The Best Recipe for One-Pot Vegan Chili

|Updated Jan 3, 2023

Nothing says cozy like a bowl of warm, hearty vegan chili. This simple version is packed with vegetables and a variety of beans—you won’t even miss the meat. Homemade vegan chili is easy to make and can be made in just one big pot. No one will know that this vegan chili is completely meat-free and vegan!

Vegan Chili Ingredients

Extra-virgin olive oil
Yellow onion
Frozen corn
Green bell peppers
Garlic,
Fire-roasted tomatoes
Kidney beans
Pinto beans
Chili powder
Ground cumin
Water
Himalayan pink salt and ground black pepper

Favorite Vegan Chili Toppings

Vegan chili is incomplete without toppings like vegan sour cream, dairy-free cheese, and chopped avocado. Slice up some jalapeño to bring some heat to this recipe. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and diced red onions to add a fresh, bright element to this vegan chili. Squeeze lime juice on top for a touch of tartness and acidity.

What to Use in Chili Instead of Meat

You can “beef” it up with even more plant-based goodness by adding another cup of chopped vegetables, such as carrots, celery, and/or sweet potato. Or choose the classic mirepoix (2 parts diced onions to 1 part each diced carrots and celery)—just omit the onion from the ingredient list.

Replace 1 can of beans with plant-based meat for a heartier vegan chili. Plant-based meat boosts the amount of protein and makes this vegan chili recipe even more similar to meat chili.

Mix in plant-based ground meat like Beyond Crumbles, Gardein Crumbles or Impossible Ground Burger. Begin by browning the meat, then add the onion, corn, and bell peppers and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

Is Vegan Chili Good For You?

This homemade vegan chili is not only good for you but is extremely nutritious. This recipe calls for tons of vegetables including yellow onion, corn, green bell peppers and tomatoes. It also contains kidney and pinto beans. The combination of vegetables and beans makes this recipe high in fiber, antioxidants and protein.

How to Make Homemade Vegan Chili

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, corn, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cumin, and water. Stir to combine. Bring vegan chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tips to Make Your Chili More Flavorful

This vegan chili recipe has a bit of a kick from the chili powder and cumin. Add more depth to your vegan chili with vegan dark chocolate. Vegan chocolate is a unique ingredient that adds richness and umami to vegan chili while also complimenting the other spices.

For extra flavor, you can replace the water with vegetable broth.

How to Make Vegan Chili Less Spicy

If you aren't a fan of spicy foods, cut down on the amount of chili powder and cumin. Use 1/2 tablespoon of chili powder and cumin instead of 1 tablespoon. Taste the chili as you season to ensure it isn't too spicy.

Add dairy-free milk, heavy cream, yogurt, cheese or sour cream to fix vegan chili that has too much heat already.

What to Do With Leftover Vegan Chili

Sick of eating a bowl of vegan chili? There are so many different ways you can use the chili to make it even more delicious! Top off vegan nachos, vegan cheese fries or vegan hot dog with vegan chili to switch it up in an effortless way. Add vegan chili to a dairy-free quesadilla or make a loaded twice-baked potato for a satisying meal.

The Best Way to Store Vegan Chili

Double or triple this recipe to keep handy in the freezer or to meal prep for the week. This vegan chili can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days and in the freezer for three months. Let the chili de-frost in the fridge for a couple of hours before reheating in the microwave or stovetop.

Vegan Vegetable Chili

6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1½ cups frozen corn
2 medium green bell peppers, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices)
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added kidney beans, drained and rinsed well, or 1½ cups cooked kidney beans
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, drained and rinsed well, or 1½ cups cooked pinto beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 cups water
Finely ground Himalayan pink salt and ground black pepper

Toppings:

Vegan sour cream
Diced red onions
Sliced jalapeño
Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, corn, and bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cumin, and water. Stir to combine. Bring vegan chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately, topped as desired. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.