This simple recipe makes the best bean chili you ever ate. It's loaded with two kinds of beans, veggies and the perfect balance of herbs and spices for smoky, rich flavor with lots of umami. At just 223 calories per serving you can afford to indulge.
Love a good vegan chili? Be sure to try my vegan Irish chili and vegan white bean chili. For low-carb vegans, here's a tasty, satisfying vegan keto chili loaded with protein.
I created this simple vegan chili with two things in mind: I wanted a healthy, incredibly nourishing meal that would make me feel great even after a day of not-so-perfect eating. And I wanted a recipe that was so easy, I could make it with mostly pantry ingredients, with a minimum amount of chopping and prepping, and in as little time as possible.
But that's not all you will get with this vegan chili recipe. You also get full-bodied, slow-simmered layers of flavor without the time needed for slow simmering, and a dish that rewards you with the tastiest leftovers. You - or any omnivore you feed it to - will never miss the meat!
Crafting the tastiest vegan chili
A good chili needs complex flavor, with a balance of spicy, smoky, fruity, hot and umami. It needs a hint of freshness. And it needs that thick and chunky texture that sticks to your ribs.
Here are the ingredients I chose to create that perfect mix of flavor and texture:
- Spicy and smoky - Mexican oregano, sage, ground cumin, paprika, chipotle chili in adobo sauce, and chili powder add both spice and smokiness without making the chili overpoweringly hot. You can always use more or less of the chipotle chili to tweak the spice level to your liking.
- Fruity: I prefer tomato paste in my chili over fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes because it not only adds umami, it also adds some sweetness without the need for adding sugar or another sweetener. Onions and corn add freshness and layers of sweet flavor. You can also top the chili with cilantro or chopped scallions before serving for more freshness.
- Umami: Mushrooms, chopped finely, add both texture and lots of umami, along with the tomato paste. I also use my homemade mushroom stock to add another layer of slow-cooked, rich flavor without the slow cooking, but it's optional. You can use vegetable stock or water instead.
- Thick, chunky texture: Two kinds of beans - black beans and kidney beans - give the chili lots of texture. I like crushing some of the beans before adding them to the pot, which not only adds more texture to the vegan chili, it also helps naturally thicken the chili and gives it a velvety texture without the need to add masa harina or another thickener. The corn and mushrooms add more texture, making each bite hearty and satisfying.
Ingredients
- Vegetables: onions, green bell peppers, frozen corn and cremini mushrooms. I like green bell peppers in this recipe because they are spicier than bell peppers of other colors, but if you have red, yellow or orange bell peppers on hand you can use those instead.
- Spices: Ground cumin, paprika, chipotle chili in adobo sauce and chili powder. I will add an affiliate link in the recipe card to the brand of chili powder I used, which is easily available in supermarkets. If you have a homemade chili powder, use that by all means. You can substitute the paprika with smoked paprika, but if you do that cut down the amount to ½ a teaspoon and only add more after tasting.
- Herbs: Garlic, dried Mexican oregano, dried sage and cilantro for serving (optional). If you can't source Mexican oregano, use marjoram, which has similar flavor and aroma notes.
- Beans: Black beans and kidney beans. You can substitute the kidney beans with pinto beans or use just one kind of bean, but I recommend using both for the best flavor and texture. Either canned beans, rinsed under running water and drained, or beans cooked from scratch at home will work in this recipe.
How to make vegan chili
Heat oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the onions are soft, 3-4 minutes.
Stir in the veggies - bell peppers, frozen corn and mushrooms. Add the paprika, chipotle chili with adobo sauce, ground cumin, Mexican oregano and sage. Mix well and saute the veggies for 3-4 more minutes.
Stir in the tomato paste...
...followed by the beans. Be sure to crush some of the beans with your fingers or a fork for the best, chunky texture.
Add the stock or water and bring the chili to a boil.
Stir in the chili powder, cover and let the chili simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened, then turn off heat. The chili will thicken further as it cools down, but if you want an even thicker chili, either reduce the stock to 1 ½ cups or let the chili simmer a little longer.
Serve
Serve the chili topped with chopped cilantro or scallions or crushed tortilla chips. I like topping my bowl with shreds of vegan cheddar cheese, slices of avocado, or a bit of vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream.
You can also serve this vegan chili with my Mexican green rice or Mexican red rice, with quinoa, or over these air fryer French fries. Chili is also perfect with vegan cornbread.
Make this recipe oil-free
To make the chili oil-free, saute the onions and garlic in ¼ cup stock, broth or water.
Vegan Chili FAQs
Yes, this recipe is soy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, grain-free and vegan.
I have not tried this specific recipe in the Instant Pot, but you might like this fantastic vegan Instant Pot chili recipe that uses dried beans.
Every ingredient in this recipe is designed to meet the highest health and nutrition expectations, from the beans to the veggies, spices and herbs. You will also get 11 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber, along with loads of other nutrients, in each 223 calorie serving.
This vegan chili tastes even better the next day, so it is a fantastic recipe to make ahead. You can store the chili in the fridge for up to five days, and freeze it for up to three months. Thaw and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Related recipes
Recipe card
The Best Vegan Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 4 large cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 large green bell peppers (diced)
- 1½ cups corn kernels
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 chipotle chili (minced + 1 tablespoon of the adobo sauce that the chilies are packed in)
- 2 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms (finely chopped)
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 14 oz canned or cooked black beans (drained of all liquid and a few beans crushed)
- 14 oz canned or cooked kidney beans (drained of all liquid and a few beans crushed)
- 2 cups mushroom stock (or vegetable broth or water)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder (add more, if needed, after tasting)
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
For serving (optional)
- 2 tablespoon cilantro (or 3 scallions, chopped, for serving)
- 8 oz vegan cheddar cheese shreds
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the onions are soft, 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in the veggies - bell peppers, frozen corn and mushrooms. Add the paprika, chipotle chili with adobo sauce, ground cumin, Mexican oregano and sage. Mix well and saute the veggies for 3-4 more minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, followed by the black beans and kidney beans. Add the stock or water and bring the chili to a boil.
- Stir in the chili powder, cover and let the chili simmer 15-20 minutes until thickened, then check salt and add more if needed. Turn off heat. The chili will thicken further as it cools down, but if you want an even thicker chili, either reduce the stock to 1 ½ cups or let the chili simmer a little longer.
Nutrition Information
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John Skiggn says
Hi Vaishali,
You reference Kidney and black beans in step 3, but pinto and black are the ones listed in the ingredient list. Perhaps you may want to correct step 3 or the list and maybe reference kidney beans as an alternate which are also good in chili.
John.
Vaishali says
Thanks, John, that was a bad typo on my part. I've changed it to kidney beans. The pinto bean alternate possibility is already in my notes above.
Thomas says
I made this last night. Delicious! And easy to make.
Sharon Haselkorn says
This recipe looks awesome and I want to try it but how I much chili powder does it call for?
Vaishali says
Hi Sharon, it's 1 tablespoon. Tweak to your taste. 🙂