Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

This Easy Vegetarian Chili recipe is full of good for you veggies plus beyond beef to satisfy the carnivore in some of us! Make this recipe for dinner and I can guarantee you’ll satisfy both vegetarian and meat heads alike. I sure have, on more than one occasion too 😉

Do not be intimidated by the long ingredient list, this recipe is easy I promise. The prep will be fast , especially since the veggies are grated. Grating the vegetables saves you time and adds body to the vegetarian chili. Plus it also hides the fact that this chili is full of good for you veggies that your picky eaters won’t be able to see 😉

Mise en Place for Vegetarian chili

Equipment:

• Cutting board and chef knife
• Hand grater
• Can opener
• Measuring spoons
• Soup pot w/ lid
• Wooden spoon

Ingredients:

• Neutral oil
• Bulb onion of choice – red, white, yellow – any of them
• Bell Peppers – any color 
• Carrots 
• Zucchini – can sub in yellow squash 
• Beyond beef – plant based meat alternative . 
• Garlic
• Chili powder
• Ground cumin
• Sweet paprika
• Cayenne pepper
• Tomato paste
• Canned black beans
• Canned red kidney beans
• Big cans of crushed or diced  tomatoes – fire roasted or regular 
• Vegetable stock or water
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Let’s make this Easy Vegetarian Chili!

Prep

Affix your cutting board to a flat surface by placing a damp paper towel underneath. Gather your ingredients and equipment .. start prepping: 

Roughly chop the red onion and smash the garlic. Medium dice your bell peppers. Now grate the carrots and zucchini. Open all the cans, do not drain. Measure out your spices.

Cook

Place your pot over medium high heat, when hot add the oil.  Add the onions and bell peppers. Cook until the onions are translucent – about 5 min. Add in the grated veggies and continue to cook until most of the water has evaporated. Season with a healthy 3 fingered pinch of salt. Add in the beyond beef, mix everything together. Cook until the mix looks kinda dry- 5- 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until you smell the garlic. Now add the spices and tomato paste. Mix it up and cook until the spices and tomato paste have incorporated fully into the veg mix, now add the beans and tomatoes plus 1 cup of vegetable stock, and a 3 fingered pinch of kosher salt. Bring the Vegertarian chili up to a boil then lower to a simmer. Let the chili simmer for an hour with the lid on.

Eat

I highly recommend serving chili with all the fixins.. Sour cream, cheese, pico de gallo, pickled onions and the one non negotiable in my house is Cool Ranch Nachos.. It’s soooo good!

Prep ahead tips and FAQ’s

For recipes like this where it seems like there are alot of ingredients, I like to prep and group them together and store them in the fridge…if cooking in that same week, or the freezer for up to 3 months. Quart containers are my go to for prep/storage. For freezing, plastic wrap and ziplock bags.

• Store the prepped onions, grated carrots and zucchini together 
• Bell peppers and garlic
• Spices with the tomato paste

What is vegetarian chili made of?

• Basic Vegetarian chili is a combination of  fresh and /or canned tomatoes and beans, dried spices and vegetable broth. As an option, other veggies can be added as well as meat alternatives. 

What can I put in chili besides beans?

• Tofu, edamame, lentils, peas, All the meats, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, corn, the possibilities are endless.

How can I thicken my vegetarian chili?

• In this recipe the tomato paste and grated veggies thicken the chili. 
• a slurry – combo of a starch and cold water. 
• Potato Masher, corn meal, tortillas – the Kitchn

Can you substitute chickpeas in chili?

• Yes! Chickpeas are highly nutritious, chock full of vitamins and minerals.A great sub or addition to chili . Read more about them here

Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Yield: 12 cups

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Beyond Beef and a ton of veggies makes this One Vegetarian Chili Recipe to rule them all!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 med/lg red onion, roughly chopped
• 2 bell peppers , any color, roughly chopped
• 2 lg carrots, grated
• 1 lg zucchini, grated
• 1lb Beyond beef
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1-2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 can black beans, undrained
• 1 can red kidney beans, undrained
• 2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

To serve, optional

• Cool ranch nachos
• Sour cream
• Your fave cheese, shredded
• Pico de Gallo
• Jalapeños

Instructions

1. Place your pot over medium high heat on the stove and add the oil.
2. Saute your peppers and onions till translucent, about 5 minutes, season with a 3 fingered dash of salt and pepper. Add in your zucchini and carrots and sweat them for about 5 minutes,
3. Add in the beyond beef and mix everything together. Cook until the mix looks kinda dry- 5- 10 minutes. season with a 3 fingered dash of salt .
4. Add the garlic and cook until you smell the garlic, now add the spices and tomato paste. Mix it up and cook until the spices and tomato paste have incorporated fully into the veg mix.
5. Add the beans and tomatoes plus 1 cup of vegetable stock, and a 3 fingered pinch of kosher salt.
6. Bring the Vegertarian chili up to a boil then lower to simmer. Let the chili simmer for an hour with the lid on. adjust seasoning, if needed with salt and pepper to taste.
7. To serve, ladle chili into bowls and top with desired toppings.
8. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1.5
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 364Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 740mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 8gSugar: 9gProtein: 23g

nutrition information is not always accurate