Vegan Chili

This vegan chili is the best! It’s rich, delicious, and filling, and it doesn’t taste vegan. Made with beans, dark beer, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and quinoa, it’s a perfect healthy, meatless dinner during tailgating season, fall, or winter. Super easy to make and perfect with cornbread. Soy free.

Why This Vegan Chili Recipe is so Good!

• This is a healthy weeknight meal, it’s low in fat and each serving is under 400 calories.
• This chili is a well balanced meal, with fiber, protein and lots of vitamins and minerals from the veggies.
• This vegan chili recipe is naturally soy and gluten-free.
• It comes together quickly and it is so full of flavor!
• It’s perfect for meal prep and make ahead meals.

How to Make Vegan Chili – Step by Step

1. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining oil then mushrooms. Sauté until softened, about another 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the spices (oregano, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and cumiand stir until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook about 4-5 minutes or until a darker red color and scorching on the bottom.
4. Pour in remaining ingredients, starting with 1 cup bean liquid, and stir. Add in an extra cup of bean liquid if you prefer a soupier chili. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer 30 minutes.
5. Top with diced avocado, chopped yellow onion, fresh cilantro, dairy-free sour cream, etc., and serve with cornbread.

An Easy, Hearty, and Filling Vegan Chili Recipe

This is a great chili recipe for a weeknight meal. Often, chili recipes require a long cooking time, but this meal only takes 45 minutes to make. It’s high in fiber and protein, so it keeps you feeling full and I promise you won’t even miss the meat! This is a great dish for those trying to cut down on their meat intake and it’s full of rich and smokey flavors.

Perfect for Meal Prep and Make-Ahead Meals

Chili is a great option if you are looking to cook in bulk for easy to grab meals throughout the week, and my vegan version is no exception. This recipe makes eight hearty servings and leftovers will keep in the fridge for around five days. It also freezes really well. I love to cook a big batch, freeze some, and keep some in the fridge for an easy heat up meal later in the week.

A Well-Balanced Meatless Meal

This vegan chili recipe has a ton of healthy and tasty ingredients in it:

• Beans – there is a good helping of beans in this meal, which are an amazing source of protein and fiber. They are nutrient dense and a great source of folate, zinc and iron.
• Quinoa – Naturally gluten-free, this grain is high in B vitamins, iron, antioxidants and protein.
• Veggies – the mushrooms, onions and peppers all contain a great variety of vitamins and minerals.
• Tomatoes – the canned tomatoes are a great source of vitamin C and K, antioxidants and potassium.

Top Tips to Make Vegan Chili

• You can use any canned beans you like in this recipe, kidney, pinto and black beans all work well.
• You can swap the beer for a vegetable broth if you prefer.
• To serve, top the chili with all your favorites like avocado, dairy free sour cream, fresh coriander and jalapeños.

Be sure to check out these other tasty vegan recipes!

• Vegan and Paleo Cereal
• The Best Vegan Queso Blanco
• Vegan Chocolate Truffles
• Quick and Creamy Vegan Coconut Chickpea Curry

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Vegan Chili

A delicious chili that doesn't taste vegan. Rich and filling, with beans, dark beer, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, and a bit of quinoa. Perfect with cornbread! Made without soy or faux-meat products.

4.88 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 388 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 3 tablespoons avocado oil or other neutral oil, divided
• 2 medium onions chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 8 ounces mushrooms chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 6- oz can tomato paste
• 1 cup dark beer like stout. See Note
• 1 14.5- ounce can roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 2 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• salt and black pepper
• 3 15- ounce cans beans like kidney, pinto, or black beans, drained. See Note
• 1-2 cups bean liquid to desired consistency

Toppings

• chopped yellow onion
• dairy-free sour cream or yogurt
• jalapenos fresh or pickled
• fresh cilantro chopped

Equipment

• heavy bottomed pot

Instructions

 

• Add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add remaining oil then mushrooms. Sauté until softened, about another 5 minutes.
• Stir in the spices (oregano, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and cumiand stir until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook about 4-5 minutes or until a darker red color and scorching on the bottom.
• Pour in remaining ingredients, starting with 1 cup bean liquid, and stir. Add in an extra cup of bean liquid if you prefer a soupier chili. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer 30 minutes.
• Top with diced avocado, chopped yellow onion, fresh cilantro, dairy-free sour cream, etc., and serve with cornbread.

Notes

I like to use 2 cans dark kidney beans and 1 can light kidney beans.

Instead of canned beans, you can also use 4 1/2 cups cooked dried beans.

If you prefer not to use beer in this chili, swap the beer out for 1 cup veggie broth or more bean liquid.

Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 20gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 400mgPotassium: 1225mgFiber: 18gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2215IUVitamin C: 11.4mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 8.1mgNet Carbs: 44g

Keyword soy free, vegan chili, vegetarian chili

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Cheryl Malik

Cheryl Malik is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind the healthy, flavorful, family friendly recipes at 40 Aprons. She’s been a blogger for 10+ years and is known for her delicious recipes and detailed recipe instructions. Cheryl is a mom of three who lives in Memphis, TN.