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’ve made this quite a few times and I love it. I don’t use much chili but I love all the other spices. I added cacao powder this time and some tomato paste to give some more depth. I didn’t have celery, it was still delicious and will carry me through the week and some to freeze. Thank you!
I’ve had polymyalgia since my 40s and struggling now in my 60s to keep my CRT levels in control. I was looking for something new with beans, peppers and tomatoes (anti inflammatory foods)and this recipe came up in my Google search. I’m so glad it did! I made it today and it’s delicious. Will definitely be making again and recommending to fellow sufferers. Thank you
Very good! I used crushed tomatoes instead of diced and I think it helped make a smoother texture. When everyone wants second helpings, you know it’s a success.
Great recipe, entire family loves it. I’ve used several of your recipes and this one is always a great hit with my teens! I used a small amount of red chili powder from India and predominantly smoked paprika, but no other substitutions. It’s really kickass!
This is my favourite chili ever, and I have tried A LOT of recipes! So flavourful; the smoked paprika takes it to another level!
This vegetarian chili recipe looks like it would be wonderful. However, it
is tasteless. I tried adding other spices over the course of the pot of it but
it never improved and I finally just put it in the compost.
Something besides meat is missing from this recipe, and unless you require
bland food, don’t go to all the trouble to make this. You will be very disappointed,
despite the pretty pictures.
So sad. I made it yesterday and my family loved it. We said that it is sooo tasty and rich in flavour. Will make it again and again.
Really nice I wanna try it someday
Super delicious. Will make it again and again and again!
Did this recipe for a fast I was on and it was perfect! Blending the chili and adding it back is genius! It helped the texture so much.
I have likely left a comment in the past but just made this again tonight and had to tell you how good this is! I actually throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker. On low, 8 hours and the only ingredient change I make is the addition of vegetarian refried beans for the creaminess without blending. My non-veg friends and family love this recipe. It freezes very well. (Next time I might try the smoked paprika another person mentioned). Cornbread and toppings…YUMMY! Much thanks!
This is the BEST vegetarian Chili I have ever had .It is delicious.
I’m looking forward to making this! However, a word of caution, when you use hot ingredients in a blender, the combination of heat and whirling of blades builds up pressure inside and can actually break the glass. It just happened to me, and the new blender I bought to replace it specifically warns against using hot ingredients.
Great point! This is exactly why I use an immersion blender instead. :)
Review
We are in the middle of a multi day snowstorm and I made meat chili for my husband and son. About halfway through it was looking so warm and comforting I decided I needed a chili for me instead of the leftovers I planned. I was able to whip this up in the time I still had to let their’s simmer on pantry staples alone. I didn’t have cilantro or pinto beans on hand, and I ran out of oregano on the other chili, but I swapped the pinto beans with kidney beans and added about 1 TBS of Cocao powder. Gosh darn this hit the spot. I’m
So glad I found your quick and easy recipe and could make such a comforting and warm meal when I was craving one. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Made this for the first time today. It’s my new favorite chili recipe! So delicious! My husband and I both loved it.
I’ve been making this recipe since 2017 – hands down the best ever!
Made on a whim for lunch on a cold day and it was delicious. Only sub was 1 can of kidney for black beans because that is all I had. Even my meat loving husband agreed it was flavorful and filling. Love purée méthod!
Without a doubt, this is the best vegetarian chili that I have ever had! It will be on repeat at my house
A very good recipe ! We are throughly enjoying it . Thank you
I made this exactly as you said. I did mush some by hand to thicken it. I added a table spoon of sugar to cut the acid and added cream to my bowel to cut the acid also as tomatoes can give me heartburn. It was absolutely delicious on a cold evening with home made bread. Thank you
I am not the cook in the house but have made this a million times over the years; so easy, delicious and freezes very well. I also think it’s very flavourful!
I was wondering if this could be turned into a dump and go slow cooker recipe?
Thank you for sharing!
This is a delicious Veggie Chili recipe. I followed the recipe & added all ingredients as listed. After my first taste test, before the start of simmer, I thought the oregano was too forward & made a mental note to eliminate it next time. And also thot I should have backed off on the smoked paprika as it was a little spicy. So I added 1Tbsp cocoa powder that some cooks suggested hoping that would balance it. And at the finish I added the sherry vinegar.
Well—-the end result was chili perfection. My husband loves milder foods so I thot he might object but we both loved, loved, loved it. I’ll keep the addition of the cocoa powder. And will definitely make it again —exactly as I did today.
Love the spice level. Have made this several times and it’s my go-to now.
Can this chili be frozen?
Hi Carla, yes, this chili is perfect for freezing.
I made this yesterday, and it was deliciously flavorful! Meat lovers and vegetarians enjoyed it. Maybe your spices were old. Also, sautéing the fresh veggies is imperative. I did soak and cook my own black beans instead of using canned beans, and I did not use pinto beans. It’s rare that I find a recipe like this that both herbivores and carnivores appreciate!
We made this last night following the recipe exactly. It is SO delicious. We had the leftovers for lunch just now and I think it’s even better than it was last night. So delicious! Thank you so much! I will definitely be making this again and again
This recipe is a keeper! I used a can of roasted tomatoes instead. I was skeptical about using two tbs of chili powder, but I’m glad I trusted the recipe on this one because the flavor turned out well. I added red wine vinegar, but my husband ended up adding lime juice in addition.
Is it fine to make this recipe without doing the blending part?
Hi Willow, yes, that is fine. It will change the texture.
A favorite in our house! Yum.
I made this tonight. The only change I made was using cilantro essential oil because I didn’t have fresh cilantro. It’s STRONG, so I only dipped the tip of a toothpick in it and then dipped that into the soup. I did that twice and the cilantro flavor is quite noticeable in the soup. No changes otherwise. Thanks for a healthy and delicious recipe!
Made this soup for Refuge KC where many of our guests are vegetarian. Everyone loved it! So fresh with the cilantro and avocados! The spice level is spot on!! Thank you!