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.
I love this recipe!! I tweaked it a tad and it tastes so great. I did half chili powder/half spicy chili powder. Crushed tomato instead of diced, I don’t like tomato chunks. 2 cans black beans and 2 cans kidney beans. Then used 3 cans brown beans (I used bush beans). Used vegetable cubes with water as was out of broth. Also used parsley instead of cilantro as it’s what I had available. Was very yummy!!
This was an amazing recipe. I omitted the bay leaf and cilantro, but otherwise I followed it exactly.
I’m delighted you loved it, Kate!
Made this for the first time for a cold, bleak mid-winter supper and all family loved it. Very tasty and full of flavour, this recipe will definitely become a family staple. Have already recommended this to family and friends!
This is, without doubt, the best veggie chilli recipe ever! My husband is vegetarian and I’m not, but it tastes wonderful without meat. I serve with brown rice and grated cheese – delicious! I also stir in a small amount of plain chocolate when I add the wine vinegar. It is enough for 2 days and tastes even better on the second day!
This is sooooo good! Even the meat lovers asked for more!
Can your freeze leftovers?
Yes! I have heard this recipe freezes well.
This has been my go-to chilli for years, and I make it often. Both my partner (meat eater) and myself absolutely love this! I do add a little bit more of the spices, a small tin of sweetcorn, and I sometimes swap the oregano for thyme. Will be making it again tomorrow!
Looks and smell great….the teaspoonful that I have tried for taste is excellent and perfectly spicy as I like it!! I will update later, when I blend, re-heat and add a dollop of Creme fraiche….and eat!
One question that worries me….I forgot to rinse the black beans. I only drained them (drained well)!! Is this a problem??
Hi! I’m glad you have liked it so far. You will have more sodium for the recipe.
I really liked this recipe? But if you’re making it for the first time keep a free things in mind.
1) this serves way more than 4-6 people. Even if it’s for 6 that’s a half a can of beans apiece (!) Since the calories aren’t super high tho, consider pairing this with another dish or lots of toppings :)
2) take the note about spices seriously! I enjoy spice but couldn’t bear it without lots of Greek yogurt, avocado, and shredded cheese. Do yourself a favor and add less while cooking. You can always pile on more spice while eating if you need to!
Maybe you were using bad-quality produce, or like Kate suggested, your spices were outdated, because this is the best chili recipe I’ve ever made and even my meat-eating friends agree.
One of my slow cooker go tos, I just add a sweet potato.
This chili was absolutely wonderful. Easy to make and for me trying to sustain a plant base diet I will be making this chili at least once a month. Thank you for providing this recipe.
The umami comes from the onions, carrots, and celery. I find that cooking these for quite a bit longer than 10 minutes -more like 30 minutes at medium heat – makes them more flavorful. I cook the onions until they are caramelized.
Delicious!!
This was DELICIOUS! Trying to watch my sodium intake a little bit, so I used “no salt added” black beans, pinto beans, and tomatoes. I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted diced tomatoes (they’re my fave). I also added some Red Cayenne Pepper (I like spicy) and only did 1/4 tsp of salt when cooking the veggies (didn’t add any more later). Again, it was delicious! I would suggest to DEFINITELY do the blender step…it’s a game changer. I do that for all of my hearty dishes (and my bacon jalapeno jam) and it just makes the consistency perfect! Wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing!
This was DELICIOUS! Trying to watch my sodium intake a little bit, so I used “no salt added” black beans, pinto beans, and tomatoes. I used Muir Glen Fire Roasted diced tomatoes (they’re my fave). I also added some Red Cayenne Pepper (I like spicy) and only did 1/4 tsp of salt when cooking the veggies (didn’t add any more later). I also used unsalted vegetable stock instead of the vegetable broth. Again, it was delicious! I would suggest to DEFINITELY do the blender step…it’s a game changer. I do that for all of my hearty dishes (and my bacon jalapeno jam) and it just makes the consistency perfect! Wonderful recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing how you made this work for you, Amy!
I’ve made this many times and my whole family loves it. I was sceptical to make it at first as it seemed a little basic, but as usual your recipes don’t disappoint and sometimes simple ingredients make great things! Perfect level of spice for my young kids. I always turn to your recipes when I want a guaranteed tasty meal!
This chili turned out so much better than I could have ever imagined! I am a 13 year old vegetarian and wanna try some more recipes. I made it by myself and it was super easy to make. I have also made the vegetarian fried rice. I was very, very pleased with the end results! :)
I’m happy you enjoyed! I love that you cooking at 13, that’s great. I appreciate your review.
So yummy! My boyfriend is a picky eater and loved it (except he picked out the tomatoes). I still consider that a win bc there’s so many other veggies in the chili :)
This is a simple and easy to make recipe and it taste great. I substituted chipotle chili powder in place of the plain chili powder and that gave it amazing flavor without the hot spice that my kids won’t eat.
Please, there is no need to be rude if something is not to your taste.
Very good recipe.
This is so great and So Easy and fast. Thanks Kate!!! My husband was going to order pizza and I had this done before it would have arrived. I love it! I recommend lime at the end, the vitamin C helps your body absorb the iron in the beans. Plus, it tastes zesty and fresh. I stirred in nutritional yeast at the end, and topped with avocado. It was perfect.
I love that too, Heather! Thank you for sharing.
I just made this for dinner. It was delicious, especially on a cold and snowy day here in NM. I added some coriander since I add that to my chile con carne.
Thank you Kate. For all your hard work and recipes.
Perfect to warm you up on a cold day. Thank you for your review, M!
This chili was so good! Used red and white kidney beans and turned out amazing- though I did leave it on to simmer for at least 45 minutes longer. I love a little extra spice so put some extra cayenne.
This is a super recipe. My wife and kids adore it. Our Spanish student, who hates vegetables, ate it all up and didn’t realise it was vegetarian!
How’s this work out in a slow cooker? Recommendations for that?
Hi Kathy! I don’t have slow cooker recommendations as this is truly delicious from how the vegetables are cooked. I do know others have tried it, so I would see what they suggest.
Is a food processor ok to use if you don’t have a blender? Thank you.
Hi! It will work, although may not get it as smooth.
So delicious and full of flavour, my entire family loves it. Thank you!
I recently discovered your recipe after looking for something I could make with all the canned beans I have on hand. I have made it twice now and shared it with family and friends. I have used the seasonings exactly as written and the flavor is excellent. I have used whatever canned tomatoes I had, diced and stewed, and black beans but also tried a can of garbanzo with them instead of pinto when it was all I had. Again, the basic recipe is delicious. I love the carrots and celery and added extra rib and extra carrot to up veggies. Thanks for a very tasty chili recipe that needs no meat. I am making this my go to recipe.
I absolutely adore this recipe!! Chili can be so healthy if done right, and keeping it vegetarian is definitely a great way to add to the healthy factor. I love everything about this recipe. My favorite part is added touch of using a blender to purée some of it, as this creates such an excellent texture. It makes it super smooth, as if you’ve been cooking it for hours and hours, but with the added bonus of not having to devote 5 hours of your busy day to babysitting chili on the stove. If you’re making this for the first time, the blender thing may sound a little strange, but if you’re considering skipping it I would highly recommend you give it a shot. I also really love the pleasant acidity added by the lime juice. Although the first time I made it, I only had a lemon and this tasted fabulous as well. A few other additions that I have made that turned out really delicious include: using red, green, yellow and orange peppers for some added color and sweetness, adding a can of corn, and using many different types of beans. Personally when I make chili, I like to use as many beans as possible, as they are high in fiber and so good for you, so in addition to the pinto and black beans, I also add light and dark red kidney beans, and cannelini beans (which are basically just white kidney beans) and it adds a lot more of that essential fiber to the recipe. (Plus I just love beans, what can I say?)
This is a really tasty recipe that I’ve shared with many people; vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike. Not only is it incredibly delicious, but super versatile, leaving lots of room for creativity. Plus, you probably already have many of the ingredients in your fridge or pantry, and any that you don’t have are very inexpensive, making this a recipe that you can definitely make on a budget, not to mention the awesome leftovers you’ll have for days afterward! And I’ve found that somehow, the chili is actually better the next day. The flavors have extra time to mix and mingle, which makes it even more delicious in the days after you make it! This has become a staple recipe in my household and I expect it will be a favorite for years to come!
Thank you for your detail, Ashlee!
Does this chilli freeze ok?
Hi Mary! Yes, I believe this does freeze ok. Thank you for your review!
I made this chilli for game day! It is the real deal! I added lime juice and cilantro from the top and it tasted divine!
I made your recipe today for the first time and it was delicious. I used wine vinegar because I didn’t have a lime on hand. Next time (yes, it’s that good!) I will try it with the lime.
Take care, stay safe.
This was so delicious. My meat eater husband declared “we should do meatless more often” after he devoured a bowl. Thank you for another easy great recipe, Kate!
I made this recipe with a few adjustments. I added more beans, tomatoes, and broth and used fire roasted tomatoes. I also added some fire roasted green chilis to give it a little kick. I threw in some pea protein powder and quinoa to increase protein intake and make it more hearty. It had a great consistency and flavor! No need to blend ingredients. My husband, who usually prefers meals with meat, even went back for seconds!
One of my all time favourites recipes. thank you thank you thank you!
I love making this for tortillas
Fantastic! By far this is the best vegetarian chili that I’ve ever tried and my meat- loving husband ate 2 bowls! Great depth of flavors. I used 1 Tbsp. Chili powder as I used pinto beans in chili sauce and canned tomatoes with chiles. This is great with a margarita on a cold winter night! Thank you!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Paula.
Yummy! This soup is very satisfying. I substituted chickpeas for the pinto beans because that is what I had on hand. I will definitely make this hearty soup again.
Thank you for the great recipe, Kate! I made the vegetarian chile this evening but chose to substitute kidney beans for the pinto beans as I discovered that the pinto beans I had purchased were chili seasoned and I wanted to follow your recipe as closely as possible especially the seasonings (which were perfect). Unfortunately, my cilantro had gone bad and I forgot to add the vinegar. I had a small bowl over some riced cauliflower o try it and it was delicious. I will be adding the cilantro and vinegar tomorrow when I reheat the chili for dinner. I am sure it will take the dish over the top.
I have one question for you. I record my meals and, when available, the nutritional information on Noom. I noticed that the salt content was quite high. I am curious as to why. I used low-sodium tomatoes, black beans, and broth and rinsed all the kidney beans quite well. I used very little added salt per your recipe. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.
I am new to your blog and look forward to trying many more of your recipes.
Hi Susan, I’m glad you enjoy this recipe! As for the nutritional information, if you used low sodium, or not salt added ingredients, your numbers will be different. I hope that helps! More on my nutrition information if that’s helpful.
Delicious, easy to make healthy recipe. Great texture and super flavor. Love this! Can’t wait to make it regularly.
Great recipe!
Just made this. Delicious! Didn’t have pinto beans so used garbanzos. Also used lime juice. An incredibly good vegetarian chili. I didn’t miss the meat.
I loved this recipe! Once the 1 1/2 cups was blended and put back in, it looked like regular chili with meat. I skipped adding the vinegar by mistake, but it was still delicious without. This will absolutely be added to my recipe rotation! Thank you!!!
This chili is so delicious. Currently I’m on a vegan diet. I can’t wait to make it again with some cheddar cheese and sour cream. I did add an half of an avocado. So good!
So hearty and flavorful, I don’t know why I ever bothered using meat in chili! I swapped carrots for sweet potato and it is a perfect blend of smoky. savory, sweet, spicy, and salty (all the good s words!) and perfectly balanced with acidity at the end. Thank you for this perfect recipe!
This recipe is a weekly staple in our house since eldest turned veggie a year ago. Delicious and versatile, goes with all sorts of accompaniments, thank you!
This is one of my absolute favorite chili recipes, and I’m not even a vegetarian. For the liquid, I use a 50/50 coffee/water blend. It’s always a big hit.
I love it! Thank you for sharing, Nikki.
A-mazing! We made this for our vegetarian daughter who generally feels left out when we make our meat chili. We added extra spice (a little cayenne pepper) because she likes spicy food and it wasn’t that spicy when we followed the recipe. She also added a dash of hot sauce to her bowl. Overall a huge win! Much better than the versions we have tried using vegetarian protein options with our regular tried and true chili recipe. This one didn’t taste like it was trying to be anything else but what it was. It stands alone, without making you want to compare it to anything else. ❤️
OMG this came out super delicious and I just added my favorite crimini mushrooms to it. Love it.