Meet the best vegetarian chili recipe I’ve ever tried! It’s thick, hearty, and comforting, and packed with tasty vegetables and two types of beans.
This vegetarian chili is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. I repeat it all fall and winter because it is warm, filling and tasty. Made with two types of beans, corn, peppers and more, it’s packed with veggies but is still a hit with meat lovers (ask Jack!).
This easy vegetarian chili recipe requires a short list of pantry ingredients. To do it, you only need to do a few minutes of practical preparation. Then let it simmer on its own. 30 minutes later, this thick, smoky, and spicy vegetable chili will be ready to serve.
Healthy and delicious, this is a great recipe for busy weeknights, game day, or anytime you’re craving something cozy. Enjoy!
How to make vegetarian chili
This vegetarian chili recipe is easy to make! Start with these simple ingredients:
Recipe ingredients
- Onion, garlic and red pepper – These tasty vegetables provide a delicious flavor. For an even stronger veggie punch, add a chopped carrot or rib of celery too!
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – An essential chili! I prefer fire roasted tomatoes to regular diced ones because they add smoky depth to the chili.
- Pinto and kidney beans – Canned beans make this recipe VERY easy to prepare, but you can also cook them from scratch. Feel free to change the types of beans if you wish. Black beans are delicious here too.
- Water or vegetable broth – Helps the chili cook to a stewed, spicy consistency.
- Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce – These canned peppers are the star ingredient in this vegetarian chili recipe. They add an AMAZING smoky and spicy flavor. For even more depth, add a teaspoon of each of chili powder and cuminbut these spices are optional. The chipotles and adobo sauce add a lot of flavor on their own!
- corn kernels – To give color and crunch. Both fresh and frozen corn work well.
- fresh lime juice – For a bright and acidic flavor.
- And salt and pepper – To make all the flavors stand out!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
Process
Once you prepare your ingredients, preparing this vegetable chili is a breeze! You can find the full recipe with measurements at the end of this post, but for now, here’s an overview of how it works:
Start by sautéing the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Then, add the bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until soft too. Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Then cook over low heat. Add the diced tomatoes, beans, chipotles, adobo, corn, water, and salt and pepper. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer for 25 minutes or until chili thickens. Stir well every 10 minutes or so.
Finally, season to taste. Add the lime juice and more salt and pepper to taste.
Top the plant-based chili with your favorite garnishes and enjoy!
What to serve with vegetarian chili
Toppings are half the fun of this vegetarian chili recipe! Fill your bowl with tasty side dishes like these:
Enjoy a bowl of this chili alone or pair it with tortilla chips, cornbread, or a baked sweet potato for a heartier meal. Or, for a fun game day snack, top it with sweet potato wedges to make chili sweet potato fries!
How to Store Vegetarian Chili
This homemade vegetarian chili keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavor improves as it sits in the refrigerator, so I like leftovers better than freshly cooked chili!
Freezing
This recipe also freezes well for up to 3 months. Let the vegetable chili cool to room temperature and transfer to freezer-safe containers or jars, leaving an inch for expansion on top. Seal and freeze.
Let frozen chili thaw in the refrigerator before reheating it on the stove or in the microwave.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you love this vegetable chili, try one of these delicious soups or stews below:
vegetarian chili
serves 4 to 6
You will LOVE this easy vegetarian chili recipe! Made with fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and flavorful greens, it’s spicy, smoky, and packed with plant-based protein. This recipe is gluten free. For the vegan chili, omit the cheese and sour cream on top.
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, stemmed, seeded and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
- 1 (14 ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (14 ounce) can beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 3 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotle in adobo, cut into cubes*
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, and more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, more wedges to serve
Coverage options:
- Avocado, diced or sliced
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Jalapeno or serrano peppers, diced or sliced
- fresh cilantro
- Pickled Onions
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt and some ground pepper and stir. Cook until onion is translucent, 5 minutes, then add red pepper. Stir and cook until smooth, 5 to 8 minutes, lowering the heat as necessary.
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Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, if using, and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
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Add the tomatoes, beans, water, chipotles, adobo, corn, salt and several grinds of pepper. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until chili thickens.
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Add the lime juice and season to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
*Chipotle peppers vary in spice level, so if you are sensitive to spices, start with less. If you love spices, add more to taste. If the chili is too spicy, add more lemon juice and a little olive oil to tone it down.
