Vegetarian chili is a top-notch meatless dinner, loved by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. The layers of good-for-you vegetables, hearty beans, and warming spices serve up nutritious comfort with every bite.
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Chili
In my household, it’s a winter ritual to have a pot of warming chili simmering on the stovetop. But that doesn’t always mean it has to be beef chili, white chicken chili, or turkey chili. This vegetarian chili 100% holds its own with a hearty mix of diced vegetables and beans that are slow-cooked in a rich, smoky broth. Sometimes, I even forget there’s no meat involved because it’s that filling and delicious. Here are a few other reasons why you’ll love this recipe just as much as I do:
- It’s high-protein and high-fiber. This is the kind of meal I turn to when I’m craving nutrient-dense comfort food that’ll fill me up without weighing me down.
- It’s budget-friendly. Since most ingredients are pantry staples, this one-pot meal is as cost-effective as it is delicious. Win-win!
- It’s incredibly easy. Unlike meat-based chilis that require extra time to brown the meat, this one comes together in no time. Just cook the veggies, add the aromatics, and let it simmer!
Vegetarian Chili Ingredients
- Vegetables: This includes a mirepoix mix of onion, carrots, and celery, plus bell peppers. I’m using green and red bell peppers, but you can use any color you’d like.
- Beans: As with most chili recipes, a combination of black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans is a must. For substitutions, see below!
- Spices: A bold blend of chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, paprika, and salt gives this chili its signature flavor.
- Tomato-based ingredients: Tomato paste, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and diced green chilies enhance the smoky, roasted flavors while adding texture to the broth.
- Vegetable broth: You’ll need just two cups (though you can always add more if desired). I also typically opt for a low-sodium broth.
How To Make Vegetarian Chili
- Cook the veggies. Saute the onion, bell peppers, carrot, and celery for about 5 minutes, until they’re slightly softened.
- Add the seasonings. Stir in the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, kosher salt, and tomato paste, and cook for another minute.
- Add in the rest and simmer. Add all the beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, broth, and bay leaf. Stir it all together, bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it simmer for 30 minutes uncovered while stirring occasionally. It’s going to smell SO good.
- Serve. Remove the bay leaf before serving, and don’t forget to add some fresh toppings. I’ve got some ideas below!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Want less beans? You can substitute one type of bean for more diced veggies! Just make sure to use the same quantity to keep the volume consistent.
- Switch up the vegetables. Diced sweet potato or butternut squash would be great alternatives.
- Add some heat. Just add diced jalapeno or serrano peppers when you cook the bell peppers.
Common Questions
Absolutely. Just add another cup of vegetable broth (or water) to make it thinner and more brothy. Additionally, if you’d like a smoother, less chunky chili, you can use an immersion blender to spot blend, or blend up a small portion in a blender and stir it back into the chili.
While I haven’t made this recipe in a slow cooker yet, other readers have reported success with a low temperature setting for 6 to 8 hours. If you try it, let us know in the comments below what worked for you!
Ways To Serve
- Top it with the good stuff. I love adding chopped herbs (like cilantro or parsley), diced avocados, sliced green onions, chives, fresh lime juice, or even seeds like pepitas.
- Add a healthy carb boost. Ladle a serving over rice or quinoa.
- Serve for a party. I love serving these in small bowls for Super Bowl or for any other party where I need a communal option. Plus, you can make it a day in advance and reheat it on the stovetop.
Storage Tips
- To store in the fridge: Let the chili cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container. It can be stored for 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze for later: This is a great option for freezer meal prep. Just store leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
- Reheating tips: Reheating the chili is a cinch. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on the stovetop or microwave until warmed through.
More Vegetarian Dinners
- Cabbage Soup: A reader favorite for a light and healthy soup.
- Falafel with Tahini Sauce: The perfect Mediterranean vegetarian dish.
- Best Lentil Soup: The best Mediterranean lentil soup to prep for the week.
- Vegetable Soup: It’s a lot more flavorful than you think!
- Ratatouille: The most beautiful medley of vegetables.
- Or browse through my list of vegetarian recipes!
If you make this vegetarian chili recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Le Creuset Dutch Oven My favorite Dutch oven for cooking all my chili recipes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika (or smoked paprika)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (15oz can) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15oz can) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15oz can) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (28oz can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (4oz can) roasted and diced green chilies, undrained
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- For garnish: chopped cilantro, diced avocado, sour cream, and/or grated cheese.
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion, bell peppers, carrot and celery. Stir and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened.
- Add the aromatics. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, salt, and tomato paste. Stir for another minute, until fragrant.
- Let it simmer. Add the black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, diced green chilies, vegetable broth, and bay leaf. Stir it, increase the heat to high to bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. If you prefer a more liquid-y chili, add another cup of vegetable broth.
- Serve. Before serving, remove the bay leaf. Ladle servings into individual bowls and top with your favorite garnishes.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tips: Let the chili cool to room temperature before placing it in an airtight container. It can be stored for 4 to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
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This recipe was originally posted January 2022, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
Vegetarian chili is delicious. I do not like skins of tomatoes from fire roasted tomatoes. Is there any substitute for that?
My husband and I both enjoyed the vegetarian chile very much. Lisa is correct, you don’t miss the meat there is plenty of flavor.
Thanks Susan! I’m happy you and your husband loved this recipe.
My current favorite chili! It was impossible to find kidney beans in Mexico so I used all black beans. Last time I added some veggie sausage. Delicious!
Hi Carolyn – Happy to hear you found a chili recipe you love!
Oh no, cooking this fantasic chili but my green pepper had some critters… Should I substitue with a potatoe? more carrots or this can of mixed vegtables? Help, lol!
Hi Monica – you can sub it with small diced potatoes instead!
We love this recipe. I make it without the tomato products or diced green chilis and it is awesome.
Happy you love it, Jen!
Loved this recipe Lisa. The green chilies gave it that extra something something. I would love to see you do a sweet potato chili recipe.
Hi Darlene – happy you loved this vegetarian chili! I actually have a sweet potato stew on my calendar for the future. :)
Wow! This vegetarian chili is wonderful!!! Full of flavor with the spice combination and filling. I added additional garlic, just a clove, because we love garlic!! It’s very easy to make and smells fabulous as it’s simmering! I’ll be making this again! Thank you Lisa! I love all your recipes.
Definitely feel free to add more garlic. I’m such a garlic-lover myself. Enjoy!
My favorite chili. I love this recipe. It’s hearty and filling and just delicious. I make a big batch and have it for lunches all week. Cooler temps are finally coming and I will be making this again next week!
This vegetarian chili is the ultimate meal prep tool!
I put one tablespoon of chilli powder and I found that more than enough. Perhaps I am a wuss! And no tinned chilli cuz I can’t find that here in Australia.
It’s all personal preference! But glad you enjoyed this vegetarian chili regardless.
So delicious and perfect for the beginning of fall!
This vegetarian chili is truly a fall staple! Happy to hear you’re loving this, Amy.
Awesome and delicious recipes!
I added the jalapeno and a serrano pepper as well as a sweet potato. This is a definite keeper
I love this recipe more and more each time I make it! I serve it w/ garlic bread.
I notice that above the recipe there’s a line that says 1x 2x 3x. Could you please explain this to me?
The chilli looks amazing 👏
Hi there – That’s to alter the serving amount and it will automatically change the ingredients needed.
This was a great vegetarian chili. So easy to make. I’m not a fan of kidney beans so I just used 2 cans of black beans. Topped with avocado made it yummy too!! Had it leftover for a couple nights and just as good the next day. I also put some in the freezer and it was just as delicious after thawing and reheating.
So yummy!
I’ve made this a couple of times. So flavourful. The meat chili is delicious too. I make it with sausage. I’m making both again today for Xmas eve. Going to do in the slow cooker so fingers crossed they turn out. I browned the sausage first and sautéed the veggies and spices before adding to the slow cooker. Merry Christmas Eve PS a couple of Downshiftology cookbooks under the tree 🎄
Hi! This looks delish! How long does it last in the fridge for meal prep?
This will last for 5 days in the fridge, and up to 3 months in the freezer! Heads up – I always have storage tips written in the post 😉
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS !!! Loved it.
Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
I have a cold and this is part of my recovery plan – thanks for recipe and prepping tips :)
This vegetarian chili is a great healthy inexpensive recipe. I also love that every recipe on Downshiftology is gluten free. My family loves this Chili recipe even the meat lovers. I’ve also tried the turkey meatballs with the maple mustard sauce and the Greek sheet pan chicken with grilled veggies last week and the family is still talking about it! This week I’m also making the turmeric chicken and rice casserole. I also enjoy having the videos. Thank you Lisa for sharing your talents and recipes!
Can someone tell me about the tinned roasted and diced green chilies, please? I’m not sure we have them here (Australia). Can I substitute fresh chili which I can char on a griddle? Any suggestions as to how many to use?
The canned green chili here in America is very mild, if you can’t locate them I would char fresh chili’s as you mentioned, that would add such lovely flavor to the dish.
I always start with one fresh chilli until I have tested the recipe. Then if not hot enough I top up with hot sauce
I tend to enjoy beans on a regular basis – plant protein, not meat, and flexible. Your recipe allows me to enjoy my beans in a whole new way. I am looking forward to preparing this recipe many times.
The Nutrition data indicates 409 Calories, but I didn’t find the serving size.
This recipe makes about 6 servings, and each is about 1.5 cups.
This is a super dish. I make it every week now. It covers everything!
Also tried the cabbage soup and it is delicious. Thank you Lisa for your carefully designed recipes. They are well appreciated.
Made this morning and sooo good! Very flavorful. Impressed with the amount of protein and vegetarian. Love when something is nutritious and great tasting. Definitely a repeat recipe!
Happy to hear you’re loving this vegetarian chili Cathy :)
Hi Lisa – I usually LOVE your recipes, but found this one a little lack luster and one noted. I feel like the 2 tbsp of chili powder overshadowed the other spices and the tomatoes made the chili a little too acidic. Just my opinion and written for those who dont love too much tomato or too much chili powder!
Hi Sheila – Sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe as much as others. But thanks for giving it a try!
The Best Ever Chili recipe is one of my favorites. I decided to try this all vegetarian one and I could not be more pleased with it. I really like both of these chilis. I shared my first batch of the vegetable version with a friend who normally eats a beef chili. We both went back for another helping. It is everything that Lisa promised: delicious and satisfying. I noticed how easy it was to digest. I was also pleasantly surprised that it satisfied my hunger and I was not craving something to eat later in the evening. I grated some Pecorino cheese on it when I served it. That was a garnish that worked well for us. Thank you Lisa.
Happy to hear both you and your friend enjoyed this vegetarian chili Paul! It really is just as filling (and delicious) as a normal beef chili :)
Loved this chili! It was super easy to make and delicious. Great, easy dinner especially during these cold winters. I added in some sweet potato, too. Will definitely make again.
Glad you enjoyed this vegetarian chili Bianca!
Oh wow, I feel very hungrily after watching this blogs. Do more blogs like same. in one word it’s awesome.
I added 1/3 cup Lentils to this recipe – Delicious!! The tomato paste makes a huge difference. Takes it to another level!!
The nutritional information will always be per serving, not for the entire recipe.
So good!!! I left out the chilies because I’m a wuss. Pay attention to the serving count because I have 68 oz of left overs because I’m only 1, not 6.
Left mine in my crockpot on low for 8 hours. Came home to a delicious meal. Served it with jalapeño cornbread … will make again!
Glad this turned out perfectly in your crockpot Sonia!
10/10 from the whole family. That one vegetarian kid of mine has a really good influence on all of us. 😄 This chili will become a staple for the cold Swiss winter!
Amazing! Glad the whole family enjoyed this vegetarian chili Barbara :)
I’ve made quite a few veggie chili recipes over the years and this one is the best. Really, really good; perfectly seasoned. I used a mix of crushed and fire roasted diced tomatoes because I like that mix. Thank you!
Thrilled to hear this vegetarian chili quickly went to the top of your list Julie!
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I followed your recipe down to the letter as this was the first time, I was making veggie chilli and it looked and tasted amazing so thank you again.😊❤️
Happy to hear this vegetarian chili was a success Deepali!
I associate delicious chilis with meat, so I was skeptical to say the least. The texture of the different types of beans, plus the prominent blend of spices made this chili delicious and memorable. I didn’t miss the meat at all.
A tip for those who can’t tolerate too much spice, I found that using a can of mild green chiles + the recommended chili powder made a flavorful, but not too spicy chili.
Thanks for your quick tip on the spice Barb! Glad you loved this vegetarian chili though – it really doesn’t make you miss the meat.
I have been trying vegetarian chili recipes looking for my favorite. This is it, hands down! Very flavorful and filling. I love the three beans, and the spices are just right. This is definitely my new favorite 💓. Thank you ☺️
Thrilled to hear you’ve found a winning vegetarian chili Lori!
This came out delicious! Whenever my dad makes chili he adds a dash if cinnamon…after trying yours recipe I added cinnamon and it went from good to perfection! Thank you for the inspiration for tonight’s dinner 🍽 ❤
Interesting to know about the dash of cinnamon! I’ll have to give that a try next time :)
Dear Lisa,
This recipe tastes amazing, it’s so easy to made, one pot and you’re good to go! I left out Cumin, since I *hate* the taste of it, but it still tasted sooo good.
Thank you so much for offering another great recipe!
Greeting from Germany
Glad you enjoyed this chili even without the cumin Tina!
My whole carnivore family loved it. They are suffering thru my Veganuary challenge, and haven’t been disappointed yet.
This really is a chili loved by vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike!
This pot of chili more than lived up to its name! Not only did It come together quickly, it was beyond delicious. I too have a freezer full of leftovers that I look forward to enjoying for days! Thank you! :)
This is truly a meal prep favorite! Glad you’re loving this one Denise.
Thank you for the recipe. Made the chili for lunch today and it was delicious. I will have plenty of leftovers in the freezer!
Wonderful! This truly is one of the best meal prep freezer meals to have stocked :)
We lovvveeedd the chilli! I’ve tried one recipe before but it was a fail. This one had it all the flavor and the nutrients. I use your blog daily now for my meals. Thank you 🙏🏻
Thrilled to hear this vegetarian chili hit the spot!
Made the Veggi chili on this cold and rainy day. After making this I divide the recipe in two because my husband has to have meat. I cooked the meat separately and then added it to his half. Mine. I added the sour cream. Yummm. Will be making this again!
Meal prep at its best! Glad both you and your husband are enjoying this recipe :)
5 star this is hands down the best chili I have ever made! Thank you.
My whole family loved it. I had made a lot of mediocre vegetarian chilis lately trying out different recipes but wasn’t impressed by any until this one. I’m glad my search for a great veggie chili is over! Tastes great with some cayenne and avocado! Perfection!
Thrilled to hear you’ve found a winning chili recipe Isbelle! The avocado chunks really take it over the top :)
Just made a double batch so I could share it with my daughter’s family who are vegan. Delicious!
Happy to hear you loved this vegetarian chili! Excited to see what your daughter’s family thinks of it.
I made this recipe last night for dinner and it is so yummy and comforting. I will definitely make this again and it will go into my “favorite recipes” (along with all the other recipes from Lisa).
Thank you for always providing recipes that are delicious. I can’t wait for your cookbook to be published.
Thrilled to hear this vegetarian chili has now become a favorite Christiane!
This dish looks delicious. I will try it today. The weather allows.
I like your recipes. Thank you
Hope you enjoy the chili!
Can I make this in a crockpot?
Yes, you can! Although, you might need to double check the cooking times from another crockpot recipe.
So colorful, rich in vegetables that meat isn’t even missed! How many ounces is a serving of 547Kcal? Lisa, you’re my go-to for healthy recipes. Your extra efforts in video and photography are worth it. Thanks, Jim in Wichita KS
I’m thrilled you’re loving my recipes, Jim! A serving is about 2 cups.