Vegetarian Chili is an easy, hearty, meat-free chili recipe full of flavor. It’s made with sweet potatoes and two kinds of beans and ready in one hour!
From Texas Beef Chili to White Chicken Chili, there is no shortage of meaty chili recipes. This meat-free version of the classic Southwestern Stew is so hearty and flavorful that you won’t miss the meat!
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Sabrina’s Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Making vegetarian versions of meaty dishes is a great way to make dinnertime healthier and break out of your routine. This veggie-packed chili recipe won’t break the bank, and it’s quick to make without sacrificing any flavor. It’s made on the stovetop in less than an hour, but it tastes like it was slow-cooked all day. Speaking of slow cooking, this post has instructions on how to make this veggie chili in the crockpot!
Chef’s Note: A recipe with options!
I made this Vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili recipe with a combination of inexpensive and easy-to-find fresh and canned ingredients. But most of all, it’s super versatile! Use ingredients you have on hand. Add meat if you want. Cook it in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. To save on cost, swap out the fresh produce for what’s in season or use frozen diced veggies to cut prep time in half. This chili does not contain animal products or grains, so it’s vegan and gluten-free. Check out my Variations section for more ways to make this recipe your own!
Ingredients
- Aromatic Veggies: Cooking the onions, carrots, red or green bell peppers, and garlic in oil first gives this chili recipe a “cooked all day flavor” with less than an hour total cook time.
- Sweet Potato: Sweet potatoes are perfect for chili recipes because their natural, earthy, sweet flavor complements the smoky flavors.
- Veggie Broth: Unlike most soups and stews, you only need 1 cup of broth because you want this chili to be thick. Also, add liquid to fresh vegetables and canned tomatoes so you don’t need as much broth.
- Spices: Cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper are all classic chili spices. They are common spices most people keep on hand or at least are easy to find at almost any store.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a hint of sweetness to keep this chili mild, while the molasses in the sugar complements the earthy flavors of sweet potatoes.
- Beans: This veggie chili has kidney and chili beans, making it extra hearty. Chili beans are canned beans with chili seasonings, which add extra flavor.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- Dutch Oven: Use a large Dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pot, that you can brown veggies in and cook the stew in so you don’t lose any flavor.
- Cutting Board: A cutting board serves as a stable surface for chopping, slicing, and dicing, helping to protect your countertops and knives.
How to Make
Time needed: 1 hour.
- Saute
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onions, red bell pepper, carrot, and sweet potatoes until translucent, about 6-8 minutes.
- Season
Add the garlic along with the pepper, cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook another 30 seconds while stirring.
- Combine
Stir in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, brown sugar, and beans. Mix well until everything is combined.
- Simmer
Bring the chili mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Simmer for 45 minutes. It is done when the broth is thickened and the veggies are fork-tender.
- Serve
Garnish with sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, and other chili toppings.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion , chopped
- 1 red bell pepper , chopped
- 1 carrot , finely diced
- 1 large sweet potato , peeled and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 28 ounces kidney beans , rinsed
- 14 ounces chili beans , rinsed
Instructions
- Add the vegetable oil, onion, bell pepper, carrot and sweet potato to a large Dutch oven on medium heat.
- Add in garlic, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin.
- Stir well and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the vegetable broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, brown sugar, kidney beans and chili beans.
- Bring to a boil then, reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until thickened and the vegetables are tender.
Nutrition
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Can this be made ahead of time?
Chili is one of those dishes that is even better after it’s been chilled and reheated! You can make it the night before serving it and refrigerate it covered in the cooking pot. Then, all you have to do is pull it out of the fridge and reheat it on low medium for about 10-15 minutes until it’s hot all the way through.
Nutritional Facts
How to Store
- Store: Veggie Chili can be at room temperature for up to 2 hours before being cooled and stored in the fridge or freezer. Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, then refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: The best way to reheat leftover chili is on the stovetop over low or medium heat. Let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it’s heated through, and the flavors will get even deeper. If your chili is too thick, stir in additional broth ¼ cups at a time until it’s the consistency you like.
- Freeze: Once it’s cooled, store your chili in airtight containers or freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 4 months. Reheat on the stovetop from frozen or thaw overnight in the fridge first.
What to Serve with Vegetarian Chili
- Sides: This vegetarian chili is a hearty meal all on its own, or you can serve it over Brown Rice or a Baked Potato for a nutrient-packed, fiber-rich, meatless dinner. If you have a little extra time, you definitely want to make some yummy homemade Cornbread or go with an easy, quick warm corn tortilla.
- Nachos: For fun dinner idea, spoon it over a plate of nachos with Nacho Cheese Sauce and nacho toppings like sour cream, diced white onions, pickled jalapeno slices, and Salsa.
- Toppings: More favorite chili toppings include shredded cheddar cheese, tortilla strips, sliced avocado, Greek yogurt, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, fresh jalapeno pepper, queso fresco, and hot sauce.
Alternative Cooking Techniques
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili
- Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the onions, sweet potatoes, bell peppers, and carrots until the onions are slightly translucent.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the slow cooker.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and cover with the lid.
- Cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours, until the potatoes are tender.
Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
- Turn on the Saute feature and add the oil to coat the bottom.
- Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions, bell peppers, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the onions are softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Turn the unit off.
- Add 1 cup of broth to the pot and stir, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except the beans and brown sugar, and give it a couple of stirs.
- Secure the lid and set the pressure valve to sealing.
- Manually cook on high pressure for 8 minutes, then immediately release the pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid, stir in the canned beans and brown sugar, and then put the lid back on.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes, covered on warm, to heat the beans and thicken the chili.
- If it’s not thick enough, turn on the Soup function and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reduces.
Frequent Questions
The Spanish name for Vegetarian Chili is Chili Sin Carne, which translates to Chili Without Meat. If you wanted to say Chili with meat in Spanish, you would say Chili Con Carne.
While you can always use vegetarian meat crumbles for ground beef, there are other unprocessed substitutes. Riced cauliflower, finely diced brown mushrooms, and finely chopped walnuts all have a similar texture to meat and taste delicious in chili.
If your chili isn’t as thick as you like, you can keep simmering it without the lid until it thickens. Take out some of the beans, mash them with a fork, and then stir them back in as a quick way to make chili thicker. For a thinner chili, add some more vegetable broth a little at a time until it’s the right consistency for you.
While chili beans are canned beans, they are not the same thing. Chili beans are canned in a seasoned chili sauce, usually mild. Check the label if you are vegan or vegetarian because some canned chili beans use meat or meat products in the chili sauce.
Variations
- Butternut Chili: To make a vegetarian butternut chili, swap the sweet potatoes with diced butternut squash. You could also use other hard squashes, like pumpkin or acorn squash.
- Chipotle Peppers: If you like smokier, spicy chili, you can add chipotles in adobo sauce or dried chipotle powder. Chipotles are pretty spicy, so go easy when adding them. Smoked paprika is a mild way to add a similar smoky flavor to chipotle powder.
- Veggies: Diced mushrooms, corn, zucchini, or chopped cauliflower florets would also taste amazing in this vegan chili. Fresh or canned green chiles are delicious and add more Southwest flavor.
- Meat: If you are a meat-eater, you can easily keep this veggie chili healthy with ground turkey or chicken. Brown the ground meat in the oil, remove it with a slotted spoon, then cook the veggies. Add the meat and remaining ingredients to the broth, then simmer as usual.
- Beans: If you aren’t a fan of kidney beans, you can swap them with canned black beans, white beans, or pinto beans. Use cooked beans; if you use canned beans, drain and rinse them before adding.
- Chili Spices: Try traditional chili spices like cocoa powder, oregano, coriander, thyme, or espresso powder will give this chili a bold flavor boost. Sweeter spices like cloves, star anise, and cinnamon give it autumnal flavors that are perfect during chilly weather.
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