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.
turned out great! i initially halved the amount of chilli powder and realized it was missing some key flavor. i also used Mexican oregano and half the amount of tomatoes and the texture was perfect. top with some sour cream and spring onion and it’s good for days!
This is a wonderful chili recipe. My husband who has a kidney disease has decided its time to try vegetarian dishes to avoid the animal protein which hurts the kidney function. Wow you have got to try this. I even know someone that has cancer that finds it hard to get things down was able to eat this after I turned it into a soup in my food processor. It makes a great soup as well. This will be a staple recipe.
Sooooooooo good! I’m about to make a 2nd round of it today. :)
Added one Japanese sweet potato that I wanted to use up, and used the lazy “smash against the side with a spoon” technique to get the right texture at the end. Recipe is so awesome that my reluctantly vegan-ish husband accused me of witchcraft.
That’s Too Funny!
This was very good as is written. After tasting and blending. I have people the option to add tvp and chili pepper flakes. Topped with avocado, this is such a good nutrient dense meal
I have to say that’s the best chilli I’ve ever had! I gave up eating meat 7 months ago so I’m still new to exploring new foods but felt I needed some protein as I’ve been tired lately. I did tweak the recipe to my liking adding and removing some ingredients but the coriander is definitely a game changer. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes so thank you for opening up the palette of different tastes.
When making this, when sautéing the onions et al, I used the leftover seasoning packets from ramen noodles I had not used instead of salt. In this case chicken seasoning. It added a little more flavor and helped use up unused ingredients.
I appreciate the tips on the chile powder, but also should be noted for the paprika as well. Smoked paprika from Hungary can pack quite a punch! Taste first and add to taste.
We loved your recipe!, I made it for my daughter, she loved it and ask me for the recipe, she has it now!
One of my all time favorites! I’ve made this chili so many times and it’s always delicious. Takes a while to cut up all the veggies, but it is so worth it. Healthy and fun to eat in any season!
Can this be freezed ? If so for how long and what is the best method for freezing?
Hi Liz, this would be a great option for freezing. I would divide into portions in freezer bags and lay flat to freeze or use silicone molds or souper cubes. It will keep in the freezer for 3 months.
This is such a delicious chili recipe! Everyone loved it! I made it a day ahead so the flavors could meld and it was perfect. For toppings we had chopped jalapenos, onion, cilantro, avocado and some chocolate chips. Served with tortilla chips. We will definitely be making this again! :) Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Michelle, I love the idea of adding chocolate chips as a topping! How unique and fun. Thanks for taking the time to rate the recipe.
Can this translate to the slow cooker?
Hi Caitlyn, what makes this recipe stand out is the sautéing vegetables step and the pureeing of some of the stew. There is also the addition of the greens at the end. The cook time on the stovetop is not very lengthy, so in my opinion the slow cooker doesn’t save you much time and there are multiple times you’d have to add ingredients, rather than combining them all and just setting it to cook.
Thanks for your response! Makes sense. I ended up making it as you suggested — delicious! Overtook our old favorite chili recipe. Thanks so much!
OH MY GOODNESS- I haven’t even cleaned up the dishes yet but just had to come leave a comment to say “THANK YOU!!!” I have a very picky eater and he came into the kitchen and said “that smells good.” Then, he not only ate the whole bowl- he asked for a second!. If you have a picky eater, you know this is a miracle. Thank you so much for this delicious chili recipe.
I love this recipe! I make it for hubby and me, and I’ve made it for friends. Everyone loves it! I follow the recipe except no cilantro or vinegar.
Best Chilli I have ever made/eaten, couldn’t get enough of it. Definitely going to be a regular meal from here on.
Being a non-vegetarian it is an excellent example of how good food can taste without meat, and has certainly given me food for thought in respect to following a vegetarian diet.
Thank you!
Hi Darren, thank you for taking the time to comment and rate the recipe. If you’re looking to incorporate more meatless recipes into your diet, there are lots of ideas here on the website and in my cookbook.
Not a vegetarian but wanted a vegetarian option for some guests. Searched for the best vegetarian chili recipe and this one popped up. Only change I made to the recipe was throwing it into a crockpot to simmer all day the day before. There is DEFINITELY a reason this recipe has over 2,000 5-star reviews and was the first one to pop up. Looking forward to making it again in the fall and winter months.
Great recipe! I add a cup of basmati rice at the end, thickens it up nicely, and no need to make rice separately if you like it with your chili.
I have made many of your recipes and they have all been great. This one, Homemade Vegetarian Chili, I have made many times, and is very delicious. However, I’ve stopped making it due to its high sodium content. Nearly 1100mg per serving. Is there anyway to minimize salt other than omitting it altogether? Looking for a lower sodium veg chili for the winter months.
Hi Tim, you can control the salt level by using no-salt-added canned tomatoes, and by making your own beans from scratch and adjusting the salt to your needs. The nutrition information provided is only approximate, and the ingredients you use make a difference. I hope this helps.
Delicious vegetarian chili! The blended cup of chili brought this whole recipe together in the best way. I’m definitely making this again!
I was invited to a potluck and asked to bring a vegetarian dish. I cooked it in a slow cooker, and it was a hit! I made a double batch, but I didn’t even get to eat any—it was gone before it was my turn to serve myself.
I made it a second time for another potluck, this time at the office, and made sure to serve myself first! It is absolutely delicious—everything is perfect. Since I cooked it in the slow cooker, I reduced the quantity of vegetable broth by half. The texture of the chili was perfect. I received wonderful compliments. Thank you, Kate, for this great recipe! I’ll definitely be keeping this one close.
Hi Paul, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing your experiencing making it with the slow cooker.
Loved this recipe! Trying to eat heart healthy and this helps! I used the canned beans I had (red kidney, black, lentils) and bit more chili powder and sherry vinegar. I also added 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Surprisingly the lentils gave it a more meat-like texture. I will make this again.
Hi Michelle, thank you for sharing! I do enjoy the texture of lentils.
Hello! Could i make this in my instant pot? If so do you know what the cook time would be? Also why do you blend some of the chili? That sounded kinda gross to me when i read it but is it not that good if you skip that step? Thanks! Trying to make for my sister in law who is vegetarian and post partum
I don’t use an Instant Pot for this recipe, so I’m unsure of the times. I suggest blending some of it to give a thicker texture, but that is optional.
With a few tweaks I made it Fodmap friendly and everyone loved it.
I used your recipe as a guide & used my own spice blend (I have a massive spice pantry & needed to use up some chilis that were at the end of the shelf life), subbed a mix of canned beans, and few large, very ripe tomatoes from my garden in place of the canned tomato. It was wonderful! Today, we had some of the left overs for our dinner and I added a few cauliflower stalks- YUM!
How long would I cook in a crockpot?
Thank you!
Hi Jane, I’m not sure on the exact time, but it should be heated to 165F. That’s when it is cooked thoroughly.
I am an amateur cook who tried the recipe. It came out relatively tasty. If I knew better what I was doing, it probably would have been more flavourful. Practice makes perfect.
I have been making this recipe since my daughter shared it with me. After simmering I used my immersion blender to thicken it up. Absolutely delicious! Love the smokey flavor.
This is a terrific chili recipe!!! I have made it numerous times for family, friends and work events and received numerous compliments. Sometimes I make two separate batches and alter the heat. Always comes out great and freezes well.
I want to make chili recipe
But what can I substitute for
Red peppers?
Hi Suzanne, you can use any color pepper, and if you don’t like peppers at all, I would simply omit.
Absolutely the best chili! My family loves it. I was looking for something healthy, warm and comforting during the winter and I found this recipe. It hit the spot. I have made it numerous times for weekday meals and for company and it always gets rave reviews. I have frozen the leftovers or turned it into soup by putting it in the blender and adding broth. If I don’t have black beans I use whatever I happen to have such as kidney beans, chickpeas, white beans, beans, etc. and it always turns out great! It is a spicy dish, however, so tone down the chili powder if you want to reduce the heat.
This is one of my go to recipes and is loved by both vegetarian and non vegetarian guests – simply delicious! The only change I made was using just one large can of black beans and one large can of white kidney beans.
We have so many tomatoes from our garden that I am wondering if I can substitute fresh tomatoes for the canned tomatoes. If so, would I have to do anything different?
Hi Barb, you can substitute fresh tomatoes, but you may find you need to add more water and broth to get your desired consistency.
I would love to make this chili, can you tell me why the sodium is so high?
Hi Sherian, the nutritional information is based on ingredients listed. You can control the sodium by using no-salt-added tomatoes and beans, or cooking your beans from scratch.
This looks very much like the recipe I’ve used for many years. However, my recipe makes it even more full of veggies by adding a cup of corn, a cup of chopped zucchini, and a cup of grated carrot at the end and cooking it for another 10 to 15 minutes.
I love this recipe, as did my guests. I am wondering how best to reduce the sodium intake as my partner has heart issues. I would give it a 5 star rating except for the sodium. I really don’t want to kill him!
Thank you!
Hi Liza, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! You can control the salt content by using no-salt-added canned tomatoes and beans, and even more by cooking your own beans. I hope this helps!
Thank you for that information. I will look for those products when I shop later today.
We loved this, a favorite vegetarian chili. I had a poblono and and some jalapeno to use and added them in addition to the red bell pepper. The seasonings to me were perfect. As you said doesn’t need extra salt. Love Penzey spices and used two different Chili powders of their’s for fun. I was lazy and didn’t puree it, but I did let it simmer for an hour covered, so that may have thickened it some. Used three different beans–navy , black and kidney, and lime juice at the finish. A favorite! Thank you
I have made your chili,lentil stew etceteras.They are the yummiest in our tummy.Thank you for your tasty recipes
My guests and I enjoyed this. I also added green pepper. For the future, I would halve the smoked paprika and only use 1 c vegetable broth. Thank you
Excellent recipe! I’ve made it so many times and every time it’s a hit. I love how easily it freezes, too.
Made this yesterday as we had a bunch of neighbors over for chili and wanted to make a vegetarian version along with our beef chili. It was so good! It was hearty, flavorful, and you don’t even miss the meat in it! I had doubled the recipe so I would have leftovers to freeze. I will definitely make this again!!
Second time I’ve made this chili. Delicious again. I made 1 1/2 times the amount because it is sooo good! I added 1 cup of red wine, 1/2 tsp. tumeric, 1 sweet potato, 1 white potato, dash of black pepper. I also substituted pablano pepper for bell pepper, less acidic, adds a bit of heat. Adjusted the veggie and spice amounts accordingly. Of course its better the second day, but even better than that if frozen and thawed. Best Chili Con Carne that I’ve had in 60 years. Thanks for the recipe, y’all.
Best veg chili I have ever had! My husband thought there was beef in it at first. I skipped the bay leaf.
Healthy, great chili! I like the carrots in the chili, gave the chili a hearty texture. And liked the blended chili to create the base of the soup. Recipe is a keeper. Love your recipes Kate!
This has been my go to chili for the past few years. It’s SOO GOOD. I throw it all in a crock pot and let it sit for a few hrs. Perfect every time. My coworkers always request this for our fall potlucks.
Great flavor! I added some jalapenos for extra spice and used Italian parsley instead of cilantro because I always taste the soap flavor. I will probably use only 1.5 cups broth next time as it is a little soupy even after blending it and leaving the pot on simmer for an extra hour to cook it down some.
Absolutely loved this chili. Best chili recipe I have ever tried. Easy to follow and make.
Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes! Putting your cookbook on my gift list!
Took it to a potluck. Im not vegetarian but the hostess is. I thought I was going to get some back after the party. That didn’t happen. Got a call the next day and she asked for the receipe. Didn’t change a thing.
I made this yesterday and it was amazing. I am not vegetarian but looking for ways to eat more veggies and voila, here we are. I used chilli powder from Germany and it definitely had a bit of a kick, but no problems here. Will definitely be making this again soon in the colder months! Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made this recipe probably 100 times now, it’s one of my favorite go-tos! I make a few modifications – add jalapeños, double the seasonings and also add some ground Chipotle pepper for the smoky flavor, and serve with avocado toast and you have a 10/10 meal
Love this s chili.
Just made it for the 2nd time, but this time I blended 1.5cups’ worth, and it really makes the difference.
Thanks Kate!
I followed everything but: no chili powder, regular paprika and I added a 12-oz package of Impossible ground “meat”. Delicious!!! And so filling!
Thank you.