This Easy Vegan Chili will become your go-to for meatless meals! It's made with sweet potatoes, black beans and pinto beans and can easily be made in the slow cooker or over the stove and enjoyed throughout the week.
This chili may seem like your basic vegetarian chili, but it's not! The flavor of the onions + garlic pair perfectly with spices like cumin, chili powder and chipotle powder. It kind of reminds me of my Butternut Squash Chili -- similar, but different.
I just love prepping chili on a Sunday afternoon, and then enjoying it for dinner that night and/or throughout the week. It pairs wonderfully with my vegan mac and cheese or with these fudgy vegan brownies for dessert (just saying!).
This chili is both vegan and gluten free, so everyone can enjoy it!
Ingredient notes
Sweet potato - Can sub butternut squash
Beans - The recipe calls for a combination of black beans and pinto beans, but you can sub kidney beans if needed
Tomatoes - I like using canned fire roasted diced tomatoes in my chili recipes because I think it gives it a kick and a little more flavor. But, you can sub plain diced tomatoes if you prefer.
Method
First: Sauté. Add oil, onion and garlic to a dutch oven or a large, deep skillet and sauté over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the spices and stir for 1 more minute.
Second: Simmer. Add the remaining chili ingredients and bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to low, place a lid on top and simmer chili for 15 minutes.
Third: Add toppings. See "notes" below for topping ideas.
Notes
- Make sure to drain and rinse the beans before adding them to the pot
- Want to use dried beans instead? Check out this guide by The Spruce Eats on how to use measure and use dried beans
Topping ideas include:
- Avocado
- Cilantro
- Vegan yogurt
- Shredded vegan cheddar cheese
- Green onion
- Sliced jalapeño pepper
- Sprinkle of nutritional yeast
Can this be made in the slow cooker?
Yup! Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, then transfer them, along with the remaining chili ingredients, to your slow cooker, give it a good stir and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
How should this be stored?
Store chili in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or, place chili in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 4 months.
More vegan recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups sweet potatoes peeled and diced
- 15 oz. black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. fire roasted diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 ½ cups vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste
for toppings:
- 1 avocado
- 2 tablespoon cilantro or more
Instructions
for stovetop:
- Add oil, onion and garlic to a dutch oven or large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes or until onions are soft. Then, add chili powder, cumin and chipotle powder and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add tomato paste, sweet potato, black beans, pinto beans, tomatoes, and vegetable broth and bring chili to a boil. Then, reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot and simmer chili for 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Top chili with avocado and cilantro and enjoy!
for slow cooker:
- Add oil, onion and garlic to a skillet and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes; transfer mixture to your slow cooker.
- Add remaining chili ingredients to your slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Top chili with avocado and cilantro and enjoy!
Matt says
Just made this in the slow cooker and it’s amazing!
Erin says
Thanks Matt -- glad you liked it!