Easy Vegetarian Chili
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Published Nov 11, 2023, Updated Jan 20, 2025
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The best vegetarian chili recipe made with three different beans, veggies and lots of spices. It’s thick and hearty, comes together quickly and has such a rich, robust flavor thanks to a few secret ingredients.
Are you ready for the best vegetarian chili recipe?!
This recipe has a base of onion and garlic, three different beans, corn, seasonings and two secret (but not-so-secret now) ingredients.
Chili recipes are known for having secret ingredients! Many folks swear by adding beer, honey, brown sugar, chocolate (I’m a big fan of this one), masa flour, cinnamon or lime juice (another one I’m a fan of). I recently read somewhere that peanut butter can also be a great addition to chili. As a peanut butter lover this was pure music to my ears. Obviously, I had to try it. I mean, peanut butter makes everything taste better, right?
I’m so glad I tried adding peanut butter to my vegetarian chili because as it turns out the peanut butter didn’t add a strong peanut flavor, but instead a rich and robust flavor (that is oftentimes lacking in vegetarian chili). It also added a bit of fat and helped to thicken the sauce.
Of course, I still added my normal secret ingredients, cocoa powder and lime. Cocoa powder enhances the flavor of chili, adds a deep tone and a bit of richness. And adding a splash of lime juice after cooking adds a hint of tang and makes the spices pop.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Less mess – It’s a one-pot meal; minimal cleanup, more time to enjoy!
- Protein-rich – Packed with plant-based protein from the beans and lots of healthy veggies.
- Easy and adjustable – It’s easy to make and super customizable; adjust the heat and toppings to your liking.
- Perfect for meal prep – Make a big batch and enjoy it throughout the week!
Ingredients Needed
- olive oil – to sauté the vegetables in. Avocado oil would also work.
- yellow onion – pack in flavor right off the bat with onion!
- red bell pepper – add a little bit of sweetness and a lot of flavor with a red bell pepper. Feel free to use any color bell pepper.
- garlic clove – a necessary ingredient for chili… helps make the perfect savory base!
- carrots – I used grated carrots for this soup to add nutrients and flavor! Feel free to use pre-grated carrots for a shortcut or you can dice up carrots.
- fire-roasted tomatoes – I love the flavor that fire-roasted tomatoes adds to this chili! If you’re in a pinch you can use crushed tomatoes as well.
- tomato sauce – add more tomato flavor and thicken the soup a bit with tomato sauce.
- canned beans – I used cannellini beans, red kidney beans and black beans, but feel free to use your favorite combo of beans.
- frozen sweet corn – no need to thaw the corn first, just add to the soup and it will cook as it heats. Canned corn works as well.
- vegetable stock – I recommend using low-sodium vegetable broth so you can control how much salt is added.
- chili pepper – add a little heat and flavor with a fresh chili pepper!
- cocoa powder – enhances the flavor of the chili and adds a deep tone and a bit of richness. I promise your chili won’t taste like chocolate!
- peanut butter – one of the “secret” ingredients! Make sure you grab creamy, natural peanut butter.
- lime juice – another key ingredient that might be unexpected. Lime juice adds a hint of tang and makes all of the flavors and spices really pop!
- seasonings and spices – chili powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, basil, sea salt and black pepper.
Substitutions
- Chili powder: Don’t have chili powder? You can use taco seasoning for a similar flavor profile or swap in a combination of paprika, cumin, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Canned beans: Swap any of the beans with your favorites! Great northern beans, pinto beans, or black-eyed peas would also be delicious.
- Peanut butter: Almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or tahini are great alternatives for the peanut butter, and they’ll still give you that creamy texture and slight richness.
How to Make Vegetarian Chili
This recipe can be made in one pot! You can use a Dutch oven or a large pot. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Start by sautéing the onion, pepper, garlic and carrot in olive oil over medium heat until the onion is soft and translucent.
Step 2: Stir in the red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on low for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so the vegetables don’t burn. This step makes a really flavorful base for the chili!
Step 3: Add all of the remaining ingredients except the lime juice. Stir well to combine all of the flavors. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 4: Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lime juice. Serve immediately!
Recipe Tips
- Adjust to taste: Everyone prefers different levels of spice and sodium, so feel free to adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Make kid-friendly: If you’re serving this chili to kiddos I recommend skipping the red chili flakes and chili pepper.
- Let chili rest: Let the chili sit for a while after cooking as it allows the flavors to meld together even better.
What to Serve with Chili
This chili is hearty enough to be enjoyed as a meal on its own, but it’s also delicious served with some sides. Here are some serving ideas:
- Over grains – if you want more volume, you can serve this chili over quinoa or brown rice. I find that when I serve over a grain, I need less chili overall to feel full. You could also add cauliflower rice for more veggies.
- With bread – I love eating chili with my pumpkin cornbread muffins or vegan cornbread. It’s also delicious served with crusty bread (like sourdough bread), crackers (I love my almond flour crackers) or even tortilla chips.
- Alongside a salad – add some fresh veggies with a side salad. I have a ton of salad recipes to choose from, but something light and fresh like this garlicky kale salad or spinach salad would be perfect.
- Toppings – My go-to chili toppings are Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, and avocado. Other great options are nutritional yeast, tortilla chips, fresh herbs (like parsley and cilantro), sliced jalapeños, onions, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Feel free to get creative with your toppings and make this chili your own!
How to Store Leftovers
I love making a big batch of chili for meal prep because it stores so well! Let the chili cool slightly before storing in an airtight container. The chili will last 5-7 days when stored in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. If storing in the freezer, make sure to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
You can reheat in a pot on the stove over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes if you’re in a rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
I haven’t tried making this chili in my slow cooker, but I think it would turn out just fine! Just add all the ingredients, except for the lime juice and toppings, to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, until the beans and veggies are tender and the chili has thickened up. Once cooked, stir in the lime juice and serve with your favorite toppings!
Yes, you can use dried beans instead of canned ones! Just make sure to soak them overnight and cook them separately before adding them to the chili. Since dried beans take longer to cook, make sure they’re fully tender before mixing them in.
More Chili Recipes to Try
- Turkey Chili
- White Bean Chicken Chili
- Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili
- Butternut Squash and Turkey Chili
- Vegetarian Green Chili
- No-Bean Chili (Beef Chili)
More Soup Recipes to Try
- Vegetable Soup
- Minestrone Soup
- Vegan Lentil Soup
- Chicken Fajita Soup
- Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Taco Soup
Be sure to check out all of the soup recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Easy Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and grated
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 28 ounce can fire-roasted canned tomatoes
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 1 ½-2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 chili pepper, halved, seeded and chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- ½ Tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter
- Juice of one fresh lime
- toppings: avocado, Greek yogurt or sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, warm oil over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, garlic and grated carrot and sauté until onion becomes soft and translucent. Stir in chili powder, red pepper flakes, sea salt and black pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add all remaining ingredients except lime juice. Blend well. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, squeeze lime juice into the pot and stir. Serve immediately.
- The chili can be served over brown rice or quinoa and topped with cheese or greek yogurt for a hearty variation.
Video
Notes
- Storage: The chili will last 5-7 days when stored in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. If storing in the freezer, make sure to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is my new favorite soup! It was so tasty and filling. It didn’t take too long to make, and even my picky kid who doesn’t like veggies ate it up. Those secret ingredients really made it next level. Thank you!
WOO! This is so great, Abby! I am happy you and you kiddo are loving this chili and it turned out amazing for you. Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
Excellent recipe! We are wimps on the spice so we omitted the chili peppers and halved the amount of Chilli powder and red pepper. It was delicious. This is the first time I have used peanut butter and cocoa powder.
Ahh yay! I am SO glad you’re loving this recipe and it turned out great for you, Amanda. Thank you for your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!
This is delicious!! My family loved this chili. Thick, hearty, and easy to make!! Perfect for the fall weather.
Oh yes! This is one of the best fall meals. I am happy to hear you and your family are loving this recipe, Nancy! Thank you for sharing your review & star rating, I so appreciate it!