I grew up helping my dad make his “famous” chili for special occasions like Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. If there was a holiday party going down you can be sure his chili was the main event (often paired with his “famous” Caesar salad and garlic bread – his 3 staple recipes that we ate time and time again). A love of chili is definitely in my blood and rarely does a winter go by when I don’t make a couple batches of it. Of course, my versions are free of animal products, but I can promise you they are just as tasty as the originals (you can also find my version of Caesar salad in my cookbook, by the way).
I have a couple chili recipes on the blog already, but this one is my favourite by far. I see recipes as works in progress; I’m always tweaking and improving the flavour and the method each time I make them. A recipe is never the final word even if it feels that way at the time. Isn’t that what makes cooking fun? I think so. Plus, it gives me a chance to try and improve upon the last batch of photos!
This time I served the chili with a homemade vegan sour cream and now I can’t believe that I’ve been eating my chili without it for all this time. It’s like a creamy ribbon of heaven dispersed throughout the bowl, taking a bit of edge off the spices. Where have you been all my life?
I’m always asked about recipes that freeze well and chili is definitely one of them to prepare in bulk and freeze. It’s also packed with protein and fibre so you really don’t need to serve it with much else if you don’t have time. Sometimes just a crusty roll or crackers will do. It’s a meal that leaves you feeling satisfied for hours and hours.
If you are like us and caught in winter’s wrath yet again this week (nooooooo!), I hope this dish brings you the comfort it’s brought us during this snow storm. Stay warm!
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My Favourite Vegan Chili
Yield
8 small servings
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Hearty, satisfying, and veggie-packed, this vegan chili will leave you feeling full for hours. I recommend pairing it with a big scoop of my Cashew Sour Cream for the ultimate chili experience.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups (280 g) diced sweet onion (about 1 medium/large)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4 large cloves)
- 2 medium jalapeños (80 g), seeded (if desired) and finely chopped
- 1 cup (115 g) finely chopped celery (about 2 large stalks)*
- 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced**
- 1 (28-ounce/796 mL) can diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup (250 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 6 tablespoons (90 mL) tomato paste
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce/398 mL) can pinto or navy beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
Toppings:
- Cashew Sour Cream
- Chopped green onions
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions
- In a large pot, sauté the onion and the garlic in the oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and stir.
- Add the jalapeños, celery, and bell pepper and sauté for another 5 to 7 minutes or so, until softened.
- Now add the can of diced tomatoes (with the juice), broth, and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans, along with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, until thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the cayenne and hot sauce to taste, if using. Taste and season with additional salt if desired.
- Serve with Cashew Sour Cream, chopped green onion, and cilantro leaves, if desired.
Tip:
- * I recommend finely chopping the celery so it cooks faster.
- ** Try swapping the raw red pepper for jarred roasted red pepper. It makes the flavour simply out of this world!
- A few of my go-to jarred or canned bean and tomato products are as follows: For canned beans I buy Eden Organics, for canned diced tomatoes I buy Ontario Natural Food Co-op, and for tomato paste I try to buy it in a glass jar whenever possible (Bioitalia is one brand I use). I try to buy glass jars for tomato sauces and pureés too.
Nutrition Information
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Yum! I just made this last night exactly as written and it was delicious! I did add some Beyond Meat crumbles and it honestly tasted just like it was a ground beef chili- flavor country! I’ll definitely be making this again!
This chili was amazing! I made it for my son who is vegan for Super Bowl Sunday this year. I loved it as well!
Hello Angela,
I made the chili and vegan sour cream tonight for my the first meal that I cooked for a man that I have recently started dating. He went back for seconds! I loved both.
Thank you!
Aw, I’m so pleased the recipes were a hit, Jill — especially for this milestone meal :)
I had a chili classic recipe….it has now been replaced with your! delish!
Love all of your recipes! So thought I would try this one today… I accidentally added the jalapeño seeds and it is HOT! Anything else I can add to combat the spiciness? Thanks so much!
Hey Kristen, Oh no! Those little seeds pack some punch. I would suggest adding some vegan sour cream on top to mellow the spice, or you can try diluting the chili with some veggie broth…or even a small amount of sweetener? Let me know if you try anything out!
I loved the chili. It was to spicy for my wife. I think my chili powder is spicy. I served it with roasted potatoes and the cashew sour cream. Going back for seconds.
Made this last night exactly as instructed and it was perfect. Delicious and easy. Didn’t miss the meat at all. Added bonus – leftovers for lunch. I imagine it’s just as tasty cold. Thanks for giving us hope that we can eat healthy without sacrificing flavor.
Hey Fay, I’m thrilled to hear how much you love this chili! Thanks for letting us know. :)
Hello! I’m just wondering if I don’t have time to make my own vegetable stock what could i use instead ? I try to avoid the store bought ones as well . I’m afraid they are full of sodium. Could I use just water and extra spices?
Love your recipes been following you for years :)
Hey Jen, Thanks for your kind words! I use low-sodium vegetable broth (store-bought) typically. Maybe that is an option for you? I like it because you can control your own salt.
Hi Angela! Long time reader and recent (past 3 months) vegan! I’ve been plotting to go plant based and finally got my husband on board, which made the transition much easier. I wanted to let you know that I have had great success in winning my husband over on this diet, specifically with your recipes! I’ve tried some others that I personally enjoyed, but he did not. I plan to start making so many more of your recipes now! The Golden Dal was a huge hit and I made this chili this week. I kid you not, he said that this chili was the best chili I had ever made, including my mom’s ground beef chili!! I was ecstatic! Thank you so much for doing what you do!
Wow!! Ashley I’m thrilled to read such “glowing” reviews! Thank you so much for the kind words…I hope you make many more recipe hits to come. =)
This is the best chili I’ve ever had! I definitely recommend using with the roasted red peppers as noted. I add the vegan sour cream and green onions on top. Soooo good!! We’re making another batch tonight.
Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Hey Jill, So happy to hear this is a big hit! Thanks for your review :)
I made this for my partner who is an avid meat and dairy lover and he absolutely gobbled it up and went back for more! The sour cream is sooooo yummy and easy! I added mushrooms, carrots, potatoes, maple syrup, and more beans…hands down one of the best recipes!
Hey Brianne, That’s great it was such a hit! I love your tweaks too.
Hello, I love your recipes! So I am looking for a good hearty chili that is on the sweet side but still adds the heat. It seems like the tomato paste will balance out the chili powder flavor. Should any more sugar be added to balance the taste? Also can I add one more can of rinsed dark red kidney beans without it totally changing the flavor?
Hey Dorsey, You can probably tweak the chili to your taste…it’s pretty versatile! Yes the tomato paste does a great job of balancing the spices. You can try adding a bit more and a bit of sugar if you want it sweeter. I also think you can add more beans…it’ll just be thicker.
Hi! I just made this and the whole family LOVED it! I didn’t make the sour cream part this time though. SO good! We added unhealthy Frito Corn Chips to go with it though. :)
Hey Kimberley, Thanks for letting me know it was a hit…so happy to hear that!
Last time I tried a recipe it was supposedly “Award Winning.” I don’t know what kind of award it won but I think it had something to do with a school cafeteria. It was awful and a little expensive to make. This recipe however was very good and versatile. I didn’t follow the recipe exactly and made it too hot but a little bit of honey and some lime juice fixed that. I will make it again for sure.. Thank you for sharing..
Hey Terry, I’m so happy to hear this chili was a hit (and good call on fixing the heat with a bit of honey and lime!).
Hands down, BEST chili recipe I have ever made! I make this for all my non vegan friends and they all ask for the recipe! I have substituted the beans for Beyond Beef Feisty Crumbles because my son is allergic to beans, of all things! And that works beautifully as well! He is out of the house now so I am back to beans and my husband and I just crave this chili! Thank you for the recipe!! LOVE!!
Hey Kathy, I’m so happy you love it so much! And that you were able to swap out the beans for the crumbles for your son. Such a good idea.
i always make these chili beans but instead of canned i use real tomatoes and just chop them up into 3.5 cups :) I LOVE THIS THANK YOU FOR SHARING :d
Oh good call on swapping real tomatoes :) So glad that works well for you and that you enjoy the recipe so much!
My wife and I made a double batch of this Chili and 4 times the batch on your Cashew sour cream. We invited all our non-vegan friends over for a football game. We also made a side of ground beef just in case if they wanted to add it to their serving. Everyone loved it and most of the meat was not used! This is now in my must have list for making chili. Thank you so much!
Hey Scott, So glad to hear it was a big hit! Good call on the double batch and 4x cashew sour cream :) I like the way you think!
Made this tonight, including the cashew sour cream. It was amazing!! We also sprinkled on some broken corn chips, which added the perfect crunch. Will definitely make again.
So happy to hear that, Brooke!
This is delicious! The perfect amount of spice and freshness!! This is a staple recipe at my family’s home.
So happy to hear that Heather! Thanks :)
This is my all time favorite chili recipe, I can’t count how many times I’ve made it. My “meatatarian” husband loves it, and it freezes so well. Thank you Angela!
My question is – has anyone tried making this in an Instant Pot? Any suggestions on cook times? I’m guessing only 5 mins or so on Manual, based on other vegetarian chili recipes I’ve seen, but was just curious if anyone has given it a shot. :)
Hey Joanna, I’m so happy you both love it so much! While I don’t have an instapot, I’ve been thinking of getting one. I’ll be sure to do some updates if I try out any of my recipes. But I’d love to hear if anyone has tried it too! You may be able to look online for vegetarian chili instapot recipes for ideas on how to cook it?