This thick and hearty vegetarian chili is smoky, slightly spicy, and so satisfying. Packed with vegetables, two types of beans, and warm spices, this easy chili recipe is the perfect healthy comfort food.
October is the time of year when it can be pleasantly warm during the day but chilly at night. It's not quite cold enough inside to turn on the heat, so I find myself eating soups and stews, like this Southwest Black Bean Soup or this Roasted Butternut Squash Carrot Ginger Soup, for dinner while curled up under a blanket.
And, of course, it's not autumn without a big pot of chili on the stove. I love veggie chili, and this recipe has all of the necessary components: slightly spicy, smoky, earthy, hearty, and thick.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes and green chiles are used here to give this soup an extra layer of depth and charred smokiness. I use two types of beans - kidney and pinto - to make the flavor more complex, and lots of warm spices are included for robust flavor. Lime juice is added at the end for bright acidity and to bring everything together.
And other than the 10 minutes of prep time, this easy chili recipe only takes 30 minutes! Place your chili on the stove and pick up that book you've been neglecting while your dinner simmers away.
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Why This Recipe Works
This thick and hearty vegetarian chili is smoky, slightly spicy, and so satisfying. Packed with vegetables, two types of beans, and warm spices, this easy chili recipe is the perfect healthy comfort food. And if there are leftovers, you can do as my husband did and turn it into a nachos topping!
Chili Toppings
This chili recipe, without any garnishes, is dairy-free. However, there are so many tasty toppings, and many include dairy, so choose your favorites to mix and match:
- Sliced avocado
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
- Homemade croutons
Needed Ingredients
- Extra-virgin olive oil: Use your everyday olive oil for this recipe, or your go-to cooking oil.
- Vegetables: For this vegetarian chili, you will need yellow onion, red bell pepper, and fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Fire-roasted green chiles: They give this recipe a slight spicy kick, but don't worry, they aren't nearly as spicy as you think!
- Garlic: The perfect aromatics for chili
- Chili spice blend: Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, and dried oregano
- Plant-based protein: Canned red kidney beans and pinto beans are used for this recipe
- Low-sodium vegetable broth: I like to use low-sodium broth to control the amount of sodium in my dishes. You can also use water to help thin out the chili.
- Lime: Fresh lime juice is added at the end to add brightness and acidity.
- Fresh cilantro: I love adding fresh herbs to my dishes, and cilantro pairs perfectly with chili.
Step-By-Step Instructions
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chiles, and stir to combine. Cook until onion is tender and translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt, and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently.
Pour in diced tomatoes, both beans, and vegetable broth, and give it a good stir. Simmer chili (reducing heat to medium-low or low if necessary) for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and finish chili with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and whatever your favorite chili toppings are.
Pair this meaty vegetarian chili with my Sourdough Cornbread or Potato Onion Dill Biscuits.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
Use your favorite beans for this chili: I love kidney and pinto beans in my chili, but you can easily substitute black beans, white beans, etc. in this recipe.
Make it vegan/dairy-free: Without any of the garnishes, this chili recipe is dairy-free. In addition to avocado and tortilla chips, you could choose a plant-based cheese or sour cream.
This chili recipe has the slightest pop of heat. However, if you want to make it spicier, add more chili powder, hot sauce, or even cayenne pepper, and season to taste.
Store your leftover chili in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months (in a freezer-safe container).
Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.
More Soup Recipe Ideas!
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Thick and Hearty Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 (7 oz. can) fire-roasted green chiles
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 (28 oz. can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz. can) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz. can) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
- Garnishes: sliced avocado, grated cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, etc.
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, and chiles, and stir to combine. Cook until onion is tender and translucent, about 7-8 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and salt, and cook for an additional minute, stirring frequently.
- Pour in diced tomatoes, both beans, and vegetable broth, and give it a good stir. Simmer chili (reducing heat to medium-low or low if necessary) for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and finish chili with fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and whatever your favorite chili toppings are.
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