Christine! I’m glad you found my blog. Stay well. :)
I luv this soup! I accidentally added the whole vegetable stock 4 cups instead 2 but it was still good. I also added 2lbs ground plant base/soybean sausage to trick the family and to show them u don’t need meet in everything.
Thank you for sharing!
Hi Kate,
I love this recipe and use it all the time but always wondered what is the reason for adding the garlic after cooking all the other vegetables? Thanks :)
Hi Jenna! It’s with the other spices as to not overcook it while the other vegetables are tenderizing. I hope that helps!
This was a hit!!!
I live in Chicago and we are at a stay at home order. I made back to back the homemade chicken noodle, lentil soup, and this vegetarian chicken. I am set for the next couple of weeks.
Each recipe is very similar in spices and ingredient, I had a blast making them all in one sitting.
Thank you!!!
First chilli I have ever made and I am blown away! You’re right, SO much flavour! I am in love! Perfect vegetarian alternative!
Planning on trying this out today but just wanted to clarify if your recipe actually calls for cocoa powder or if that was just a bunch of people who commented on how they changed your recipe since I didn’t see it in the ingredient list.
Also, I’m assuming it will freeze well, but have you actually tried freezing it successfully?
Thanks for your help!
Hi Kate! No, I don’t add cocoa powder. Yes, this does freeze well!
I did not alter the recipe in any way. Which is actually very unusual for me. The flavors were just right. Oh, I did add some soy crumbles .I sauteed them when the spices were added with the vegetables. This will be my chili recipe.
You = A Culinary Genius. Thank you for this, and so many other, delicious recipes! Took the advice of one other reviewer and added corn. Great addition.
What a treat. To please my husband, I added 1/2 t. liquid smoke, and some rolled oats and a small can of tomato paste to make it even thicker. (And omitted some chili powder.) It was a hit! To my own bowl, I added some canned pumpkin. Delicious!
This was the first recipe I tried on your blog about 3 years ago, and it hooked me! I’ve made probably 25 of your recipes now, and a lot of them weekly!
I’m trying to only go to the store every 10 days during this time, and since I’m out of lettuce I’m moving onto my carrots and wrinkly peppers. Thank you for making me and my family healthier Kate. Also it means a lot to your followers that you posted food preservation and storage tips for us ❤️
Lindsey, thanks so much for your nice note, and happy to hear you’ve been enjoying the recipes! Stay well.
Hi Kate, this recipe is amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!!
.. correction. . ‘ Chilli ‘ ( double l )
.
great recipe tips – I add a chunk dark 70% cocoa chocolate , 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tsp palm sugar/muscovodo brown sugar
adds depth
I’m not a good cook or at least I don’t cook very much so don’t have much confidence or experience in terms of knowing how flavours go together. However, I made this chilli and it was an instant hit with my husband who is generally a meat eater. The flavour is wonderful and the chilli is just as good if not better when eaten the following day. It is so easy as well and you can substitute ingredients for similar products depending what you have in the house. Delicious!! Thank you so much!
This is the best ever chili! Seriously delicious and so simple to make. It’s also going to be the recipe for the next time I have my nieces over and we cook together. It froze and reheated perfectly
P.S. I will confess that I forgot to add the vinegar – if that makes it even more yummy
Thank you for the recipe!
I’m glad it was delicious without the vinegar! And yes, try it with the vinegar next time. I appreciate your comment and review, Ellen!
Loved making and eating this and happily approved by the vegan fiance! ;) Added some sweet potato and Mrs. Dash Chipotle and Table Blend seasonings… the blending step is perfection when it comes to texture!! It was wondedul! Thank you for sharing!
I made this in my Instantpot, 10 minutes on high pressure. I sautéed in the instant and then followed all the other step. It was so delicious! But it was a bit liquidy. Even after taking some out and blending it (which helped a little). I think next time I might drain the tomatoes or only use 1 cup of broth. But it was still delicious! Every one loved it, including a 10 and 6 year old! I will be making this again!
Great chili recipe! Perfect on cold rainy in N.Ca. Thank you for posting.
Hi Kate (and Cookie). Can you please clarify for me, the recipe says 2 large cans OR 2 small cans of diced tomatoes; do you mean 1 large can or 2 small cans? I’m assuming you do but just want to check. Many thanks. Hoping to make this tonight.
Hi Sue: 1 large can (28 ounces) or 2 small cans (15 ounces each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices is what the 1x scale says. Did you by chance check the 2x scale? That would get you want you indicated, which you are correct – it should be 2 large of 4 small cans if you wanted to make it a double recipe. The scale feature isn’t perfect and still working on that so I apologize!
Kate, thanks for responding so quickly, and please don’t apologise. I am very embarrassed; I thought the x2 scale was for the size of text when printing! I will now find it much easier to make as with current restrictions I can’t buy 6 cans of beans at one time! Was wondering why the amounts of ingredients seemed so big! Many embarrassed thanks.
Hi Kate!
We started enjoying your recipes with this vegetarian chili. It’s already a favorite in our household! So delicious! Now we have tried your baked ziti with roasted vegetables- MAGNIFICENT! Next on my list is your Minestrone soup and Enchilada casserole. Can’t wait to try these! Keep the recipes coming- you are so talented and we love your great sense of textures and flavors! Stay well!!!
I don”t know if you will see this but I hope so. Just want to say thank you so much for putting this recipe available for people like me to use. Very helpful. My daughter was the first in our family of three to make the vegetarian chili. For the first time I made it tonight. 4-8 2020. I added sour cream(low fat) and and grated cheddar. So just to expand a bit….it’s important to not cook meat all the time. This recipe helped me do that. So thanks again. Doug
Love this recipe so much! I cook it in the instant pot for 10 minutes and it comes out perfectly. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Cookie and Kate,
I made this tonight, didn’t change anything except the bean combination (used Black, Pinto and Great Northern white) and added a cup of frozen corn.
Wow, it was great, thanks so much for this recipe, it is my new favorite chili recipe. I used Rose Elliot’s recipe for vegetarian chili for the last 30 years, but this is better, a little spicier and more veg, we all loved it!
I was looking for a bean chilli and came across this & I’m so glad! Even managed to impress my boyfriend who insists that all means must contain meat! Thank you so much, it’s absolutely delicious!
One of my favorite recipes!
Delicious. I added 2 TBS of tomato paste, 1 can or corn, 2 cups of mushrooms and 1 zucchini. Served with corn bread, lime, avocado slices and sour cream. Oh, and a margarita.
This was so good! Sadly, I didn’t have any celery or cilantro so had to do without. Apart from that I followed the recipe exactly, and used lime juice as the added acid at the end. Oh, and the vegetable broth was home-made a while ago, and then frozen, from scraps I’d been saving. Will def. make this one again, making sure I have celery to hand next time.
This was absolutely phenomenal. I added an extra pepper to mine and finished it off in the crock pot. So delicious.
This was delicious! I’ll definitely make it again. I didn’t have pinto beans, so I added a can of corn and a white sweet potato.
Great veg chilli recipe and I’ve tried 1000. I added a tbsp of soya sauce or fish sauce depending if I’m keeping it vegan and a cup of frozen corn (because why not). Blending a bit is key to give that thicker “ground beef” texture. All in I’d make this my go to recipe!
Absolutely delicious! The recipe is wonderfully flexible. Based on what was available I subbed kidney and navy beans for black, caraway seed for cumin, dill for cilantro,used green rather than red pepper, left out paprika. I was lazy and gave a few presses with a potato masher. Served over mashed potatoes.
What is the best way to freeze the leftovers? Thank you!
So glad to hear it! You can freeze chili in a wide-mouth glass mason jar (leave extra space at the top for expansion), or in freezer bags (well-sealed and lay them flat to freeze). Hope that helps.
Hi I don’t have any pinto beans, would it be better to substitute with chickpeas or kidney beans
Kidney beans could work, or you could add more black beans if you like. I hope this helps, Poppy!
I have never cooked with wine.
Can you recommend something simple and that most stores carry?
I really want to try this recipe !!
Thank you
Hi Gloria! You’re referencing the chili recipe, right? The good news is that this recipe doesn’t call for wine. You’ll just need a little bit of lime juice or vinegar for acidity (it’s a nice finishing touch). Here are your options: sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar or lime juice
Superb love it, kids, wife, granny, well done u legend!
This was an incredible recipe and very forgiving for substitutions. I soaked 1/2 cup each of red, pinto, and black beans and cooked them in the instant pot to add to this recipe. Did not have peppers or celery so subbed with extra corn and frozen carrots. Also did not have enough diced tomatoes so subbed with a can of tomato sauce…again, this recipe is very forgiving as long as you blend the chili at the end! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing!
Turned out super amazing, I served the chili with some rice on the side and I can’t get over how good the chili is!
I’m happy to hear that, Ade!
Love this recipe. But where are the mushrooms…some good size chunks of regular old white button. Add it with the other veggies at the start. Extra 1/2 cup broth, shrooms love their aqua. Investors done the blender & the potato masher. I go masher all the time…extra dishes to clean aren’t worth the added thickness. Too watery, simmer longer. Beans don’t matter which ones, pinto, white, red, black…all work well. Mix-n-match. I have season football tickets and this has replaced our traditional “meat chili” at tailgates. No one even noticed there wasn’t any meat for 4 games. This is great…the black bean soup is awesome too
Hi Kate!
I had a question, what if I want to use fresh tomatoes instead of the canned ones? Do you have any guidelines? I don’t live in the US and we don’t really use canned tomatoes. Thanks!
Hi Lisann! I think you could use about 4 cups juicy chopped tomatoes in place of the canned tomatoes.
A fine recipe. I added some Chili/Garlic paste to heat things up a tad, but will absolutely add this to the family rotation. Thank you.
Hi there,
Tried the vegetarian chilli a few days ago.
It was excellent. My husband and I absolutely loved it..I added a lot more chilli powder—as I would do for meat chilli—-bumped up the flavours even with regular paprika.
I will try your lentil soup—I pray that canned lentils will do, as we have no dried on hand and we all know about procurement war zones these days!!!!
I am of the “older, expendable “ age group—-just recently transitioning to much less meat in our diets. Will purchase your cookbook hard cover..would love to know if any other avenues but Amazon behemoth from which to buy?!!
Cheers.
Thank you, Donna! I’m so glad you enjoyed the chili and adjusted it to suit your taste buds. You can find more purchasing details on my cookbook page. If you click on the Indiebound logo, you can search for local bookstores near you that might have it, or you can always call your favorite local bookstore to request it. :) I know our nearest bookstore is shipping orders right now. Hope that helps!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I just added more spices that I have including parsley, cinnamon, ginger powder, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper powder. I happened to add 2 TABLEspoon (not TEAspoon) of smoked paprika, but it was all good.
I didn’t have carrots at the moment, but I replaced with potatoes. The most important thing was to blend some of the chili! It upgraded the soup so much!! I just had a cup of this, but plan to have them over nacho chips later today! :) So exciting!
This is THE best vegetarian chilli I have tried! So tasty and so easy to make – we love it. I added sweet corn and used mixed beans in chilli sauce instead of the beans you recommend. Thank you, it’s delicious
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing you loved it, Kay.
My all time FAVOURITE recipe. I use this to eat on its on, in a burrito, nachos or with a fried egg for breakfast. Freezes great. I’ll usually make up a massive serving and keep it ready to go in the fridge. SO many of my neighbours, family and friends comment on how good it is Thank you Kate for sharing this!
I’m happy it’s been such a hit! Thank you for taking the time to comment, Meg. I appreciate it!
Great chili! I added three tablespoons of cornmeal to thicken it up. Also adds an interesting, subtle flavor. Next time I’ll make it spicier as well. Don’t like eyes watering – burn your lips heat, just a little more warmth.
I found that adding a tsp. of liquid smoke & using mushroom broth deepens & enriches the flavour. I also added 2 T. of instant coffee & a little cocoa dissolved in a bit of boiling water to add more layers of flavour. Absolutely the best vegan chili!
I’ve made this recipe a dozen times in my pressure cooker (Instant Pot Duo) using 1lb of unsoaked dry black beans. I sauté the veggies and add the spices as instructed then add the liquid (5 cups water instead of 2) and the tomatoes and cook for 50 min on high pressure. Thanks for a perfect vegetarian chili recipe.
This is a staple in my home, and has been since I first made it a few years ago. I always make a double batch and freeze the leftovers – they’re so good for a quick hearty meal. I like mine with tortilla strips! Never has this recipe let me down, it’s always delicious. I love to cook it when friends are due to be over, since I can get it to the point (paragraph 3 of method) prior to them arriving that all I need to do is turn on the hob back on an hour before dinner, set it to a slow simmer and it’s done. I love how cheap it is and everyone can add toppings to suit their own taste! Topping inclusive, I spend AU$3-4/hungry human. If I announce I’m cooking for friends, I often get an eager “Your chili?”
The only time this has gone wrong is the time I forgot to do a last check for seasoning. So I got out the salt shaker for everyone to add to taste to their bowls. My friend grabbed the shaker and froze, mid grind. The salt lid had come off. There must have been a full cup of rock salt just in his bowl! He stared, disbelieving and upset, while we laughed at him. He tried scooping salt out. That worked a bit, visually. But remember, this is chili, soupy, viscous chili. He shrugged. Then mixed the rest in, tested it, and cried some more. Not wanting to waste food we kindly agreed to take a spoonful each from his salted concoction. Big mistake. Even that was enough to out-salt the ocean. Have you ever accidentally swallowed seawater? Every mouthful dried and I doubt our tears of laughter helped. Eventually we finished, served seconds and he had his first unsalted taste. “Wow!” he said, “This is actually really good!” Turns out he never tasted it before he salted it, a lesson we’ll never let him forget.
Anecdote aside, your recipes are my go to. We make your carrot cake or banana bread every Sunday for the working week. I own your cook book and I’m not even vegetarian. You must test your recipes so much because they’re always spot on, filling, healthy and easy to understand. I can always trust your recipes to be the highest standard.
From good meals rise good times.
Thank you, Kate. For everything.
Hi Michelle, thank you so much for your note! I’m glad to hear you’ve been enjoying this chili, and your anecdote about your friend made me smile. :)
Just made this tonight and it was super delicious! Can’t wait to eat leftovers in two days, then another two days. I’m wondering if I fry up some mushrooms and add it to the chili, do you think that would taste good? I almost added them tonight, but I didn’t want to ruin what seemed like a perfect recipe. And it was great!! Thank you.
Hi Gloria! I’m so glad to hear it. Sure, you could try adding mushrooms with the other veggies. Some vegetarian chilis include mushrooms for some “meatiness.”
Had this the other night and now I’m making it for the second time in a week – yum – we are not big on lots of spice and I halved the chilli powder. Still it made a huge impact – and I’m now heading to my stove again – thanks Cookie and Kate