Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe - Cooking Classy (2024)

Published February 6, 2024. Updated February 8, 2024

Healthy Vegetarian Chili is jam-packed with fresh nutritious veggies, two types of beans, and it’s all simmered in a deeply spiced tomato base. It’s a delicious stew-like soup, ideal for those chilly autumn and winter days and it’s so tasty served with homemade cornbread.

Easy Vegetarian Chili

You’ll love that this is a vegetable chili you can feel great about eating and feeding the family, and it doesn’t taste too much different than a meat-heavy chili thanks to all those flavorful Mexican spices.

It comes together quickly, it’s just a bit of chopping and has a fairly short simmer time compared to that of traditional chili. It’s hearty and filling thanks to the beans and fiber rich vegetables and it’s still a great base for piling on all the best chili toppings.

We love it with avocado, cheese, and sour cream atop but if you if you want to make this a vegan chili then opt for a vegan cheese and sour cream, or just omit them both altogether.

Vegetarian Chili Recipe Ingredients

• Olive oil
• Fresh vegetables: bell pepper, yellow onion, carrots, garlic, zucchini, jalapeno
• Frozen corn
• Canned petite diced tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Vegetable broth
• Spices: chili powder, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt and pepper
• Canned dark red kidney beans and black beans
• Optional toppings: cheese, avocado, red onion, sour cream, cilantro

Possible Variations

In this recipe you could also try other vegetables such as:

• Sweet potatoes (garnet, jewel or hannah)
• Yellow squash
• Butternut squash or acorn squash
• Eggplant
• Mushrooms
• Poblano or Anahiem peppers
• Red or russet potatoes
• Fresh tomatoes (peeled and seeded)

Just keep in mind when using other vegetables some require longer cook times such as potatoes and butternut or acorn squash.

How to Make This Healthy Vegetable Chili

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, onion, and carrots and saute 3 minutes.
2. Add garlic chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, and saute 2 minutes longer.
3. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bring mixture to a light boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 20 minutes.
5. Stir in zucchini, kidney beans and black beans and simmer 10 minutes longer.
6. Stir in corn. Thin with more broth, up to 1 cup as desired.
7. Serve warm with toppings of your choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to serve with vegetarian chili

• Skillet cornbead
• No knead bread or one hour bread
• Baked sweet potato fries or baked sweet potatoes
• Tortilla chips
• Saltine crackers or oyster crackers

Can it be made in a slow cooker?

• To make vegetarian chili in a crockpot simply cook ingredients in a slow cooker on low heat for about 5 hours, or on high for 2 1/2 hours.
• If doing so finely chop the yellow onion so it ends up tender.
• You can add the beans in the beginning if you like them soft, otherwise wait to add during the last 15 minutes.

How long does it last in the fridge?

• Vegetable chili will keep in the fridge for 4 days.
• Store it in an airtight container.

Can it be frozen?

• Yes vegetarian chili freezes really well for 3 months.
• When freezing allow about 1-inch at the top of the container for the soup to expand once frozen so the container doesn’t break.

Helpful Tips for the Best Vegetarian Chili

• Always use a variety of vegetables for nutrition and to build up flavor.
• Saute firm vegetables first and wait to add soft vegetables so they don’t get mushy.
• Bloom the spices, that is to saute them first to bring out their flavor.
• Simmer everything together so the flavors have a chance to meld.

More Vegetarian Recipes We Think You’ll Love

• Roasted Veggie and Black Bean Tacos
• Lentil Vegetable Soup
• Sauteed Vegetables
• Vegetable Curry
• Vegetable Stir Fry