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Easy Vegan Chili

Picture this – you’re leaving the office after a long day at work, it’s already dark outside, and you just can’t wait to go home, fall into your PJs and wrap up on the sofa watching your new favorite Netflix show. All you need is a quick, easy, comfort food dinner to finish the evening. This easy vegan chili recipe is just the ticket, and it works just as well for meal prep or leftovers if you hate cooking midweek.

This recipe is filling, full of goodness, easy to make, and a crowd-pleaser. Use store-bought vegan beef or create your own vegetable protein beef if you have a little extra time to spend in the kitchen.

What Is Vegan Chili Made Of?

  • Vegan beef: Instead of a chili ‘con Carne’, use a vegan beef alternative. For example, a store-bought vegan beef or a homemade vegetable protein meat substitute works well.
  • Onion and garlic: You know that smell that wafts around the house makes everyone at home feel hungry? Well, more often than not, it is simply sauteed onion and garlic! These delicious ingredients also make the base flavor for this dish.
  • Celery and green pepper: Add some hidden veg and another layer to the depth of flavor of the recipe.
  • Tomato: Tomatoes make the bulk of the ‘saucy’ element to the dish, thicken the recipe and add flavor to the meal.
  • Beans: Use any beans you have on hand. I recommend kidney beans and a can of beans in a chili sauce for best results.
  • Chili seasoning: This vegan chili uses pre-mixed chili seasoning to save you time cooking a midweek meal. They contain everything you need to whip up a banging chili recipe without the fuss of measuring out individual spices.

How To Make Vegan Chili

This cheat sheet for ultimate vegan chili is super easy to make in just one pot!

  1. Firstly, prep your TVP if using.
  2. Add beef, onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and oil to a large pot and cook on medium heat until the ‘meat’ starts to brown.
  3. Then stir in all tomatoes, beans, and the seasoning mix.
  4. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and reduce to low heat to allow the chili to simmer for 2-3 hours.
  6. Stir in the white vinegar right before serving, plate up with your chosen toppings, and enjoy!

Vegan Chili Topping Ideas

Make this easy bean chili your own with as many toppings as you like. To keep the recipe vegan, here are my topping recommendations:

  • Non-dairy sour cream
  • Vegan cheddar cheese
  • Avocado or homemade guacamole (some store-bought guac may contain milk, so check the ingredients carefully)
  • Tortilla chips (these are great if you love to add a crunch factor!)
  • Fresh cilantro
  • A squeeze of fresh lime juice
  • Salsa
  • Pickled onions
  • Scallions

What Spices Are In Chili Seasoning?

Each brand will have a unique way of formulating a chili seasoning mix. However, generally, you will find paprika, cumin, chili pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, garlic powder, and oregano as the bulk of the flavor in the packet.

This pre-mixed seasoning hack can also be an excellent option if you are a student or moving into your first home, as you may not have a fully equipped spice rack!

How To Store Leftover Chili

Chili leftovers are some of my favorite. I’m not sure what magic chili fairy visits my food overnight, but I swear it tastes even better on day 2!

Add your leftover chili to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for about 5 days. Then, reheat on the stove (preferable) or in the microwave for an easy grab-and-go meal.

Alternatively, you may prefer to freeze the chili for up to 3 months. Unless you are preparing the best vegan chili recipe for your family, it is easiest to freeze individual portions so you can defrost the chili as and when you need it. Leave it in the fridge overnight, or leave it out in a cool place for 8-12 hours to defrost before reheating.

Vegan Chili Recipe FAQs

How Do You Thicken Vegan Chili?

Here are my top hacks for thickening up a vegan chili:

  1. Tomato puree (or tomato paste): Add a few tablespoons of tomato puree. This also infuses the dish with a bit of extra tomatoey goodness.
  2. Flour: Use plain flour or cornstarch to make a runny paste (1-2 tablespoons flour to half the amount of cold water) and stir this into the chili to thicken the mix instantly.
  3. Simmer: Sometimes, the best way to thicken the dish without adding new ingredients to the mix that may alter the flavor is to simmer the chili without the lid on until it slightly reduces.
  4. Time: If you prefer a thicker chili, you may like leftover chili over a freshly made dish.

What To Do If Your Vegan Chili Is Too Spicy

If you are worried about this being a spicy vegan chili, make sure you opt for a mild chili seasoning packet.

The second thing you can do to prevent the chili from getting too spicy is to use half of the pack and then work your way up from there and make sure you do some taste tests along the way. And who doesn’t love an excuse to eat as they cook!

If you have finished cooking and then realize your chili is too spicy, simply add more chopped tomatoes and simmer. You may also wish to add 1-2 tsp sugar to combat the spice.

Another way to help the chili become more palatable is to serve it with creamy sides such as vegan sour cream and avocado.

Do You Need To Drain Beans For Chili?

Yes and no! I prefer NOT to drain my beans as you will waste the delicious chili bean sauce that adds a lot of flavor to your easy healthy vegan chili. However, if you struggle with gut issues, you may wish to drain and rinse the kidney beans to avoid the infamous ‘bean bloat.’ Otherwise, just add the beans straight from the tin, and you’re away!

 

INGREDIENTS

TVP Textured Vegetable Protein “Beef”

  • 1 cup dried TVP 
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy or tamari sauce
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • salt and pepper, to taste

METHOD

  1. If using vegan beef – Add vegan beef, onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and oil in a large pot and cook until the vegan beef is browned, then season with salt and pepper.
  2. If using TVP beef, Add the onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and oil to a large pot and cook for about 8 minutes. Then add in the prepared TVP beef and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Next, add the Rotel tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, and seasoning, and mix well.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 2-3 hours.
  5. Lastly, stir in the white vinegar.
  6. Serve topped with vegan shredded cheddar cheese and non-dairy sour cream, optional.

SLOW COOKER METHOD

  1. Cook vegan beef until browned
  2. Add all ingredients into the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.

TVP – TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN “BEEF” METHOD 

  1. Add dried TVP, vegetable broth, and soy sauce to a medium pot. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat until the vegetable broth is absorbed.
  2. Then add olive oil, spices, liquid smoke, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and cook over medium heat until it resembles ground beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
Vegan Chili

Easy Vegan Chili

Dominique Ebra
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

TVP Textured Vegetable Protein “Beef”

Instructions
 

TVP – TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN “BEEF”

  • Add dried TVP, vegetable broth, and soy sauce to a medium pot. Cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat until the vegetable broth is absorbed.
  • Then add olive oil, spices, liquid smoke, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and cook over medium heat until it resembles ground beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

Vegan Chili

  • If using vegan beef – Add vegan beef, onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and oil in a large pot and cook until the vegan beef is browned, then season with salt and pepper.
    If using TVP beef, Add the onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and oil to a large pot and cook for about 8 minutes, then add in the prepared TVP beef, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Next, add the Rotel tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, beans, tomato sauce, seasoning, and mix well.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 2-3 hours.
  • Lastly, stir in the white vinegar.
  • Serve topped with vegan shredded cheddar cheese and non-dairy sour cream, optional