Best Vegetarian Chili
This vegetarian chili recipe is loaded with so much goodness, you’ll never miss the meat! To make the best vegetarian chili, we’re using a combination of hearty, good-for-you ingredients and delicious seasonings. It’s an easy recipe that comes together with very little effort in one pot. The perfect bowl of comfort and yumminess to enjoy all season long! Slow cooker and pressure cooker instructions too!
loaded vegetarian chili
This wonderfully hearty vegetarian chili is packed with quinoa, sweet potatoes, black beans, kidney beans, corn and incredible flavor! It’s healthy comfort food at its finest!
If you’re a regular reader of Kim’s Cravings, you know that I’m pretty much obsessed with chili. A piping-hot bowl of chili is probably my favorite meal to enjoy during the winter months. There are so many variations and delicious ways to change it up. Plus, a chili dinner is a great excuse to enjoy crumbly corn bread! If you haven’t tried my SUPER delicious Mexican Cornbread, add that to your menu asap!
I know you guys love chili too because my dad’s award-winning beef chili is super popular and my new white chicken chili is already getting rave reviews. In fact, this quinoa chili has been a reader favorite since it was first posted in January of 2017. Since it is such a reader favorite, I thought it was time for a little facelift! We’re updating this post with more detailed explanations, helpful tips and gorgeous photos.
what’s in vegetarian chili?
This easy vegetarian chili recipe is made with nourishing ingredients that you might already have on hand. Not only is there no meat in this recipe, but there’s also no dairy, so this recipe is completely vegan too. To make vegan chili here’s what you’ll need:
- Onion. Diced onion adds delicious savory flavor to the chili.
- Sweet potatoes. I absolutely love sweet potato in chili! It gives the chili amazing flavor and makes this veggie chili super satisfying.
- Seasoning mix. Cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper create the perfect blend of flavors. If you like your chili to have a little kick, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Vegetable broth. Use more or less veggie broth, depending on how thick you like your chili.
- Quinoa. Adds such a fun texture, soaking up all the flavors and goodness of this chili.
- Beans. The recipe calls for black and kidney beans, but feel free to use any beans you’d like. Pinto beans or chili beans would also work great.
- Corn. Corn adds a bit of crunch and sweetness. You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn for this dish.
- Cinnamon stick. My secret ingredient that makes the flavor really pop in this vegetarian chili recipe! You can leave this out, though, if you don’t have a stick of cinnamon available.
Don’t forget the toppings! We love quinoa chili topped with diced avocado, fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. It would also be great with shredded cheese and a spoonful of sour cream or Greek yogurt. If I don’t make cornbread to crumble over the top, I like to crumble tortilla chips over the top. Yum!
how do you make vegetarian chili?
Making this cozy vegetarian chili recipe is such a breeze! I love that everything is cooked in one pot and the only chopping you have to do is for the onion and sweet potato. Here’s a quick rundown of the instructions:
- Sauté veggies. Start by sautéing the onion and then add in the sweet potato and seasonings to cook until tender.
- Cook all ingredients. Add in the broth and all other ingredients and bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and continue to cook for about 30 minutes and until sweet potato is fork tender and chili is thick.
- Enjoy! Stir once more, remove cinnamon stick, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. At this point you can add in an extra cup of vegetable broth, if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
make slow cooker vegetarian chili
You can totally make this quinoa chili recipe in a slow cooker instead of on the stovetop! I love that you can just throw everything into the crockpot and let the magic happen!
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Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker. You can sauté the onion before adding it to the crockpot for a little extra flavor, but it isn’t necessary.
- Cook. Stir and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
- Enjoy! Stir once more, remove cinnamon stick, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. At this point you can add in an extra cup of vegetable broth, if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.
make vegetarian chili in an Instant Pot
Do you have a pressure cooker? Make this chili recipe in a flash using your Instant Pot!
- Sauté veggies. Start by sautéing the onion and sweet potato in the Instant Pot (with seasonings) until soft.
- Cook all ingredients. Stir in all other ingredients, cover, seal, and cook on manual (high) pressure for 8 minutes. Immediately release the pressure, then open the Instant Pot.
- Enjoy! Stir once more, remove cinnamon stick, taste and adjust seasonings as needed. At this point you can add in an extra cup of vegetable broth, if needed. Serve with desired toppings.
is vegetarian chili good for you?
This plant-based chili is GREAT for you! It’s packed with nourishing, healthy ingredients like sweet potatoes, beans, and quinoa that contain numerous health benefits.
This vegetarian chili recipe is also low in calories and fat, but high in protein and fiber, which makes it perfect for satisfying lunches and dinners.
Here are some of the health benefits of this chili and its ingredients:
- High in Fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals. sweet potatoes, onions, quinoa, beans
- Rich in Antioxidants. onions, sweet potatoes, beans, cinnamon
- Packed with Protein. quinoa, beans, add even more protein by topping your chili with Greek yogurt
tips
This quinoa chili recipe really is so simple, but here are some tips to make sure your chili cooks up awesome every single time!
- Rinsing quinoa. Quinoa is naturally coated with saponins, a bitter-tasting outer coating to the seed. Unless your package of quinoa specifically states that it is pre-rinsed, you’ll need to wash the saponin off your quinoa. Place the quinoa in a fine mesh seive and rinse well for a minute or so. When the water runs clear, you can proceed with the recipe.
- Vegetarian chili is very versatile. Feel free to add the amount of spices and other ingredients that you prefer.
- Chop the sweet potatoes into small bite-sized pieces; this ensures they’ll cook evenly and at the same rate as all of the other ingredients.
- For turkey quinoa chili, add in some browned ground turkey. If adding in ground turkey, you may want to increase the spices as well. Also, be sure to season the ground turkey with salt and pepper.
storing & freezing vegetarian chili
This vegetarian chili recipe is perfect for meal prep or as a make ahead meal, and reheats very well. In fact, I think it’s even tastier the next day!
Leftovers. Like other chili recipes, vegetarian chili can be stored in an airtight container and kept in your fridge for up to about 5 days.
Freezing. You can freeze vegetarian chili. Once it’s completely cooled, place it in freezer-safe containers or resealable gallon-sized freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer the chili to the fridge and store overnight. When ready to serve, reheat it on medium heat on the stovetop. You will most likely need to add more liquid to the chili because the quinoa will continue to absorb liquid.
If you are new to quinoa, this is an excellent way to try it for the first time because it doesn’t require cooking ahead of time. Just throw everything into a large pot and your meal is ready in just over 30 minutes! This chili is warm and satisfying on a chilly day!
more cozy soup and chili recipes to try
Copycat Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup
Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
If you try this vegan chili recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves this recipe as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
how to make vegetarian chili with quinoa
Best Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow or white onion, diced
- 3 small or 2 large sweet potatoes, diced (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 3 teaspoons cumin
- 4 cups vegetable broth, low sodium, divided
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked (you will not need to rinse if using Bob's Red Mill quinoa)
- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed, 15 oz
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed, 15 oz
- 1 1/2 cups corn kernels, frozen, canned and drained, or roasted
- 1 cinnamon stick
Optional for serving:
- lime juice, avocado, fresh cilantro, sour cream and/or cheese, as preferred, and plenty of corn bread
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, sauté diced onion in about 2 teaspoons oil until translucent and soft. Add diced sweet potato and spices (all are optional). Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add 3 cups vegetable broth and bring mixture to a low boil on medium high heat, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer. Add quinoa, beans, corn and cinnamon stick; cover and cook for 30 minutes more and until the sweet potatoes are fork tender and the chili is thick. Once chili is done cooking, stir in additional cup of vegetable broth. Taste and add more seasonings as needed.
- As with all chili and soup recipes, this is best when prepared the night before or has time to sit before serving for a few hours so the flavors can really shine.
- Remove cinnamon stick and serve with fresh cilantro, lime juice, avocado slices, guacamole, chips, sour cream and/or cheese, as preferred.
Notes
- Make ahead. This is a great recipe for meal prep or as a make ahead meal, and reheats very well. In fact, I think it’s even tastier the next day!
- Leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 5 days.
- Freezing. You can freeze vegetarian chili. Once it’s completely cooled, place it in freezer-safe containers or resealable gallon-sized freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer the chili to the fridge and store overnight. When ready to serve, reheat it on medium heat on the stovetop. You will most likely need to add more liquid to the chili because the quinoa will absorb the liquid.
Did you make this recipe?
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We love chili. We eat it all year! And this quinoa version looks fantastic. Definitely trying!
This made me totally hungry! Yum!
Wow just wow! What an amazing delicious dish. Great change from the regular chili, enjoyed so much it will on our daily rotation looking forward in trying some of your other recipes. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks so much, Bryan! Glad you enjoyed! 🙂
I love all the textures and flavors you’ve got going on in this chili!
This looks gooooooooood! I’ve never put quinoa in my chili, but it is so healthy I’ve gotta try it!
This looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Pinned to use next week for dinner!
I was looking for a flavorful, non spicy chilli to feed my 90 year old mom. This recipe is perfect for her, garnished with vegan sour cream and vegan cheddar shreds. Loved the cinnamon stick!
Made this and it was great. However I had to add the liquid much sooner than 5 minutes or it would have burned the potato/onion/spices sauté.
I made this last night, and it was DELICIOUS! Thank you so much for this recipe, it is definitely a keeper.
Absolutely loved this chili recipe and I’m looking forward to making it again! Could you make this in a crockpot?
I definitely think that would work great. The only thing you might do ahead of time is step #1, cooking the sweet potato and onion. I think this would cook pretty quick in the crockpot maybe just 4 hours. Let us know how it goes!
What is your go-to vegan cornbread recipe?
I haven’t tried this recipe, as I usually use Trader Joe’s cornbread mix, but Minimalist Baker is my go-to for vegan recipes. https://minimalistbaker.com/perfect-vegan-cornbread/
If I don’t have a cinnamon stick, how much cinnamon powder do you suggest using?
You can just leave it out completely. Having the cinnamon stick cook in the chili just adds a little of the flavor, but I don’t feel like it will convert quite the same way with ground cinnamon. I would hate for you to add too much. You could always add a quick dash to each serving. Enjoy!
Super delicious! Officially my favorite recipe for chili! Made exactly as the recipe stated and topped w/ raw onion, jalapeno and shredded cheese.
Thanks so much! Enjoy!
This is the BEST chili recipe. Don’t have the words to fully encompass how much I love it. I’ve made it so many times the past 2 years (easy enough for a new college grad to make well) and just made it for the first time since moving to Washington state. The best meal for autumn days. Thanks so much, Kim!!!
Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for taking time to review!
This has become my go-to chili recipe! So hearty and so delicious!
Hi Marianne,
Yay! So glad to hear you enjoyed!
My Family loved this. They are not quinoa fans, but they loved the flavor of this and did not even notice the quinoa. I think i cooked it a little too high and it needed a little more extra broth. I added a can of diced tomatoes and a can of water. Turned out great.
So awesome to hear! Thanks so much for taking time to comment!
YUM! super good. Came out more like a stew though. But so good. I only had Cumin seeds used a teaspoon of that instead.
So glad you enjoyed and thanks so much for taking time to comment!
I LOVE this recipe, have made it multiple times and it never disappoints!
I’ve tried your recipe several times, I’ve never added the cinnamon stick but it is awesome without it. This has became my go to chili recipe. My family loves it even though they love meat. Thanks for sharing the goodness!!
Your comment just made my night!! Thanks so much for taking time to leave feedback!
This chili is wonderful. This is my go to chili recipe since I stopped eating meat. Even my meat loving family enjoys it. Thanks for sharing your Goodness. Yum❤️❤️
This recipe is excellent! So flavorful and healthy. I have made this several times and have used the crock pot and stove top. I cook and add the quinoa separately so the broth isn’t absorbed too quickly. I also like adding a can of fire roasted tomatoes. This is in the crock pot as I type. Can’t wait!!
Yay! That is SO awesome to hear! Thanks for the feedback on the quinoa – I love that idea!
We loved this chili! So much great flavor! Do you think this would freeze okay?
Definitely! You’ll probably just want to add more liquid to it after it thaws, water or veggie broth.
So easy and delicious! I didn’t even miss the meat at all. I will definitely be making again!
So happy to hear you love!
This was sooooo good! Thank you for sharing! We’re in south Texas, so the following day, leftovers were used for Frito Pie with some yummy cashew cheese!! Talk about amazing comfort food in a time it is needed most.
Yum. Actually, the best veg chili I’ve eaten. Will definitely be a regular in my meal planning.
I❤️❤️❤️ the addition of the cinnamon stick!
Thank you for sharing.
Yay! Super happy to hear! Thanks so much for your comment.
Does this recipe work for using a crock pot instead of stove?
I haven’t tried it, but based on some similar recipes I googled, I think it would work great. Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker, stir and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.