Vegetarian Chili Recipe

This Vegetarian Chili recipe is, quite simply, the best vegetarian chili recipe, ever. With the perfect balance of heat, savoury richness, and a great texture, it’s beyond satisfying and crazy easy to make. Enjoy it with any, or all of your favourite toppings ~ the more the merrier!  

Last month we became empty nesters. To distract me from all the weirdness/sadness/freedom that comes with that new phase of life, I have been cooking a lot more plant-based meals that would have previously been rejected by some in this household. The simple trick to eating more plant-based meals? Make it delicious. No one, literally no one, would miss the meat in this vegetarian chili. There are beans in this vegan chili, two kinds in fact. But it’s not so loaded with beans that you feel you are eating a bean stew. Instead, this chili relies on bulgur, mushrooms, and walnuts to give it heft and texture.

Hearty, with layers upon layers of flavour, texture, and complexity, this is an exceptional vegetarian chili that will warm you during cool autumn evenings. No doubt once you have it, you will crave it again and again.

The Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Frankly, I’m not sure the world needs another chili recipe. But I have spent a long time fussing with this one and in case you don’t have a vegetarian chili recipe that gets you really, really exited, then this one will.

Here’s why this is the best vegetarian chili recipe:

• It is deeply flavoured with notes of umami.
• Fiery and smoky, but easy to tweak the spice level.
• Hearty, meaty texture without being loaded with just beans.
• Depending on the toppings you use, this chili is also vegan.
• Plant-based and loaded with nutritious ingredients, it is high in protein, fibre, and heart-healthy fats.
• Make-ahead friendly and great for meal-prep.

Also important to note is that we build a really good base here which provides you with the flexibility to riff. Don’t like beans? Leave them out or add chickpeas. Love beans? Add a third variety. With such a delicious, foolproof base, the possibilities are endless.

What Is Bulgur Wheat?

If you’ve ever had authentic tabbouleh, you’ve had bulgur.  It is not gluten free because bulgur comes from cracked whole-grain kernels of wheat. Before it gets packaged, bulgur is par-boiled then dried which is why it doesn’t take very long to cook.

Bulgur is sold in fine, medium, or coarse and extra-coarse grades. It drives me crazy that most recipes don’t specify which bulgur to buy since the application, and the cooking time, will vary significantly. If you go buy bulgur at a Middle-Eastern store, you will be blown away by the shelves upon shelves of different bulgur varieties they sell.

For this recipe we are using a medium bulgur, often labeled as #2, which is the most common one sold at supermarkets and it takes about 15 minutes to cook. You can also buy it online and at any Middle-Eastern store. It is fabulous to use in stews, soups, and chilis due to its mild, slightly nutty flavour and because it adds a lot of texture and bulk.

Because bulgur  is a whole grain, it is a little healthier than white rice and has more fibre than quinoa or oats. It is also low in calories and carbohydrates and contains a lot of minerals. Don’t confuse bulgur with cracked wheat which takes a lot longer to cook.

Recipe Ingredients And Substitutions

The ingredient list that makes up this utterly delicious chili does seem long but keep in mind some are optional and some you will already have in your pantry.

For the chili:

• Bulgur: You won’t believe how much heft and texture the bulgur adds to this vegetarian chili. If you are avoiding gluten, you can top the chili with cooked quinoa or brown rice.
• Beans: Here I used black beans and pinto beans which are my two favourite for chilis. Feel free to use any other beans that hold up well in a stew such as cannellini, Romano, kidney, etc.
• Onions: We use about 2 cups of onions in this chili. They lend a lot of sweet, succulent flavours to the chili.
• Garlic: Ditto with garlic. There is a lot of garlic in this chili which dramatically heightens the overall flavour.
• Poblano or sweet bell pepper: I still have a lot of poblano peppers from the market and I love them in chili because they add tons of flavour without being too sweet or too spicy. But you can replace it with any coloured bell pepper you prefer.
• Jalapeños: Chilis are just better with a bit of spice. You can definitely add more or less to suit your taste. Leave the membranes and seeds if you like a lot of heat, or remove them all for a lot less spice.
• Cocoa powder: Surprisingly, the bitter, nutty flavours of cocoa powder combine harmoniously with the spicy, tomato based chili. In fact, in some Latin stores you can find pre-mixed spices of cocoa, chipotle, and paprika to add to chili con carne. It is completely optional but if you have some on hand, be sure to add it.
• Walnuts: Rich in flavour and heart-healthy fats, the crushed walnuts also give heft and “meaty” texture to the chili. If you can’t consume nuts, feel free to leave them out.
• Mushrooms: Again, for heft and meaty texture but also for loads of umami flavour. However, the key to draw out umaminess from the mushrooms, is not to salt them while they cook. Salting them brings out their moisture and they will lose all their savoury complexity. Mushroom haters need not worry. Once those mushroom are blitzed and cooked down, they will be completely undetectable.  Promise.
• Canned crushed or diced tomatoes: This makes up the base of the chili sauce. If you have fresh tomatoes on hand you would need about 4 cups of chopped tomatoes.
• Tomato paste: Sweet, acidic, and salty tomato paste adds wonderful depth of flavour, and yes, a lot of umaminess to stews and sauces. More so if it is quickly sautéed before mixing in the liquids.
• Low-sodium soy sauce: Sorry for the over-use of the word, but here again we’re adding sweet-salty umaminess with soy sauce.
• Broth or water: A good, low-sodium vegetable broth works really well here. You can use water if you prefer.
• Dark Beer: Such as a Stout or Guiness. Adding beer is optional but it adds just a bit of brightness to the mix, a nice little hint of something that prevents any of the flavours from becoming cloying. Or you can just use all vegetable broth, if you wish.
• Spices: Here we use theclassic mix of cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. A pinch or two of smoked paprika or chipotle powder will add some wonderful smoky flavour to the chili.  Italian seasoning, and, if you like, fresh thyme. If you prefer some spice, however, feel free to add a pinch of red pepper flakes, too.
• Cocoa powder: Surprisingly, the bitter, nutty flavours of cocoa powder combine harmoniously with the spicy, tomato based chili. In fact, in some Latin stores you can find pre-mixed spices of cocoa, chipotle, and paprika to add to chili con carne. It is completely optional but if you have some on hand, be sure to add it.

For the optional toppings:

We can all agree this is the best part, right? Choose all or a few of the usual suspects:

• chopped cilantro
• chopped avocados
• corn kernels
• sour cream (use a vegan sour cream, if necessary)
• sliced red onion
• thinly sliced radishes
• crushed tortilla chips
• lime wedges
• grated cheese (use a vegan sour cream, if necessary)

A Note On Chili Powders

You really have to know your chili powders because they can range a lot in heat. If you buy a standard “chili” powder blend, it will likely contain other ingredients like paprika, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt and pepper. Most jars containing these blends will not be very spicy.

On the other hand, “Chile” powder, with an “e” on the end, is made from just dried, and ground, hot chiles. This powder will almost always be very spicy, though some brands will be spicier than others.

Because the labels aren’t always straightforward, you will have to read the ingredient list to see what powder you have, or what powder you are buying. Then adjust the amount you add accordingly. If you are using chile powder, I would start with 1 tablespoon and add more later if needed. With chili powder, you can probably start with 2 tablespoons without any risk of making the chili too spicy.

Needless to say, the higher the quality of the chili powder, the better tasting your vegetarian chili will be. No-name brands are usually pretty mediocre so do try and avoid them.

How To Make Vegetarian Chili

Though simple to make, this chili will take about 45 to 50 minutes total to prepare and cook. If you have a food processor, this chili will be a breeze to throw together. Otherwise, you will have a bit of chopping to do but nothing crazy.

Feel free to add about 1 more cup of chopped veggies to the chili such as sweet potatoes, carrots, or mushroom chunks. If kept at around 1 cup, this addition will not change the amount of spices or liquid needed.

Here are the simple steps to making this vegetarian chili:

• Process the walnuts, mushrooms, and garlic in a food processor until finely ground, but not a paste.

   

• Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the mushroom-walnut mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release most of their liquid and darken in colour, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the onion, along with the chopped poblano pepper, and minced jalapeño. Cook until the onions are translucent and the peppers just begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until the tomato paste darkens. If adding more veggies such as sweet potatoes, carrots, or mushroom chunks, add them now.

• Reduce heat and mix in the soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika (or chipotle powder), and cocoa powder. Cook for another minute or so. 

• Add in the diced tomatoes, bulgur, beer, and vegetable broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Stir in the beans and simmer until chili is thickened and beans are heated through, about another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
• Serve the chili in bowls with toppings of your choice.

To Store And Freeze

Just like a stew that improves over time, this chili is even better the next day so you can rejoice if you have a lot of leftovers. It also freezes well so you can make a double batch for future dinners.

• Store leftovers: Once cooled, place leftover chili in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• To Freeze: Once cooled, place leftover chili in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheat the chili: Reheat refrigerated on the stove top; add 1/2 cup water or broth and heat over medium heat until warmed through. Thaw frozen chili overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop; add 1/2 cup water or broth, and heat over medium heat until warmed through.

Leftover tips: A great idea for using your leftover vegetarian chili is to tuck it into quesadillas, or spoon it over baked potatoes, or cheesy nachos. Yum!!

Other Vegetarian Recipes You Might Like

• Vegan Corn Chowder
• Zucchini Involtini 
• Mushroom Tostadas with Refried Beans
• Baked Falafel
• Lentil and Brown Rice Soup