This vegan chili comes together in about 30 minutes with simple, healthy ingredients. Great for a weeknight dinner and so satisfying on a chilly day.
Since you’ve hopefully got enough on your Christmas baking list to last you until the big day, I figured now might be a good time to share my favorite vegan chili! Perfect for any night of the week, super easy to prep in a big batch and eat as leftovers, and so full of flavor.
I absolutely love chili this time of year, but hate recipes that have 50+ ingredients. So today we’re keeping it really simple, with only the necessities, while still getting all that cozy, comforting, hearty chili flavor.
It isn’t often that savory recipes make an appearance here, so when they do, you can trust that it’s definitely worth trying out. Let’s do this!
Ingredients for vegan chili
- Red onion + garlic: the combo of red onion and garlic give the chili a great foundation of flavor.
- Vegetable stock: you’ll use the vegetable stock to sauté the onion and garlic to keep the chili oil free, then add more to get the right consistency for the final chili.
- Tomato sauce: tomato sauce provides more flavor.
- Kidney beans: personally, these are my favorite bean for chili! So hearty and satisfying.
- Lentils: lentils aren’t often in chili, but I love them for their nutrient-density and for the different texture they offer.
- Chipotle powder, cumin, salt + pepper: spices are key for chili, but we’re keeping it simple! Chipotle + cumin give that classic chili flavor, and a little salt + pepper brings it all together.
Tips for making vegan chili
- Watch the onion and garlic closely. Keep a close eye on the onion and garlic, and add a splash of stock or water if needed to prevent burning.
- Let it thicken. This chili needs time to simmer so that it can thicken. This is a crucial step, so don’t rush it or it’ll be too liquid-y. The texture after simmering is so thick, hearty and satisfying, and it thickens a lot as it cools as well.
- Serve over your favorite base and add whatever toppings you like. I love mine over a gooey, oven-baked sweet potato or some brown rice. The topping options are endless, but it’s great with some sliced green or red onion on top, along with a drizzle of vegan yogurt (like sour cream, but healthy!) and whatever else you like on chili.
This vegan chili is about as simple as it gets, but it is not shy on flavor. It’s seriously so so good on a cold winter evening, and it’s just a plus that it’s loaded with healthy + hearty ingredients that’ll leave you full and satisfied.
Xo,
Sara
Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 1 red onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1/4 cup vegetable stock
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce
- 2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained
- 1 15 oz can lentils, drained
- 1 tbsp chipotle powder – if you're sensitive to spice feel, free to cut this amount in half
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Add the diced onion to a large pot with the 1/4 cup vegetable stock and cook on medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring to avoid any sticking to the bottom.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring to avoid any sticking to the bottom, adding a bit more stock or water if needed to prevent burning.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly, bring it to a boil, then reduce to a medium heat and simmer with the lid on for 30 minutes until it's thick, stirring occasionally to prevent any sticking to the bottom. Take it off the heat and let it cool in the pot for about 30 minutes, it'll also thicken a lot as it cools.
- Serve over brown rice, quinoa, sweet potato, or whatever base you like, and add your favorite toppings – green or red onion, a drizzle of vegan yogurt, hot sauce, avocado, etc.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
