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The Best Vegetarian Chili (Slow-Cooker or Stovetop)

This is hands down the best vegetarian (or vegan) chili we’ve ever devoured, whether by slow-cooker or stovetop. This vegetarian chili can be made in your Crock Pot or simply on the stovetop, your choice. You won’t miss the meat with these big, bold flavors. 

vegetarian chili, vegan chili in a bowl with cheese on top
Even the teenagers don’t realize there’s no meat in this hearty vegetarian chili.

The Vegetarian Chili Even Meat Eaters Love

Minnesotans are well acquainted with their chili, as two-thirds of the year around here, the weather calls for some hearty big bowls of chili and honey cornbread muffins.

This robust and hearty vegetarian chili was created because of all my vegetarian family and friends who’ve come over for dinner. They inspire me to create recipes like this vegetarian chili that even meat eaters readily devour. In fact, most eaters (teenagers included) don’t realize this comforting chili is even vegan-approved.

vegetarian chili, vegan chili
A big pot of this vegan chili will easily feed a crowd or provide plenty of leftovers for the week.

The Best Vegetarian/Vegan Chili

Here’s why we humbly call this The Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe:

  • You can use your slow-cooker or stovetop…it’s totally flexible to suit your needs. You’ll find instructions for both stovetop and Crockpot in recipe card below.
  • It’s loaded with healthy, lean, nutritious veggies, beans, and veggie burger crumbles (aka the flavorful deal-sealer.) If you don’t prefer to use the veggie burger crumbles, simply add more variety of beans.
  • It’s actually a vegan chili, as long as your meatless burger crumbles (and optional vegan cheese) are labeled as such.
  • The flavor. This vegetarian chili recipe = big, bold, and scrumptious. So comforting and flavorful!

Even those who typically nosh on Slow Cooker Chili with Beef or Turkey won’t miss the meat with this vegetarian chili. My oft-suspicious teenagers didn’t even notice at all.

The last dinner we made this chili for resulted in an empty crock pot by the end of the night.

Bonus: You can make your vegetarian chili the day/night before, if you enjoy make-ahead meals like I do. The flavor gets even better the next day.

vegetarian chili, vegan chili
You’ll feel great about feeding your family a satisfying bowl of healthy chili that’s loaded with plant protein.

Watch this Recipe in Action

 

More Chili Variations

Vegetarian Chili
Commonly Asked Questions

How long will vegetarian chili last in the fridge?

This chili is absolutely perfect for meal prep. Make a big batch and keep it covered/chilled in the fridge for 4-5 days.

How much protein does this vegetarian chili have?

Loaded with plant protein in the form of black beans, garbanzo beans, and crumbled veggie burgers, each serving of this chili has 13g of protein.

Can I make this vegetarian chili for meal prep?

This chili recipe is perfect for meal prep! Grab some meal prep freezer containers and store in fridge for several days, or freeze individual portions for up to a month.

What can I serve with chili?

We absolutely recommend serving your chili with Honey Cornbread Muffins (No Refined Sugar) OR Sweet Potato Cornbread.

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

vegetarian chili, vegan chili

The Best Vegetarian Chili (Slow-Cooker or Stovetop)

4.91 from 240 ratings
This is hands down the best vegetarian (or vegan) chili we’ve ever devoured, whether by slow-cooker or stovetop. This vegetarian chili can be made in your Crock Pot or simply on the stovetop, your choice. You won’t miss the meat with these big, bold flavors.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 10
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

Instructions

For Stovetop

  • In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil until hot. Add onion and garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, and coriander. Stir to combine, 10 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir 30 seconds.
    vegetarian chili aromatics in pan
  • Add bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes with juices, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and broth. Scrape bottom of pot while stirring. Bring chili to a simmer. Simmer covered 20 minutes. Add beans, corn, and vegetable crumbles, stirring to combine well. Bring chili back to a simmer and cook, covered, another 20 minutes. Remove from heat. If desired, add kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Serve warm with desired garnishes.
    vegetarian chili simmering

For Slow Cooker

Notes

  • This chili is even better the next day, so if you can make it the day beforehand, please do. It’s perfect for meal prep.
  • If you can use veggie burger crumbles, we highly suggest using those, as it will cut down on prep time.
  • If you don’t prefer to use vegetable burger crumbles, substitute with more beans or your choice of grains. This chili is wonderful with these honey cornbread muffins.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ♡

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 169kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 634mg | Potassium: 277mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1609IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 5mg
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Method: Stovetop

Add a comment

Recipe Rating




83 comments

    • Evelyn Lo Foreman
    • 5 stars

    All of a sudden, I’m in the mood for chili! Love how I an prepare this and put it in the slow cooker. Makes life easy, convenient and delicious!

    • Preet
    • 5 stars

    We love chili at home and this vegetarian chili looks so good and healthy. Your pictures are perfect, I can’t wait to try it out.

    • Lisa Rios
    • 5 stars

    Chili is such a great meal! I can’t have a bowl without either warm white rice or tortilla chips. It’s delicious and my mom makes the best chili ever

    • Khushboo Motihar (@kbmotihar)

    Delicious vegetarian slow cooker recipes are so hard to come by! I love the ingredients of this dish and I can’t wait to try it 🙂

    • Joanna Davis
    • 5 stars

    Chili is such a great dish, especially for cold days and with the slow cooker recipe, you don’t even have to worry about the time spent making it. It practically makes itself. I don’t think I ever had vegetarian chili though, but it sounds yum.

    • Megan

    This looks tooooo yummy! I need to try this next time I have people over 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

    • Ana Rose Roads and Pages

    I am not a vegetarian but the foods look very tempting. Would love to have a try of this in the near future.

    • Vian
    • 5 stars

    Yummy overload.. I love this recipe, it looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it at home.. vegetarian chili is perfect for my menu this weekend..

    • lucicoo
    • 5 stars

    This looks so delicious. I love chili when there is a chill in the air and since it still does I will have to make these really soon.

    • Gladys Parker
    • 5 stars

    As much as I like meat (and I do too much) the very first picture with a big bowl of this chili would have been devoured had it been sitting here. It looks just so hearty and good. I’ll be trying out this chili recipe for sure we still have another week of winter weather here I’ve read.

    • themommyspice

    This looks perfect for my meatless mondays!

    • Noelle Lynne

    Yummmm this sounds and looks delicious! Always looking for new vegan and vegetarian recipes, going to try and create this myself!

    • Ana Ojha
    • 5 stars

    This chili looks incredibly delicious! And I bet, cooking in slow cooker would definitely enhances the entire taste!

    • blogthirtyminusone
    • 5 stars

    I love Chili and this one looks delicious. I am saving your recipe because I need to make this soon.
    Nailil
    http://www.thirtyminusone.com

    • Emily Fata

    Oh my gosh, this looks absolutely to DIE for! I think I’ll need to try it out myself one of these days. Thank you so much for sharing this yummy recipe!

    • Sue Tanya Mchorgh
    • 5 stars

    This vegetarian chili looks so good and i am sure it’s healthy too just by looking at the ingredients. I can’t wait to try it out. I will let you know how it comes out.

    • Alison Rost
    • 5 stars

    We’re huge fans of chili at home especially when the weather is unbelievably cold. I think this chili is definitely something that we’ll enjoy especially since it’s vegetarian. It looks wonderful and it’s packed with all the good flavors!

    • Amy-Lynn Vautour

    Mmmmm… this is similar to one that I make, though mine is very sweet. I never thought about adding corn to it! Thanks for the idea.

    • Elizabeth O
    • 5 stars

    This chili looks incredible! I am a vegetarian so this is definitely right up my street and something I will be saving for later!

    • Daisy
    • 5 stars

    This chili looks absolutely delicious!!! I am not vegetarian but I eat vegetarian meals for my family 4-5 days a week so this is a fabulous recipe for us.

      • chewoutloud

      Daisy, I’m with you – not quite vegetarian, but I seem to eat plenty of veggie meals with my friends & family! 😉

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