This easy vegetarian chili con carne recipe is simple yet full of flavors. Made from mostly pantry staples it only takes about 30 minutes in total to prepare which makes it a great quick weekday meal option.
This meatless chili makes the perfect comfort food for the whole family. Besides legumes it also includes fresh veggies, making this dish high in nutrients and fiber.
For more quick one-pot recipes see Sweet Potato Red Lentil Curry, Loubia (Moroccan Beans), Potato Goulash.
For more vegetarian recipes see this vegetarian charcuterie board or vegetarian shakshuka.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a healthy wholefood meal, high in fiber and also some plant-based protein.
- It's ready in 30 minutes.
- It's great for meal prep.
- It's freezer friendly! you can make a big batch and freeze some of it for later.
Ingredients & Substitution Notes
- TVP (textured vegetable protein): The soy mince acts as a meat substitute in this vegan chili recipe. It's often available in bigger grocery stores, health food stores or online.
- Onion: I prefer using red onion for this recipe but any other type would work.
- Spices: Sweet paprika and smoked paprika are essential for giving this recipe its specific flavor. If you can't find smoked paprika in your grocery store, you'll almost always be able to find it online.
- Chopped Tomatoes: I used chopped tomatoes without any additives like sugar or oil.
- Vegetable Broth: I use store-bought veggie broth but you could also use homemade vegetable stock.
- Split Lentils: They help thicken the chili and add a nice creamy texture as well as some additional fiber.
- Red Kidney Beans: You could also use black beans, white beans, pinto beans or any other type of beans you like or have on hand.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Vegetarian Chili con Carne
This vegetarian chili recipe is a simple one-pot recipe that's ready in 30 minutes.
STEP 1: Soak vegan mince in veggie broth. Set aside.
STEP 2: Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, garlic and celery and fry until onion is translucent.
STEP 3: Add spices (sweet paprika powder, smoked paprika powder, chili powder (optional).
Fry for 30 seconds more to help release their flavors.
STEP 4: Add remaining ingredients. Add chopped tomatoes, soaked soy mince, split lentils, tomato paste, carrots and veggie broth.
Let simmer with a lid on for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are soft.
STEP 5: Add beans and sweet corn.
Give it a good stir and let simmer for another 5 minutes. Top with fresh coriander and serve as is or with a side dish of choice.
Top Tip
- Make sure to finely chop carrots and celery to save cooking time. Otherwise, they won't be cooked and soft within 15-20 minutes.
Variations
- Vegan: This chili is suited for a vegan diet.
- Oil-Free: For a completely oil-free version you could use 2 tablespoon of soy sauce to fry the onion.
- Spicy: If you like your chili hot, feel free to add more chili powder, fresh chili pepper or cayenne pepper.
- Other Veggies: Instead of carrots, you could use bell peppers or sweet potato cubes.
Serving Suggestions
- Guacamole: Our all-time favorite topping is this homemade guacamole.
- Yogurt: Top off with some vegan yogurt or vegan sour cream. It adds some nice tangy flavors and additional creaminess.
- Grated Cheese: Add some grated cheese (we love cheddar) for some additional flavors.
- Fresh Herbs: Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley.
Side Dish Suggestions
- Tortilla Chips: We love serving this chili alongside some corn chips.
- Rice: Serve alongside some brown rice.
- Baked Potato: Homemade baked potatoes or potato wedges are also a popular chili side dish.
- Mashed Potatoes: or try our quick and easy mashed potato recipe.
- Bread: Simple but filling. We like whole grain spelt or rye bread.
Meal Prep Options
This chili sin carne is meal-prep friendly. You can prepare a big batch ahead of time and enjoy it the next day. It's also freezer-friendly!
Storage
- To store: Store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
- To freeze: Freeze in a freezer-friendly container. Let thaw in the fridge or on the counter overnight.
- To reheat: Reheat on the stovetop on very low heat or in the microwave.
FAQs
There are many vegan meat substitutes out there. The recipe below uses soy curls in place of ground beef. It gives the dish a nice texture and flavor. Alternatively, you can also just add more beans or more veggies.
Lentils! We love using split lentils in vegan chili recipes because it helps thicken the sauce.
This depends on the recipe. Beans and lentils are high in fiber and plant based protein. Beans are also a great source of potassium, folate, iron and zinc. Research suggests that they can help reduce LDL cholesterol, a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. You can read more about the health benefits of beans here.
More Recipes To Try
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📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Chili con Carne
Ingredients
Soy Mince
- ⅓ cup TVP/ soy mince
- ⅔ cup veggie stock
Rest of the Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 red onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 celery stalks finely chopped
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- 1 can (14oz) chopped tomatoes
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- ½ cup dry split lentils (not regular whole lentils)
- 1 cup veggie stock
- 1 can (14oz) kidney beans
- 1 small can sweet corn
- salt & black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot or saucepan over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion, celery and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent.
- Then add spices (sweet paprika, smoked paprika, chili (optional)) and fry for 30 seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes, carrots, tomato paste, split lentils, soaked mince, veggie stock and a pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer on low heat with a lid on for about 15 minutes or until carrots are soft.
- If the carrots are still quite firm, add another splash of veggie broth and let simmer a couple of minutes longer.
- Add in beans and sweetcorn, let simmer for 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
- Serve with a generous scoop of guacamole, yoghur and fresh herbs.
Video
Notes
- Finely chop veggies: Make sure to finely chop carrots and celery to save cooking time. Otherwise, they won't be cooked and soft within 15-20 minutes.
- Oil-Free: For a completely oil-free version you could use 2 tablespoon of soy sauce to fry the onion.
- Spicy: If you like your chili hot, feel free to add more chili powder, fresh chili pepper or cayenne pepper.
- Meal prep: This chili sin carne is meal-prep friendly. You can prepare a big batch ahead of time and enjoy it the next day. It's also freezer-friendly!
- Storage: Store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
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