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.
Curious if this can be an instant pot recipe as I’m bringing to a chili cook-off!
That’s how I do it and it comes out just fine. I start with dried beans, so I cook on high for 75 minutes.
I love this recipe and have been making it since it first appeared. Just received your cookbook today and promptly ordered another one for my niece. Right now I’m reading it from cover to cover, like a novel. Love it!!
I have made a lot of vegetarian chili recipes and this by far is the best. The texture and flavor was just right. You don’t miss the meat. I was skeptical because of the carrots and celery but it really works. I made it as written except I substituted kidney beans for the black beans because it was what I had on hand. I also added 2tbs of nutritional yeast in the end. I completely forgot the vinegar. I took a 1.5 cups out and used an immersion blender and then poured it back in.
Thank you for your review, Alicia!
When I visit my vegetarian son and daughter in law I cook for them. This chili is the favorite. It is soooo good! We use it another day for nachos. I don’t miss meat, in fact it would not be as yummy. I use fire roasted tomatoes. We like the flavor. I’m so glad I found this!
Absolutely the best chili I’ve ever made it. Thank you!
Hi – can you share if one serving size is one cup or what it equates to?
Hi! I don’t provide metric measurement conversions. Sorry! I do know others use online conversion calculators.
I found this recipe yielded six 11/4 cup servings.
I have been making your veggie chili for over 4 years now and my family absolutely loves it! My son is craving chili con carne and I want to make it for him without sacrificing the beautiful veg of your recipe. Do you think I can keep this recipe and just add ground beef to it and if so how much for 3x? THANK YIU!
Lovely heartwarming meal! I added some vegan mincemeat at the end, not that the recipe needed it !!! I was just being curious of the results, it turned out that the vegan mincemeat absorbed all the lovely flavors so well. A great recipe, thank you so much Kate for sharing ️
Absolutely love this recipe! How long would you cook this in a slow cooker? Love the idea of having it all ready to go when I get home. Thanks!
I love this recipe and it’s my go to everytime I make chili beans!!!
Can you make this in the slow cooker?
Others have tried it and didn’t mind the results.
The spice amounts must be an error- surely it should be 2T for cumin and 2t for chili powder? 2T for chili powder is way too much!
This is correct, Kara. See the note that chili powder in the US is different than other places.
How much chili powder and cumin? 1T (tablespoon) or t (teaspoon)? A comment here confused me.
If I wanted to add ground turkey or Hamburg, how would recipe change??
Loved this recipe Kate, thank you. I use quite a lot of your recipes and haven’t found one yet that I don’t like.
You’re welcome!
I love this recipe. I made it for the first time today and my meat-eating husband LOVED it! This will be my go-to chili for now on ️.
Followed the recipe except for swapping one tin of black beans for some sweetcorn and sweet potato. It was delicious. BUT- I’m from the UK and one tbsp of chilli powder made it EXTREMELY HOT, so I recommend only adding half a tbsp then tasting to see if you want more. I normally love really spicy food, but felt that it would have been better with less heat in it.
I’ve used a bunch of recipes from your site, this is the first one that kiddo cooked herself. Now she’s on a tear since proclaiming to be a vegetarian aside from chicken tenders. We made the cauliflower tacos and the greek kale salad last week. Just a quick thank you!
Most delicious chili ever! A family full of picky eaters loved it. I added veggie ground meat to it too. So, so good. Thanks.
This chili is my go to recipe. I sauté chopped mushrooms to give it a meaty feel. All the veg opposed in our family love this dish and have no idea they are eating vegetables.
I forgot to rate the recipe! 5+
This is my favorite chili recipe of all time. It’s so filling and easily customizable. I typically substitute one of the cans of black beans for chickpeas. I’ve added a habanero or jalapeno. It’s great with a baked potato or cornbread. Seriously the best recipe!
can this be frozen and maintain flavor?
Yes. I always double it to freeze the leftovers.
I love this recipe – perfection! Made it tonight with kidney beans & black beans.
Thanks for the vegetarian chili recipe! The only things I did different: I made 1 1/2 recipe 3 cans of diced tomatoes, one can had jalapeños in it. I did not have vegetable stock so I used chicken stock. Not sure if that ruins the vegetarian angle or not? Still very tasty!
Hi Kate,
I made your vegetarian Chili and it was superb! I did add some mushrooms and plant based crumbles even though your recipe did not require it! We always have our chili over some rice and a tortilla on the side.
This will be our go-to recipe moving forward!
Thanks!
This is a recipe I keep coming back to! I love it so much I’ve made it to impress new boyfriends (usually meat eaters), for dinner parties and this year for Christmas! It’s hearty and flexible and full of flavor. It’s even better leftover but rarely is there any. Thank you!!!
Lovely Chilli,
I made this for 12 people. Everyone loved it.
Totally recommend
This was delicious! I made it per the recipe (used the red wine vinegar) and it was easy and I had most of the ingredients on hand. I got a bit carried away with my immersion blender but the taste held up. My husband and sons loved it! Perfect for a cold and damp day. I served it with sour cream cornbread and will definitely make it again. Thank you for the recipe!
We make this chili all time! I’ve tried different recipes and always come back to this one. I omit the celery but otherwise make it just as written, sometimes add corn, and serve with cheese. This is the best chili recipe. Yum!
Can I add sweet potato thank you
Great recipe. I used Kidney beans and chickpeas as that’s what I had on hand. I’ve had it with a baked potato, as a bowl with tortilla chips and in a wrap with some cheese. I like spicey and used the amount in the recipe and it was fine for me but I agree with the comments , if you are outside USA adjust your chilli to start with and you can always add more. I will try with the pinto beans next time though as Chickpeas are a bit more coarse
This homemade vegetarian chili recipe looks absolutely delicious! With its combination of hearty beans, fresh vegetables, and smoky spices, it’s perfect for cozying up on a cold day. The addition of cilantro and vinegar really brings the flavors to life. Plus, it’s so versatile for different dietary preferences. I can’t wait to try this out—thanks for sharing!
How long would you recommend to cook in crockpot?
Made this chili several times. One of our winter faves. Delicious.
This is my vegan husband’s favorite chili. I cut the veggies a little bigger for texture. I don’t change anything else. Amazing! It really is the best chili!
Delicious. I love it even before the toppings. We have been making turkey chili since my husband’s heart attack and this is even healthier. He is on low sodium so I used salt substitute. I didn’t have peppers in house so I used the frozen peppers and onions I always have in freezer. I will be looking at your other recipes for healthier eating for my husband and me.
Thanks! Trying it tonight for a good winter meal :-$
If I’m making with dry beans, can I just pressure cook with all the ingredients ?
havent made it yet just found it. excited to do it soon. thanks other recipes look wonderful too
I’ve made this recipe many times for family and friends gatherings. Each time it’s the hit. I get so many compliments. I always add (1) large cubed then baked sweet potato. This recent time I also added (1) can garbanzo beans. It’s an awesome recipe. Thank you.
I put in sweet potato and added in some chipotle pepper seasoning & roasted red pepper/garlic seasoning and it was great! Made chili cheese wedges with this. Yummy!
Absolutely love this veggie chili! It was a hit at my house! Thank you!
I really want to try this recipe, but I was really confused at one of the comments. Is it 2T (tablespoon) chili powder or 2t (teaspoon)?
It’s been awhile since I made this recipe, but I was craving chili since the temperature is dipping to zero degrees F tonight. I forgot how good it is and how easy it is to make. Best veggie chili ever!
Love this chili, perfect amount of spices!
I’m one of those lazy people who use a can of vegetarian chili and add in more beans, tomatoes, and spices to make a meal. This time I acted like an adult and followed this recipe.
OK, fact check– my wife and I don’t like heat, but we love flavor. I did use cumin, and lovely smoked Spanish paprika. I skipped the chili powder and used Za’atar. I also tossed in some TVP.
Amazing how processing a cup of the chili in my mini chopper added such depth and texture to the meal. What a great recipe for a cold winter night.
My favorite Chili. Have made this chili many time exactly to this recipe. Tonight making it again. Love it during these cold winter nights.
This is sooooooo good! I have started to meal prep a bit, so I can eat well during the week – honestly one of the best veggie chili’s I have made to date!
Enough for the week and a few portions saved in the freezer!
This chili is so delicious!
Great blend of spices and best of all, it is ready in time. My family and I love it- have already made it twice this month!
Love this recipe. I added fresh corn,a small can of mild green chilies and ½ cup of bulgar wheat. It is absolutely delicious. Cant wait for my vegetarian company tastes it!
Added a bag of frozen butternut squash and some corn. Delicious!! Love your recipes. Thank you so much!
I loved this recipe. I changed one can of black beans for a cup of chopped cabbage and it turned out great. I also added a dash of cayenne. Very good!
Yowza ! Love this. I AM single and made a batch of this…I shared it with friends…and still had enough for dinner 5 straight nights…I love comi g home and all I have to do is heat it up…this actually seems more like a stew…and I love all those extra veggies…carrots celery…onion…you probably could add any vegetable you want…For the beans…I used chili beans…black beans and chick peas…also added a couple jalapeños…this is becoming a staple…thank you so much for sharing this recipe
A really delicious chili with simple ingredients. I did end up simmering the chili for 1 hour with the lid on as the carrots were not tender enough. Overall, the “spiciness” was not too strong ; the family found it just right. bowls were garnished with sharp cheddar, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, and an extra squirt of lime juice. Found that the lime juice really brought out the flavours.