The Best Vegetarian Chili Recipe (2024)

This vegetarian chili recipe is packed with whole foods and it’s the perfect healthy meal to warm you up on cold winter days.

I don’t know about you, but I love making warm soups, stews, and chili recipes during cold winter months. There is nothing better than coming home to a warm bowl of nourishing food. That’s why I love making this vegetarian chili recipe.

It’s warm, delicious, hearty, and packed with whole foods! This vegetarian chili is full of nutrients and it’s one of those meals that really makes me happy to serve to my family because I know my kids are getting a ton of foods that are good for them. The best part about it is that they love it too!

So if you are looking for another warming meal for winter that’s packed with goodness for your family, check out this vegetarian chili recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do!

What Can I Serve With Vegetarian Chili?

• Serve with a large chopped salad on the side.
• Serve with a side of homemade corn tortillas made with organic masa for dipping.
• To stretch this meal a little further, serve over cooked einkorn pasta for a take on Cincinnati chili, or over some organic polenta.
• Top with fresh onion, avocado, fresh cilantro, or plain greek yogurt.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro or green onions for some extra flavor and color.

Tips For Making Vegetarian Chili

• Prep the vegetables in advance to save time when making the chili.
• This recipe does have some spice to it. To reduce the spice, skip the hot sauce and try reducing the amount of chili powder.
• Feel free to swap out the beans for your favorite. Try using all black beans, all kidney beans, or swap one of them out for pinto beans.
• Make a second batch, let it cool, and freeze it in a large freezer bag for a quick meal on busy nights.
• Instead of freezing the second pot of chili in one large bag, freeze it in smaller portions for quick single meals.
• Since this recipe only calls for 3 tbsp of tomato paste, measure out the rest of the jar and freeze in separate freezer bags for future recipes.
• Soak raw beans overnight and cook a big batch of them. Portion out the cooked beans and throw them in the freezer for easy meals.
• In the summer when bell peppers and zucchini are abundant, source enough for the year from your garden or a farmers market. Dice, portion them out, and freeze them so you can quickly grab what you need to make vegetarian chili or other recipes in the winter.

Ingredients

• 1-2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 stalks celery
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 cups filtered water
• 2 cups diced butternut squash
• 1 small zucchini or summer squash
• 1-2 cups cooked black beans
• 1-2 cups cooked kidney beans
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp hot sauce (optional)

How To Make Vegetarian Chili

1. Wash and dice the onion, pepper, and celery. Add to a large pot. Dice the garlic and add to the pot as well.
2. Add the avocado oil and sauté the vegetables until they begin to soften. This should take about 5 minutes.
3. While the vegetables are sautéing, peel and dice the butternut squash and zucchini into small bite sized pieces. Set aside.
4. Add the chili powder and cumin. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Stir often.
5. Add the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, water, zucchini and squash, salt and pepper, vinegar, hot sauce, and syrup. Mix well.
6. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 60 minutes. Stir occasionally.
7. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

More Warm Meals For Winter

Chicken and Rice

Vegetable Soup

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Kid-Friendly Meatball Soup

Quinoa, Greens, and Basil Soup