Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review

Who doesn’t love a good chili? If done right, it’s a very comforting and satisfying meal. Considering the fact that there are tons of chili recipes out there, we tried our best to dial down on the number of ingredients and to make sure that this particular chili recipe is easy to make. Also, we ensured that it’s rather cheap and most of the ingredients in this recipe are pantry staples. This vegan chili is by no means a traditional chili recipe. We usually just aren’t that big on tradition. However, we are big on flavour. And that is exactly where this recipe shines. Isn’t that what really matters? Anyways, you are probably not even reading all of this and are just wanting to dig in to a delicious bowl of heartwarming vegan chili. So with no further ado, let’s get to work!

Chili topped with fresh cilantro in a green pot with a serving spoon in it.

I know, I know. I said that we were going to get to work. But would you just look at that? I don’t know about you, but I already feel better just looking at that bowl of chili. We particulary love to make this vegan chili on cloudy and rainy days. Winter and autumn are hands down the best time of the year to be able to dig in to a bowl of chili after a hard days work. But it’s also a great dish to make on a relaxing day off. Come to think about it, it’s actually always a good idea and moment to make a chili. I’m sure that is something we can all agree on. For me personally, chili is really one of those dishes I can really look forward to making and eating. And this particular recipe is the chili of my dreams. It is my hope that it will also become yours. Please let us know your thoughts on this recipe when you’ve made it! Maybe you can even help us to perfect it :).

All of the ingredients

All the ingredients for the recipe on a wooden table.

Onion and garlic – make for the first layer of flavor and are essential for this recipe. Do not rush it when it comes to cooking the onion. If you take your time to saute the onion until it starts to caramalize, you wil be rewarded for it. The garlic on the other hand only needs 1 or 2 minutes, until it nice and fragrant. You do NOT want to brown or even burn the garlic as this will make it taste bitter.
Spices – once you start adding the spices, the party really gets going. This mixture of spices smells amazing and will start to release flavour and aroma as soon as you add them to your pot. Just as with the garlic, you want to be careful not to burn the spices. To prevent the spices from burning, make sure you cook them on medium heat and start to add liquid after they have been cooking for about a minute. Also stir regularly during that 1 minute window.
Sweet potato – not a traditional ingredient in chili, but we just love them in there. When cooked until tender and sweet, they just add something extra. The natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes works wonders when combined with the spices, chilis in adobo and just the overall heartiness of the dish.
Chilis in adobo – just a little bit goes a long way in this recipe. They add some extra smoky flavour and of course some heat. You really don’t want to leave them out of this recipe. Unless you don’t like spicy food at all.
Black beans – admittedly, another non-traditional chili ingredient. Sorry not sorry. Simply put, we just prefer to use black beans in this recipe because there is already a lot of reddish colors in this dish (bell pepper, tomato paste, sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes). So we think it looks prettier with black beans. Also, for us they taste better than kidney beans.

Nutritional information

This is a powerhouse of a recipe when it comes to health. Here’s a brief overview why.

Sweet potatoes are high in both vitamine A and C. They are also a good source of dietary fiber. If you are not regularly eating sweet potatoes, you might want to reconsider because they are so nutritious and delicious. Black beans are a good source of plant-based protein as well as dietary fiber. They also contain a wide array of vitamins and minerals such as vitamins B1 (good for heart health) and B11 (important in the production of both white and red blood cells). Black beans are also high in minerals such as iron, magnesium and phosphorus. Avocado is a good source of healthy (unsaturated) fats. Did you know that from a botanical perspective, avocado is actually a fruit? However, from a culinary perspective it’s considered to be a vegetable. Either way, all you really need to know is that it’s good for you!

Chili in a green pot topped with avocado and fresh cilantro.

Substitutions and variations

Black beans – can sub with kidney beans or chickpeas.
Sweet potatoes – can sub with butternut squash.
Red bell pepper – can sub with any other colored pepper.
Vegan yoghurt – if desired, can be added on top of the chili. Helps to balance out the heat.
Lime – can sub with lemon.
Spinach – you can add some fresh spinach during the last 2 minutes of cooking time if you want to add some extra greens to this recipe.

FAQ

Do I need chilis in adobo to make this recipe?

Yes and no. You can make this recipe without them and use any other type of chili instead, we just think that it won’t be as good. So if you can, we would strongly recommend using chilis in adobo.

Can I make this recipe without oil?

Yes! Just use a splash of water instead of the oil once you start to glaze your onions. That’s all there is to it. Honestly, you won’t even notice the difference. So by all means, use water if you want to cook oil-free.

Can this be frozen?

I’m sure you want to make a big batch of this delicious vegan chili so it would be really nice if you can store it in the freezer, wouldn’t it? Well, good news. This can absolutely be frozen! Will also last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.