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Looking for a hearty, healthy meal that’s full of flavor and easy to make? This is the Best Vegan Chili and it’s loaded with plant-based protein, wholesome ingredients, and bold spices — perfect for cozy dinners, meal prep, or feeding a crowd!
If you love meat-free soups, you’ll want to try my Easy Minestrone Soup Recipe, this Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup, and my Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup.
Why I Love This Vegan Chili
After battling migraine headaches for over 20 years, I’ve learned that meat and eggs can be major triggers for me. Since removing them from my diet, I’ve experienced real relief — and as a bonus, it’s pushed me to create more flavorful, plant-based meals. This Vegan Chili has become one of my go-to recipes: it’s hearty, satisfying, and packed with wholesome ingredients that support my health without sacrificing taste. I’m excited to share more meatless recipes like this here on My Crazy Good Life!
Enjoy!
– Becca
Ingredients in Vegan Chili
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Carrots I love using carrots in this recipe because they are a bit crunchy and leave me feeling like I’m not missing texture without the meat.
- Kidney beans I use low sodium canned dark red kidney beans, but light red works as well.
- Black beans I use low sodium canned black beans.
- Cannellini beans I love adding cannellini beans but basic white beans also work.
- Pinto beans If I can find chili beans without a lot of added ingredients, I love adding them, but regular pinto beans work perfect!
How to Cook Vegan Chili on the Stove
Step 1: Spray a little olive oil and sauté the carrots in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Add in diced onions and seasonings, sauté for 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add beans, tomatoes, and if you’re cooking in an Instant Pot, add water to the pot.
Step 3: Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until hot and flavors have melded. Top with diced green onions.
Step 4: Serve warm or store in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Recipe Tips
- Add veggies for texture: Bulking up your chili with veggies is a great way to add texture and nutrition without meat. Bell peppers, carrots, and zucchini are classic go-tos, but don’t stop there! I love tossing in diced celery for a subtle crunch, barely-cooked sweet potatoes, or butternut squash for a touch of sweetness. You may need to add some broth or water to the pot if you add more veggies.
- Adjust heat to taste: Love it spicy? Add chopped jalapeños or a pinch of cayenne. Prefer mild? Stick to chili powder only.
- Topping ideas: Add flavor, texture, and freshness with your favorite toppings! Try sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, green onions, vegan sour cream or cheese, crispy quinoa or crushed tortilla chips, nutritional yeast, or a few slices of jalapeño for a spicy kick.
- This chili tastes even better the next day! Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 2–3 months.
Vegan Chili FAQs
This recipe is super flexible when it comes to beans! We’ve made it with all kinds — black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, even chickpeas. Don’t be afraid to mix and match based on what you have on hand. Sometimes we swap in extra black beans or toss in chickpeas when we’re short on other types — and it always turns out delicious!
If you’re craving that meaty texture, Impossible brand vegan ground meat is my top pick — it has the most neutral flavor and texture of the options I’ve tried. I usually save this for when we’re serving guests who are used to traditional chili.
For a more whole-food, plant-based option, try lentils, chopped mushrooms, or even finely diced walnuts. These ingredients add heartiness and texture without any processed ingredients, and they soak up the chili’s bold flavors beautifully.
Absolutely! While I love keeping this chili simple with my favorite ingredients, it’s a super flexible recipe — feel free to experiment based on your tastes and what you have on hand. Some unexpected additions that might sound unusual but add amazing depth and flavor include:
– 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
– 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
– A splash of beer
– 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
– 1 tablespoon soy sauce or coconut aminos sauce
Give them a try — you might be surprised how these ingredients elevate your chili!
Cornbread is a classic chili companion — perfect for soaking up all that bold, savory flavor. I also love serving it with Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes or Baked Sweet Potato Slices for a hearty, wholesome side. If you’re not cooking for vegan guests, my creamy Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe is always a crowd-pleaser and makes the meal extra comforting.
Healthy Eating Plans
21 Day Fix Containers
Regular Plan: 1 1/2 green containers and 1 1/3 yellow containers per serving. To reduce the yellow containers to 1 per serving, reduce the beans in this recipe to three cans.
Vegan plan: 1 1/2 green containers per serving, 1 red container per serving.
Weight Watchers Points
This recipe is zero points on the 2025 Point Plan.
2B Mindset
Serve this meal with a side of whole grain bread as a perfect Plate It lunch option.
If you tried this recipe for the Best Vegan Chili or any other recipe on my site please leave a rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
Best Vegan Chili
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Equipment
- Enameled Cast Iron Pan
- Cutting Board
- Kitchen Knife
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch half moons
- 1 medium red onion diced
- 3 tbsp chili powder skip if you don't like spice
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 14 oz black beans low sodium, undrained
- 14 oz kidney beans low sodium, undrained
- 14 oz cannellini beans or white beans, low sodium, undrained
- 14 oz pinto beans low sodium, undrained
- 28 oz diced tomatoes canned
- ½ cup water or low sodium vegetable broth for Instant pot pressure
- 2 stalks green onions diced, optional
Instructions
- Spray a little olive oil and saute the carrots in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat for 5-7 minutes. 1 pound carrots
- Add in diced onions and seasonings, saute for 5 minutes. 1 medium red onion 3 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp garlic powder ¾ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper
- Add beans, tomatoes, and if using an Instant Pot, water to the pot. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until hot and flavors have melded. 14 oz black beans 14 oz kidney beans 14 oz cannellini beans 14 oz pinto beans 28 oz diced tomatoes ½ cup water or low sodium vegetable broth
- Top with diced green onions. 2 stalks green onions
- Store leftover chili in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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