Vegan Chili
This Vegan Chili is so dang good you won’t miss the meat! Just as cozy, comforting and hearty and with only plants!
A few years back I made a Cheap Vegan Chili using TVP. Well recently I wanted to see how that recipe would do with some Impossible Meat, and so I had to put this recipe together!
They are both pretty similar, but I wanted to provide an option for folks like me who are in a position to use something like Beyond or Impossible Meat. That being said, even without the meat, this chili is super good!
And if you wanna make a chili with just Vegan Meat, check out my No Bean Chili recipe!
Ingredients for vegan chili
- Veggies – I like using bell peppers, jalapeños, onions and garlic.
- Canned Tomatoes – I’m using both crushed and diced tomatoes in this recipe. I like a thick and chunky chili, so diced do a great job of adding some texture.
spices & Seasonings
- Chili Powder – This is the main seasoning we are using. It’s important to note that this is a seasoning blend and not just hot chile powder. It’s very common here in the US. But if you can’t find it, there’s loads of recipes on line to make your own mix. There’s also two kinds, Dark and Regular. Dark is smokier and a deeper in flavor. Regular is more cumin and garlic powder forward, so choose which ever sounds good to you!
- Cumin – We are adding some additional cumin because it’s cumin and makes chili delicious!
Optional (but recommended) Seasonings
- Chipotles in Adobo – This is one of my favorite ingredients and I can’t imagine making chili without them. It just gives it a nice smokey and spicy layer that I think is necessary. That being said you can sub with some cayenne or smoked paprika if you can’t find them.
- Cocoa Powder & Cinnamon – These both add a nice rich, dark layer to the chili that is freaking scrumptious. Just make sure you don’t use too much as it can get sweet.
- Soy Sauce & Vegan Worcestershire – These both add some nice umami, and don’t worry, the chili won’t taste like soy sauce!
Broth, Beans & Meat!
- Veggie Broth – Now while I like a thick chili, we do need to thin it out with some veggie broth. It will also add some nice flavor as well.
- Meat – You can use something like Impossible or Beyond Meat. If you don’t wanna use Vegan Ground Beef, I have a recipe for TVP Chili, and you can also make some Vegan Ground Meat with Tofu, Lentils & Mushrooms or Tempeh.
- Beans – You can use any bean you like, Kidney, or Black Beans are common, but I like to use just Pinto Beans!
- Masa Harina & Refried Beans – I like to use these to thicken the chili and also add some nice flavor!
How to make Vegan Chili
Cook the bell pepper, jalapeños and onion.
Add in the Vegan Meat and break up into fine pieces. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes. Then add in the spices and stir to combine.
Add in the minced garlic and tomato paste, stir and then add in the canned tomatoes.
Next add in the veggie broth and pinto beans and stir once again.
I like to add in a can of refried beans to thicken!
Taste and adjust for seasoning. Add in any additional seasonings and ingredients.
Enjoy with any fixins that you like! Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months!
season to taste!
This should go without saying, but always make your meals, and especially something like chili to your taste! The recipe below is updated from when I originally made it to start off with more conservative amounts of seasonings so you can add as much as you like, since it’s impossible to subtract!
a ton of chili!
This makes 15 servings, so it’s a lot of chili. I typically freeze most of it and then reheat as I need it. So unless you are hosting a party (which I did with this chili and everyone including non-vegans ate all of it!) I suggest freezing for later.
the fixins
You got a lot of options to top you chili! Vegan Sour Cream and Cheese, Pickled Jalapeños, Fritos, Oyster Crackers, Onions, Pickled Onions, the list goes on!
Storage
This recipe makes about 15 servings, so unless you are feeding a small army, I suggest freezing most of it. You can store it in the fridge for 3 – 5 days, or freeze for 4 – 6 months! I like using some Souper Cubes to freeze and then transferring those to a freezer safe bag.
To reheat, you can do so on the stovetop or microwave.
other recipes you might like!
- Vegan Chili Burger
- Beef Stew
- Shepherd’s Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Chicken & Dumplings
Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Bell Pepper (Diced)
- 1 – 2 Jalapeños (Diced)
- 1/2 Onion (Diced)
- 2 lbs Vegan Ground Beef (Impossible or Beyond, SEE NOTES)
- 1/4 cup Chili Seasoning
- 2 Tbsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 8 Garlic Cloves (Minced)
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
- 30 oz Fire Roasted Tomatoes (2 cans at 15 oz. each)
- 2 – 4 cups Veggie Broth
- 60 oz Pinto Beans (4 cans at 15 oz. each, drained and rinsed)
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
- Salt & Pepper
Optional Ingredients
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 – 3 tsp Cocoa Powder
- 1 – 3 tsp Vegan Worcestershire
- 1 – 3 tsp Soy Sauce
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Hot Sauce
- Cayenne (to Taste)
- 1 – 2 Tbsp Diced Chipotles in Adobo (for Heat)
- 1/4 cup Masa Harina (to thicken)
- 15 oz. Refried Beans (to thicken)
Instructions
- Heat a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add in 1 – 2 Tbsp cooking oil, and then the bell pepper, jalapeños and onion. Stir occasionally and cook for 2 – 3 minutes. Add in a pinch of salt and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or until the veggies have softened a bit.
- Add in the Vegan Meat and break up into fine pieces. Cook until browned, about 8 minutes.
- Add in the chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir to combine and then add in the tomato paste and minced garlic. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes making sure not to burn the garlic or seasonings.
- Add in the Crushed and Fire Roasted Tomatoes, stir to combine. Next add in the veggie broth and pinto beans and stir once again. Start off with 2 cups or so of broth and add more if needed.
- Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning. It should taste pretty good at this point, but to really get it over the top, add any of the optional ingredients that appeal to you. And I recommend starting out conservative and adding more as you like.
- If the chili feels too thin to you, you can either simmer and reduce it down more, or you can add some Masa Harina (like Maseca) or Refried Beans to thicken. Likewise if it's too thick, add more broth.
- Enjoy with any fixins that you like! Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months!
After giving your tvp meat recipe and tofu tacos a try, I knew you had to have a chili recipe. I gotta say, as someone that arrives to eat less meat, your recipes are pretty great and don’t leave me wishing for meat. This recipe is no exception! I’ve never used beyond/impossible meat before, so I was excited to give it a try. I used the new beyond meat with aclvacado oil… Figured that’s gotta be better for you. I accidentally forgot to add the 2nd can of fire roasted tomato so after 20 min of cooking, it was way thick and I had to add some more vegetable broth. Out of the gate, it wasn’t spicy enough for me. I added 2 tbsp chipoltes in adobo, 1 tsp cayenne, 2 tsp choloua. That fixed it. I also added some of the cinnamon, Worcestershire, coco powder, and soy sauce. Why not? Maximum flavor! I’m so full.
Haha, happy to hear this, so glad you liked it!! Thank you!