Vegetarian Chili – Stovetop or Slow Cooker

At a glance

What stands out: This vegetarian chili is so nutritious and straightforward to mix. It’s a one pan meal so cleanup is straightforward too.

How long it takes: 55 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: large pot or Dutch oven, sharp knife, can opener, small strainer
Servings: 8

Crystal Said:

“Love this chili so much! We've made it about a dozen times! Real ingredients and from-scratch meals CAN be affordable and tasty! Thanks the kitchen for this new staple chili recipe!

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Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Hearty AND lighter! With three kinds of beans (pinto, black, and kidney) and loads of good-for-you veggies, vegetarian chili is totally satisfying and nutritious. And with only 226 calories per serving, you can go a little crazy with toppings and not feel guilty about it. That’s our kind of chili!

A crowd pleaser. With just the right amount of spiciness and heat, this chili will please just about anyone. Reliable for a vegan, vegetarian, or just plain lighter eater, vegetarian chili is a hearty meatless main dish that satisfies even meat-lovers.

Not difficult to make. This vegetarian chili is a one pan meal that can be on the table in under an hour. The ingredient list may look long but other than chopping some vegetables and opening cans, it’s not a lot of work. Some of the prep work can be done ahead of time (keep reading for ideas).

What goes in

• Kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans: Lots of lighter beans! Beans add protein and substance to the chili, taking the place of meat. Feel free to substitute different types of beans. If you like to begin with dried beans, make beans in your Instant Pot pressure cooker. It’s so fast and you don’t even have to soak them ahead of time.
• Bell pepper, carrot, celery, onion, corn: This chili incorporates lots of lighter veggies!
• Tomato paste, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes: Canned tomato products make this chili straightforward to mix. Look for no-salt-added tomatoes to cut back on sodium.
• Jalapeño peppers and chili powder: What’s chili without a little heat? Make your own chili seasoning blend if you like, substituting it for the chili powder, cumin, and oregano.
• Garlic, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper: Pantry herbs and spices add flavor.
• Your choice of toppings: Here’s your chance to individualize this chili recipe. Add your own flourishes, like sour cream, jalapeño, cilantro, avocado, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, crackers, etc.

How it comes together

Sauté. Begin by sautéing onions, peppers, carrots and celery with a bit of olive oil in a good sized Dutch oven or pan. Once they’ve softened a bit, add the tomato paste and spices. Stir them around briefly to heat and enhance their flavor.

Simmer. Next, just add everything else to the pan, except the corn. Simmer the chili for at least thirty minutes. It won’t hurt if you simmer it longer either. Add a little broth or water if it’s looking a little too thick. Chili is pretty forgiving one way or the other.

Add corn. Add a can of corn right before serving. Why wait? It will stay crisper that way, that’s all, so it’s not a big deal if you forget and put it in right away.

Add toppings and serve. We love to add toppings to any kind of chili. That’s a standby part! Why have a bowl of bare chili (gasp!) when you can dress it up? Have a variety of toppings available so everyone can choose what they like best. So fun and rich!

What to serve with chili

Serve your chili with from-scratch Dutch oven bread or no-knead whole wheat bread. Everyone loves from-scratch bread! From-scratch crackers are straightforward and fun, too. And who doesn’t like cornbread or corn muffins with chili?

Straightforward Recipe Variations

• Play around with the vegetables. Cubed sweet potato is wonderful in chili and so is kale. Use what you have on hand or what you like best.
• Try different beans. There are lots of different types of canned beans and most of them will work well in chili. Canned lentils are great, too. Find your favorite combo of beans.
• Bulk it up. Add quinoa, bulgar, or chopped mushrooms to the chili for a meatier texture. Or add your favorite meat substitute.
• Make it spicy. Add more jalapeño and chili powder. Red pepper flakes or hot pepper sauce will heat it up, too.

Make-Ahead Ideas

Prep the veggies.To get a head start on making this chili, dice all the veggies in the morning and put them in a ziplock bag for straightforward prep at suppertime.

Cook it in your slow cooker. Put all the ingredients into a slow cooker in the morning and cook on low all day so the chili is ready at dinnertime.

Freeze it. Leftover chili is great! It reheats well. This recipe makes a big batch, or you can make a double batch and freeze half for a straightforward dinner when you’re in a pinch.

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: Store leftover chili in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Put chili into freezer safe containers and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Reheat: Warm a bowlful of chili in the microwave (covered), or reheat larger quantities in a saucepan or skillet. If chili seems too thick, add a bit more water or broth.

Leftover Love

Cut a spaghetti squash in half and bake until tender. Fill the baked halves with warm chili, sprinkle with cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, and broil 4 to 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Another suggestion: Spoon warm chili into baked potatoes, Instant Pot baked potatoes, or Instant Pot sweet potatoes.

Free Meal Plan

Interested in a weekly meal plan that includes this recipe? Take a look at our Meal Plan #1 or Meal Plan #31. You’ll find a wholesome recipe for each weekday plus a categorized grocery list. Let us do the planning for you this week!

Browse Meal Plans

• Yield: 12
• Prep: 15 minutes
• Cook: 40 minutes
• Total: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 cup chopped carrot (about 1 large carrot)
• 1 cup chopped celery (about 2 stalks celery)
• 1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium. onion)
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (about ⅓ cup)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder, more to taste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce (no salt added)
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups water or vegetable broth
• 1 can (15 ounces) corn, drained

Optional toppings:

• sour cream, diced jalapeño pepper, fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded Mexican blend cheese, crumbled cotija cheese, and/or lightly crushed tortilla chips

Method

1. Heat a large pot over medium high heat. Add oil, bell peppers, carrot, celery, onion, jalapeño, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 6 to 7 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften and onions are translucent.
2. Add tomato paste, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook, stirring, for another minute or until fragrant.
3. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes (see note #1), partially covered.
5. Add corn immediately prior to serving and heat through.
6. Serve with desired toppings.

Notes

Cooking tip: Chili can be simmered more than 30 minutes, if desired. If it appears too thick, add more water or broth.

Make it in your slow cooker: Add all ingredients to slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.

Optional add-ins: cubed sweet potato, chopped kale, cooked quinoa or bulgar, minced jalapeño pepper, red pepper flakes, hot sauce … or your favorite secret ingredient!

Storage & reheating: Store leftover chili in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. To reheat, warm a bowlful in the microwave, or reheat it in a saucepan or skillet. If chili seems too thick, add a bit more water or broth.