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.
Last week I tried this recipe for the first time. My wife, who is very close to a 100% raw foodist and with the exception of your vegan lentil soup hasn’t eaten anything I’ve cooked in years, liked it so much I’ve made it about five more times since. I’m going to have to start doubling the recipe to make sure there’s enough for me. The only adaptation I’ve made is to add some shiitake mushrooms to add some chewiness to the texture and some additional nutrients. Mmmm.
Looove this recipe. Been making it for about a year now and realized I haven’t given you any praise— it’s my favorite veg chili! So happy it’s cold again so we can eat it regularly.
This is by far the best chilli recipe i’ve ever made and eaten. So much flavour and i would never make one with meat again. I swap a tin of black beans but thats the only change i make. Delicious. Thank you.
Thank you. We really enjoyed this!
Kathryne – I know you don’t “need” another 5 star review on this vegetarian chili – but I have to give you one! I made this chili last night for a carnivore, a vegetarian, a person with Celiac, and a vegan. EVERYONE raved about this chili. It was a total hit! I used my immersion blender which greatly helped for the chili texture and thickness. I also added a jalepeno for some extra flavor – but used the recipe otherwise as is. It was fantastic. Thank you for sharing a great recipe!
LOVE this sort easy, delicious and filling chili!! I will make it again soon! Great for New England winters! Thank you!
This was a hit with the whole family! Thank you!
Hi! Do you think this could be adapted for a slow cooker? I have a ski trip coming up, and I would love to be able to prep this and have it cook while out on the slopes.
Thanks!
Hi Em, I personally haven’t made it in a slow cooker, but I know others have and didn’t mind the results. Personally, I don’t think it saves much time.
I would like to make this with fresh beans instead of canned is that ok and how might I do that?
Hi! You can, just be sure to cook them prior to adding them to the soup.
This chili is delicious. I made it exactly as directed and found the spice level to be tangy but not too hot. I put 2 cups of chili in the food processor to get the desired thickness. Thanks for a great recipe c
Hi Kate! Looking forward to making this recipe for the first time for a Chrsitmas Eve lunch tomorrow for some of my family! I’ll et you know how I get on. Just one thing you might want to correct. As I’m making double the amount I used your very handy tool to multiply the amount. The following item however looks as if it might be wrong. Instead of 1 large can (56 ounce) or 2 small cans (30 ounce each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices when I double it I get 2 large can (56 ounce) or 2 small cans (30 ounce each) diced tomatoes**, with their juices. SHould this last item read 4 small cans?
Hi Lisa, sorry it isn’t a perfect tool, but the best one I came across and a big ask from a survey. I’m sorry if it caused issues! Happy holidays!
Many thanks. This is my favourite veggie chilli recipe.
For a meatier flavour, I replace half the salt with teaspoon of Marmite XO. (Marmite XO is definitely best; if you can’t get it, normal Marmite will work; or, at a push, Vegemite, although you may need to add more.)
Really tasty, added a bit of brocoli and just used red kidey beans, as i did not have pinto, i havejust been dignosed type 2 so am eating super helthy foods and trying to reduce meat so this is great, I’ll check out your other recipes thank you, nigel
Normally I comment on a recipe to provide pointers for other people so that they can tweak the recipe how they see fit. But this is, honestly, the perfect basic chili recipe. If you want to try some special flavor like chipotle or anchor instead of regular chili powder, knock yourself out. Maybe add vegan sausage? I don’t know. But this is an extraordinary recipe with ordinary ingredients, stash it. You’ll want to remake this over and over again.
My youngest daughter is a vegetarian and I try to get new ideas for her. So I was making chili (for my husband, not a vegetarian or a vegetable lover) and I decided to try your recipe for her. It. Was. Amazing. And get this, my husband liked yours better!!!! This is a keeper for sure!
Wonderful to hear, Nita! Thank you for your review.
I have made this chili at least a dozen times and we love it. I use 1/2 the chili powder but other than that follow the recipe. I have added veggie crumbles or quinoa at times but the recipe truly does not need those additions. Thanks again for another great recipe for this chilly night in Kansas City, MO.
So, so good! Made it for a small dinner party last night of close friends and everyone loved it! I added more spices, and used fire roasted tomatoes, but that’s just me…I never do anything exactly the way I’m told. Lol. Very good, will make this again! Thank you!
How much is one serving? I hope it’s more than 1 cup because I ate a huge bowl of this. I had my doubts about vegetarian chili but, now that my son is a vegetarian, I wanted to try it. Wow, it’s so delicious. Omitted the cilantro (didn’t have any), used lime, and used an immersion blender. Highly recommend!
Hi! A serving is roughly 1.5-2 cups. I’m happy you loved it!
Tripled the recipe to freeze in individual servings for lunches and it came out perfect! I thought the flavor was great even without adding salt due to my dietary restrictions. Chili was a bit too spicy for a family member with a milder palette but everyone else loved it!
Wonderful, Alex! Thank you for your review.
Read the note on spice! This is waaaay too spicy.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it and that it was too spicy!
This is honestly the best chilli I’ve ever eaten! The tip to blend at the end was incredible! So tasty .. perfect texture.. not too spicy .. not to dull. Just delicious
Made this tonite exactly as written and it came out amazing. My 14 year old son is exploring more plant based foods – he licked his bowl clean! Have 3 freezer bags for later – thanks for this awesome recipe!
Thank you for your review, Steph!
Yummy, easy and filling!
Question, if the recipe makes 6 servings, can anyone tell me the total volume of it? Just wondering if anyone knows how many cups this recipe makes. Thanks.
Hi Karen, each serving is roughly 1.5-2 cups.
This was the best vegetarian chili I’ve ever made! Will be making it again!
I’m happy you enjoyed it, Melissa!
Great Recipe!!!
Success! Even my very picky little brother loved this one. We will be making this again, regularly! It was so good served over rice, with tortilla chips, grated cheddar, and plain greek yogurt. THANK YOU, Kate!!
Hooray! That’s great to hear. Thank you for sharing, Danielle.
Easy, rich, and delicious! Didn’t miss the meat at all. I will definitely make again.
Fantastic !!! Luv luv this ! Who needs meat in there chili . Throwing my old chili recipe out I’ve been baking for years !
This has been my go to vegetarian chili for years now. In fact, it is a rare occasion that I even consider a meat chili. The texture is perfect, flavor is excellent and it is simply perfect.
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
It turned out spectacular!!!
Such a delicious recipe and so easy to pull together. I made mine the night before I intended to eat it and it was the perfect consistency with so much flavor. A hit with the whole family, including a doubting grandpa (meatless chili?!) and picky 7 year old!!! Can’t wait to use the leftovers for nacho toppings.
Can I do this in the slow cooker?
Hi Sara, I haven’t tried it but I know others have. I still recommend cooking the vegetables as directed for the best flavor.
Recently converted to a more vegetarian diet and this one so far is my favourite, recently added courgette to the mix and used a mixed bean tin, still great
Many thanks
I love this recipe! The blending idea is wonderful to make it feel more like authentic chili. I have made this many times, once for a family gathering of 20 and it was a huge hit. I never serve it without lime, cilantro, sour cream, cheese, and tortilla chips. Thanks for a wonderful comfort food recipe. I am writing this as another batch simmers :)
I’m glad you loved it, Isabelle! Thank you for your review.
Kate, I must say you are by far the best cook/blogger I have seen! I wanted to start adding vegetarian meals to my families weekly menu and felt lost and a little overwhelmed. Saw this vegetarian lasagna and tried it and had some family members a little reluctant but they tried and we were super pleased! Nobody missed the meat! Since then I have tried 5-6 more of you recipes and have had great success and with everyone wanting more. My sister and step daughter had to know where I got these recipes so I have sent them your way as well! Thank you!
You’re kind, Amanda! I’m happy you are loving so many recipes. Thank you for taking the time to review!
Its’ snowing here today, and rather than go out and find restaurant chili, I decided to make my own. I was delighted to find i had all the ingredients in my pantry. I made 1/2 the recipe, and it was excellent. This is my new forever chili recipe. Thank you!
I just made this and it is truly delicious. You will not miss the meat. I was however surpassed at the sodium amount listed in the nutrition information. Is 1072 accurate? What size of serving is the nutrition information for?
Hi Jessica, you can find more about my nutritional information on the disclaimer page.
This recipe is absolutely amazing, thank you! So much better than most vegetarian chili recipes, which can be bland and watery. Really easy to make and beyond delicious on a cold Vermont winter evening. The blending makes a huge difference in the thickness of the sauce. Also, the smoked paprika was a great addition. I used my immersion blender as I’m always paranoid about putting hot liquids in the blender. This made the for the perfect end to a weekend of winter hiking!
Can I make this in a slow cooker ? Thx
Hi Emma! I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have. I would suggest checking the comments to see what others recommend.
Delicious! This chili kept so well too – served the leftovers over baked potatoes. Another great recipe!
Thank you, Rebecca! I’m glad you enjoyed this chili recipe.
I’ve made this several times and my non-vegetarian husband and kids love it. I made it again for a family who was asking for some meals from friends as they cope with a recent cancer diagnosis. They want to move to a vegetarian diet and I was so happy to oblige! The whole family raved and asked for the recipe. I shared your website and my other favorite C+K recipes! Thank you Kate for making the switch to to vegetarian so delicious.
Can you show me how to keep vegetarian food (vegetables) safety in the refrigerator? I usually keep it in the refrigerator and wilt after 2 days, or some vegetables are waterlogged and inedible after 2 days
Hi Hannah, Food Storage Tips (Make Your Food Last Longer) may help!
Just made this for the millionth time, SOOOOO GOOD!! I always add chopped avocado and a spoonful of crème fraiche at the end too, thanks so much!
I love this recipe and have been making it for a couple of years now! I am wondering if it can be converted to be made in a crockpot, and if so, what you would recommend?
Hi Haley! I haven’t tried it, but I believe others have and enjoyed it.
Could this be done in the slow cooker and if so for how long please?
Kate, my family LOVES your recipes!! Every recipe from your website, without exception, has been fantastic. We made this yesterday for a hearty lunch, my daughter whipped up your vegan sour cream to garnish it, and we all loved it. Both kids got seconds It was exactly as you say: straightforward, delicious, satisfying, and the fresh garnish of cilantro just elevated it to a new level. Some ate it over brown rice, others ate it solo. Everyone loved it, and I was so glad I doubled the recipe — now we have plenty of leftovers!
I made a couple mods:
– Didn’t have red bell peppers in the fridge so I used green, and threw in a fresh Pasilla chili (seeds and ribs removed, diced smallish) along with the other fresh veggies
– I doubled the smoked paprika because I know what I’m using isn’t spicy and I know my family loves that smoky flavor. My kids didn’t complain about the heat or spiciness, even with the added fresh Pasilla and all the spices as written plus extra smoked paprika.
– Doubled? Tripled? the cilantro at the end because I know my family and we love cilantro – I just chopped the whole bunch of cilantro, reserved a handful to garnish, and added the remainder to the chili.
Really wonderful, thanks again. This is another keeper!!
Thank you for sharing, Lindy! I appreciate your review.
Yummm!!!! This was so delicious and was a big hit with our kiddos! We plan to make a double batch next time so we have leftovers! Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe!
We love this recipe and make it regularly. I dump all the ingredients (no oil) in an instant pot and cook on high 20 minutes. Thank you!
Hello from Johannesburg, South Africa! We’re trying to do the Veganuary thing, plus lose some weight, so your recipe came pretty much as a Godsend. It is delicious, albeit a bit spicy (you were right about the chilli powder in foreign lands…). Fortunately we like spicy so it all ends well. Thank you for making our culinary lives a little more exciting!