Vegetarian Chili

This Vegetarian Chili is bursting with flavor from onions, red and green bell peppers, garlic, black and pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a perfect blend of spices. We just love this tasty chili, and we are not even vegetarians. With plenty of healthy protein from beans and tomatoes you won’t miss the meat at all.

It is always a huge hit with friends and family. I love to serve it with Best Cornbread Recipe, Beer Bread with Cheddar, or Cheddar Biscuits with Chive Butter.

How to make Vegetarian Chili

Start by heating the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Then cook the onions and peppers for 5-7 minutes or until soft. Now reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, marjoram, crushed red pepper, and ground black pepper, cooking for about 1 minute while stirring constantly.

Then add the black beans, pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, and tomato paste. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Recipe notes and helpful tips

• You can easily make this into a delicious chili with meat. Brown 1 pound of ground beef, ground turkey, or pork sausage with the onions and peppers. Start browning the meat for about 4 minutes before adding the onions and peppers.
• Chop the onions finely so there are little bits in every bite as opposed to chunks.
• Drain and rinse the beans.  You can use any two 15-ounce cans of black, pinto, navy, great northern, kidney beans, or any combination of these.
• Simmer long enough to let the flavors meld together.
• Do you like things with a little heat and a lot of spice?  Add a little crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to taste.
• Other veggies that work well in this recipe include potatoes, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, green chiles, or poblanos. 
• Top with chopped fresh cilantro, cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips, or jalapenos. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze in zipper storage bags for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Can you freeze vegetarian chili?

This chili freezes quite well.  Once it is fully cooled, spoon it into quart or gallon-size freezer bags.  Then lay them on cookie sheets and freeze them flat for easier stacking in the freezer.  To defrost, simply move it to the refrigerator a day in advance. Then remove from the bag and place in a microwave-safe bowl for heating in the microwave or in a saucepan for heating on the stovetop.  Be sure to mark the date and contents on the freezer bag so you are well aware of how long it has been in the freezer. Freeze for up to 4 months. 

More soup, stews, and chili you will love!

Easy Vegetarian Chili Recipe

A delicious easy-to-make Vegetarian Chili loaded with onion, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes, and beans in a tomato base with a perfect blend of spices.  We love it, and we are not even vegetarians.

4.95 from 18 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: soups/stews/chili

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 82kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon marjoram or oregano
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 16 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
• 2 14.5 ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• Kosher salt

Instructions

• Heat the oil in a heavy stockpot or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Cook the onions and peppers for 5-7 minutes or until soft.
• Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, marjoram, crushed red pepper, and ground black pepper, cooking for about 1 minute while stirring constantly.
• Add the black beans, pinto beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, vegetable broth, and tomato paste. Simmer over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes.  Season with kosher salt and more fresh ground black pepper to taste. 

Notes

• You can easily make this into a delicious chili with meat. Brown 1 pound of ground beef, ground turkey, or pork sausage with the onions and peppers. Start browning the meat for about 4 minutes before adding the onions and peppers.
• Chop the onions finely so there are little bits in every bite as opposed to chunks.
• Drain and rinse the beans.  You can use any two 15-ounce cans of black, pinto, navy, great northern, kidney beans, or any combination of these.
• Simmer long enough to let the flavors meld together.
• Do you like things with a little heat and a lot of spice?  Add a little crushed red pepper, cayenne pepper, or chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to taste.
• Other veggies that work well in this recipe include potatoes, carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, green chiles, or poblanos. 
• Top with chopped fresh cilantro, cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, tortilla chips, or jalapenos. 
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze in zipper storage bags for up to 4 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Nutrition

Calories: 82kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 91mg | Potassium: 248mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1931IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg

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