The Best Vegetarian Chili

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The best vegetarian chili is full of veggies, three beans, and so much hearty chili flavor that no one will believe it's meatless! Make this veggie chili with your Instant Pot, stove, or slow cooker!

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Why you'll love my vegetarian 3-bean chili

• Rich-tasting with a hearty texture.
• So good, it's hard to believe it's vegetarian. Actually, it's vegan!
• Made with budget-friendly ingredients.
• Offers easy instructions for the Instant Pot, slow cooker, or stovetop.

This vegetarian chili is a true crowd-pleaser and most can't believe it's meatless! When you serve it, prepare yourself for a deluge of compliments.

Like my lentil chili recipe, you'll appreciate the simplicity and accessibility of the ingredients. Beginner cooks feel right at home with this recipe, and busy cooks appreciate how the Instant Pot imparts all-day flavor in about an hour.

My veggie chili is featured in Brian Baumgartner's Seriously Good Chili Cookbook. Fans of The Office tv show know Brian as Kevin Malone – and his famous chili scene. I'm honored to have my chili recipe included among so many talented recipe creators in the collection — and thrilled that my food photography graces the cover!

Ingredients for the best veggie chili

• olive oil - You only need a splash to sauté the vegetables.
• carrots, onion, celery, and garlic - These essential aromatics add nutrition, color, flavor, texture, and volume! They're economical, especially when cooking for a crowd. Vegetables make chili more exciting in my book!
• canned beans - You can use any three beans for 3 bean chili. I use black beans, red kidney beans, and white beans.
• corn - Adds texture, color, and a hint of sweetness.
• canned tomatoes - Use any variety. I use diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.
• vegetable broth - Since this is a plant-based chili recipe, I use vegetable broth. But you could use chicken broth or beef broth and still call it a meatless chili recipe.
• tomato paste - An essential ingredient to help thicken the chili and gives it a deeper tomato flavor.
• chili powder - An essential ingredient, indeed! More is better in my book because it only makes the flavor deeper and bolder.
• ground cumin - This gives any chili a depth that makes it even more southern or southwestern.
• salt and pepper - These are essential ingredients that can be added 'to taste' if preferred.

How to make vegetarian chili

First, sauté the vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beans. You'll notice I'm using a combination of black beans, white beans, and red kidney beans. You can use any beans you like, but they must be fully cooked before adding to the pot.

Next, add the remaining ingredients: tomatoes, tomato paste, seasonings, and broth. The chili won't appear thick at this point, but get ready—it will thicken up beautifully as it cooks!

Bring everything just to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the chili thickens to your liking. You won't believe how unbelievably rich and delicious veggie chili can be. It's great for meatless dinners!

Storage and reheat

• Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 90 days or longer if vacuum sealed. The chili flavor actually improves in cold storage.
• To thaw, simply transfer frozen chili to the refrigerator 24-48 hours before reheating and serving.
• To reheat veggie chili, add a few splashes of water or broth if needed. This helps adjust the consistency, which distributes the heat more evenly.

Veggie chili recipe variations

• Add mushrooms or bell peppers to the sautéed veggies for extra flavor and volume.
• Add ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder to the chili for a deep, smoky flavor.
• Substitute a 12-ounce can of your favorite beer for vegetable broth to enhance the flavor profile.
• Add 1 tablespoon of finely ground coffee or 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder to enhance the richness.
• Boost fiber and protein by adding quinoa, enhancing volume and texture.

Try these vegetarian recipes

• Easy Minestrone Soup
• Black Bean Quinoa Chili
• Thai Pumpkin Curry
• Vegan Tortilla Soup
• Mushroom Stroganoff
• Thai Coconut Soup

📖 Recipe

Easy 3 Bean Vegetarian Chili

The best vegetarian chili is loaded with veggies, beans, and ample chili flavor. It's unbelievably meatless and can be made with your Instant Pot, stove, or slow cooker. So good, it was published in a celebrity cookbook!

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Prep TimePrep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook TimeCook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total timeTotal Time: 45 minutes mins

Yield 8 1-cup servings

Author Traci Antonovich

4.98 from 46 votes

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When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or any olive oil
• ▢ ½ medium Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 1 large Carrot, diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 2 ribs Celery, diced (about 1 cup)
• ▢ 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce can) Black Beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 ½ cups)
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce can) Navy Beans (or white kidney or pintos), rinsed and drained (about 1 ½ cups)
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce can) Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained (about 1 ½ cups)
• ▢ 1 cup Corn, frozen, canned, or fresh
• ▢ 1 ½ cups Vegetable Broth
• ▢ 1 (15-ounce can) Diced Tomatoes, don't drain
• ▢ ½ (6-ounce can) Tomato Paste
• ▢ 3 tablespoons Chili Powder, not chile powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Ground Cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

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Instructions

Stove instructions (see recipe notes for other methods)

• Heat OLIVE OIL in soup pot on medium-high heat.
• Add ONIONS, CARROTS, CELERY, and GARLIC to the pot. Sauté a few minutes until tender.
• Add BEANS, CORN, VEGETABLE BROTH, DICED TOMATOES with juice, TOMATO PASTE, CHILI POWDER, CUMIN, SALT, and PEPPER to the pot.
• Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring as needed.
• Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until chili has thickened to your liking, stirring as needed.

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Equipment

• chef's knife
• cutting board
• can opener
• 6-quart Instant Pot

Recipe Notes

Storage and reheat instructions

• Chili can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
• To thaw, transfer frozen chili from freezer to refrigerator 24-48 hours before reheating and serving.
• Reheat the chili in the microwave in a heat-safe container or on the stove. Add splashes of water to create a thinner consistency.

Pressure cooker instructions

First, heat the oil using the "Sauté" setting on the cooker. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Saute a few minutes until tender. Add remaining ingredients, secure the lid, and pressure cook 2 minutes on HIGH, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release. Carefully release the remaining steam. Open the lid and stir chili. Serve warm.

Slow cooker instructions

Follow steps 1-3 of the stove instructions above. Transfer ingredients to a slow cooker, add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook 2 hours on HIGH or 4-6 hours on low.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 83kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 477mg | Potassium: 306mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4248IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

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