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.
Tried this one for visiting vegan relatives. We are not vegan or vegetarian but this is a really nice, light yet fulfilling dish and it’s now in the overall dinner rotation. Perfect for chili winter day.
Hey! Have you done this in the instant pot? If so, what are the instructions?
I haven’t sorry! But, I know others have and didn’t mind the results. See what they did in the comment.
Love it! I haven’t cooked in 10 years and am trying a plant based diet. This recipe caught my attention so I gave it a go and was very pleased with the results. Delicious. I’ve cooked it three times now actually in two weeks…the third time it was a little watery. I’m not sure what I did or how to correct it, cook it for longer maybe.
Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
I’m glad you tried it, David! Yes, cook it for a little longer and possibly at a higher temp. I appreciate your review.
Tried this one for visiting vegan relatives. We are not vegan or vegetarian but this is a really nice, light yet fulfilling dish and it’s now in the overall dinner rotation. Perfect for a “chili” winter day.
Great for a cold winter day! Thank you for sharing, Rick.
Hi Kate,
What is the serving size for this in grams? I couldn’t find any information and would love to track!
Hi Sam, sorry! I don’t provide metric conversions.
That would be 355 – 473 ml, going by the 1 1/2 – 2 cups per serving; so roughly the same in grams, but VERY roughly. Without actually weighing the food, it’s impossible to say with 100% accuracy. I’m originally from Germany and prefer measurements in weight myself, as it’s a lot more accurate than going by volume measurements.
Hi there,
What measurement is a serving? We are making this in bulk and want to know how much to use as a serving so that the nutritional information is still correct.
Thanks!
Hi Claire! A serving is roughly 1.5-2 cups.
That was delicious!! I’ve tried a few online chili recipes and this was by far the best! I think the smoked paprika adds a lot of good and interesting flavor, as long as you don’t use too much (which I did once with a lentil stew and it can be overpowering); this amount is great. I realized I had Cento crushed tomatoes, instead of diced, so I tried it and I like how it turned out. I think it gave it more flavor and a thicker consistency than diced which I have used in the past. I used creme fraiche from Trader Joe’s as a garnish which was new to me and it was a fantastic change and a step up from the light sour cream I’d normally use. Thanks — it’s so nice to find a delicious, nutritious vegetarian dish that is easy to make. It was a yummy
dinner tn!
I don’t often comment on posts, but this one deserves it. I used to get the best vegetarian chili from a place nearby, but they unfortunately have been shut down throughout the pandemic. I’ve been searching off and on for a recipe that matches it and this one did, surpassed even! After recently cutting out red meats, this is going to be a staple for me.
Thank you so much!
Delicious! It will become part of my fall/winter favorite recipes. Thank you for posting it.
This is so simple to make and absolutely delicious! I love adding the lime juice at the end it added a nice finish. Thank you! This will be one of my go to recipes for cold winter days.
Kate, this is another winner! I made this rich chili exactly as written doubling the ingredients except for the chili powder. We ate half, my husband couldn’t stop eating it, and froze the rest for company lunch this week. We can’t wait to have again. Tomorrow, I’m making your lentil soup for the grand kids. That will be devoured too!! Thank you for your healthy, meat free recipes!!
Hooray! I’m glad you both loved it. I hope your grandkids enjoyed the lentil soup!
Can we use home cooked beans instead of canned.
Will it change the taste of the recipe
Sure, you can cook your own beans and then add it them in. Let me know what you think!
Hiyas,came across this recipe and see what recommendations you have for if I wanted to convert this to a slow cooker recipe?
Hi Gem, I recommend it as written. I would see what others may have tried in the slow cooker. I hope you enjoy it!
I want to make this for my Bunco group. If I triple the recipe will it be as yummy? :). I’m made the recipe as written but never made it for such a large group.
I LOVE this recipe Kate! Its one of my staples now. Save, I really screwed up today! :( Hoping you have a suggestion for me
I made it in my new instant pot and thought I had so carefully prepped all ingredients only to find it very thin when I opened it . Turns out I poured in the whole 32 0z vegetable broth container ! Yikes!
Anyway I can save this batch by thickening it somehow?
Thanking you in advance
A big fan of Cookie and Kate recipes
Brenda
Oh no! You could try to add more cooked vegetables and beans to increase the recipe size.
Simply awesome. I love meat, but am changing my diet to primarily plant based. I saw this recipe but never imagined I’d like it as much as I like my regular chile recipe. Well….I was wrong! Its amazing and I’ve now made it twice in the last week. Its very hearty, and I don’t miss the meat at all. Thank you Kate for sharing such a wonderful recipe!
I use soy-chorizo in mine and it is amazing!
This was my first time ever making chili, and it was SO GOOD!!!
Changes made due to ingredients I didn’t have: turmeric instead of paprika, fire roasted muir glen tomato can, great northern beans instead of pinto.
Tried it with and without the avocado, cilantro, and vinegar and I think I preferred it without.
Overall yummy and will definitely make again.
This recipe is delicious. I followed it exactly is written. Just added a bit more salt. Topped with fresh avocado and shredded cheese:)
Great to hear, Stacie!
Very good chili, I added more spice as I love alot.
Can I make in the instant pot??
I know others have. I would see what they did in the comments. I haven’t myself, sorry!
Its even better in the instapot. I want to say there is a chili setting! Or is it stew? We had to get rid of ours; but it comes out thicker!
This is my favorite chili recipe!! It is always my “go-to” for large groups—and everyone from vegans to meat lovers always love it!
I made this today to serve at tomorrow’s Super Bowl party. The flavor and texture are amazing and I expect it to be even better tomorrow. I’m sure I’ll be making this again and again. Who dey! Go Bengals!
First time ever making chili and it tastes amazing! I used half a lime and extra Cilantro and it tastes like heaven! Healthy and delicious! Will definitely be a staple of mine
I made this for some very picky friends. I didn’t have carrots and used an extra bell pepper. Using the food processor made the consistency perfect. Got nothing but rave reviews and suggestions to make it again! The next time I’ll make a double batch so I can have leftovers.
Wow! I just made this chili and it is fantastic I used lime juice at the end instead of vinegar (it was one of your choices) it added just a slight tang to the chili so good. Thanks for the recipe!!
We made this for our healthy Super Bowl spread today. Delicious! Flavorful and filling. Thank you for sharing!
This recipe was delicious. I’ve made it twice already. First time was for the fam. It got good reviews, and everyone ate it (which is a plus). The second time I made it for our super bowl party of mostly non vegetarians. I added a bottle of beer and cooked it uncovered for a few extra minutes to evaporate the extra liquid. It was so delicious! Everyone raved about it, and a few people went back for seconds. Definitely recommend with the beer!
Extremely delicious! I love the colours and flavours!
I have somewhat of a love-hate relationship with beans… and I fully admit that the ‘hate’ is because when I became vegetarian, my college dining hall couldn’t cook them to save their lives. I’m trying to get better about cooking and eating them and decided to give this recipe a shot. It was fantastic!!! While I didn’t have chili powder on hand, I did have cayenne, and it worked perfectly to bring some heat to the dish. I’m saving this recipe for sure and looking forward to improving my turbulent relationship with beans. :)
Really enjoyed this chili! I think the recipe is great on its own. I added some jalapeño pepper, anchor chili powder, and mushrooms. Lime juice was a great addition and we didn’t miss the meat. Thanks Kate
Thank you for sharing how you adapted this recipe, Jules.
I rustled this up for a sceptical meat loving friend…and they are fully converted. An absolutey wonderful and warming recipe – thank you!
My family was a little lukewarm on the idea of chili, but this was popular with all four, including two teens. I definitely recommend starting with ONE tablespoon of chili powder — that was plenty of heat for us. Two was definitely too much heat for us.
Hi Kate, can’t wait to make this recipe. Just to check, is this gluten free? (i think it is) Thanks :)
Hi Stephanie! Yes, it is. I hope you love it!
Just made this and LOVED it!!!
I used fresh tomatoes instead of canned and I added some zucchini and kale. I like a little sweet to my chilli so I added a little bit of maple syrup. YUM! Will be making this again and again!
I’ve made this several times now and love it!!
The best brunch chili ever. And left overs for sloppy joes…. OMFG. Top reviews.
Delicious, this turned out very well. I found the smoked paprika a little bit too prominent at first, but a day later the flavours had developed and it was perfect.
I did use a whole lot less chilli (maybe not even a quarter) and it still turned out pretty spicy – so yes, I confirm that chilli here in Europe is probably very different from chilli in the US :)
Thank you for sharing, Marjolein!
I just made the Chili for my 15 year old vegetarian. She absolutely loved it!
Wonderful to hear, Kenya!
Flavorful! And don’t worry if you don’t have everything exact. Toss what you have in there and it’s still delicious! I didn’t have celery or bay leave. I topped it with dairy free sour cream, lime juice, spinach, cilantro. Even my 3 yr old could eat it.
I’ve never made chilli before but this looked amazing so had to give it a try. I blended 2 cups instead of 1½ cups. Is it supposed to be liquidity or did I just blend too much?
Hi! Blending the additional half cup will change your consistency. Try it again as directed and let me know what you think!
I never comment on recipes but this one is so amazing :) I’ve made it a dozen times already and it never fails.
I’m glad you did! Thanks for sharing you enjoyed this chili, Laura.
Fantastic chili! The smoked paprika and blending some of it for texture really makes this pop.
As a four-year vegetarian and knowing others like to reduce red meat intake, I tripled the recipe for a chili cook-off at church. And, I ended up winning this year!
ADD CORN!!!
This was so delicious! The recipe was put into my 5-star category and make it quite often. The meat eaters in the house even devour this dish up! Thank you Kate, for all your great recipes. Everything I’ve made on your blog has been awesome. Your blog and cookbook are my Go-to’s all the time. Thank you again!
That’s great, Beveryly! Thank you for your review.
This is my family’s favorite chili. It’s delicious! It’s vegan and gluten free. I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t live it. My kids request it when they are home from college.
I’m glad it’s a hit with everyone, Robin!
How much cook time do you think when using an instant pot?
I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure. For best flavor and texture, I recommend it as is.
This is a great recipe! Wouldn’t change a thing.
I’m happy you loved it, Carla!
I love making this recipe, blending it up some, and eating it as a sauce on pasta. Always turns out great.
This is a great recipe and become one our weekly go to’s. I can cook it from memory now
Family and Friends ask me for the recipe or to bring a batch over when I visit.
I love that you can make this one from memory.
We are meat eaters – but this is so good! It has become part of dinner rotation.
Followed the recipe to the T except added an extra can of pinto beans – Delicious- great flavor -my husband is a new vegan, and he was very impressed ! We also love the Best Quinoa Salad recipe-
Thank you for your review, Kami!
Love this recipe. I have altered it in many ways based on what was in the fridge- sometimes I don’t have celery, sometimes I add corn, sometimes I use 1 can cannellini/1 can black beans/1 can chickpeas…whatever. It always turns out great, and my kids actually eat protein from beans that they’d normally reject. I like to blend it about 60-70% because they don’t like too many chunky pieces.
Thank you for sharing! I’m glad you have adapted it to fit your tastes.
Really nice.nice and easy recipe to follow too. Added slightly too much chilli powder so was very hot but the flavour is lovely !!
Thank you for your review, Zac!