The Best Vegan Chili
The Best Vegan Chili- made with a combo of hearty lentils and mushrooms, this recipe is sure to become your new favorite plant-based chili!
It’s getting to be that time of year where we get teased with intermittent spurts of spring weather. Just when the sun comes out and we think we are close to being done with winter, gloomy clouds roll back in and temps drop into the 20’s. Meh. If it wasn’t for warm bowl food I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.
Like this vegan chili. It’s the perfect balance of hearty and flavorful, and it only takes 30 minutes to make. It also happens to be the best chili I’ve made to date!
The Best Vegan Chili Ingredients
- Onion and bell peppers are sautéed until soft. Feel free to add spicy peppers if that’s your thing.
- Chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika round out the flavor profile.
- Lentils, adzuki beans and mushrooms create a hearty base that’s high in protein.
- Diced tomatoes and tomato paste offer texture and savory flavor.
- Vegetable broth adds a little moisture and helps keep the chili from becoming too thick.
How to Make The Best Vegan Chili
- Saute the onion and peppers until soft.
- Toss in your seasonings.
- Add the mushrooms and garlic then cook until the mushrooms release their liquid.
- Pour in the tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils, adzuki beans and vegetable broth.
- Cook until heated through, serve warm and enjoy!
Between the classic flavor profile and the simple cooking methods, this is a chili you’ll want to make again and again! Feel free to customize it to your liking by add your favorite spicy peppers and toppings.
If you’re looking for more chili recipes, be sure to check these out!
- One-Pot Vegan Pumpkin Chili
- Chili Stuffed Spaghetti Squash Bowls
- Chipotle Sweet Potato and Lentil Chili
- Best-Ever Quinoa Chili
The Best Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil, I like avocado oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 bell peppers, cored and finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes, with juices
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 15-ounce can adzuki or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can lentils, drained and rinsed*
- toppings: avocado, diced red onion, cilantro
Instructions
- In a large pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell peppers, sprinkle with salt and cook for 3 minutes. Next add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir to combine and cook for 3 more minutes.
- To the pot, add the mushrooms and garlic cloves. Cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms start to release their liquid. Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, the drained and rinsed beans and lentils, and vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes.
- Serve chili warm with desired toppings and enjoy!
I can handle the cold – it’s all this rain and dreary gloom that is bumming me out!!! I need the sunshine! ANYWAY. All I’ve been making lately is soup and chili – this looks deelicious!
Man, I could eat chili every day and never get sick of it! I’ve never used adzuki beans before, but now I totally want to try them. This looks awesome!!
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I don’t even like chili and this is great!
Question: what size portions is the nutritional information based on? Could you include that?
I’m so glad you like it! If you look above where the ingredients are listed in the recipe it shows the serving size which is 4 bowls. So the nutrition information is based on 4 servings (or 1/4th of the recipe). I hope that helps! :)
If I’m using dry lentils, what color lentils do you recommend?
Brown lentils are best although they are sometimes called green lentils too. Just make sure they are not french green lentils or split green lentils (also called split peas). :)