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Vegan Chili Recipe

The Best Hearty Vegan Chili Recipe

This is the best Hearty Vegan Chili recipe, guaranteed to satisfy vegans and meat-eaters alike! It's rich, thick, smoky, and absolutely packed with flavor from lentils, two kinds of beans, sweet potatoes, and a secret ingredient (walnuts!) for a surprisingly "meaty" texture. This soulful, plant-powered one-pot meal is the ultimate comfort food for a chilly day.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion 2 bell peppers, 1 medium sweet potato, all chopped
  • ½ cup 60g walnuts, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo minced (optional)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • Spice Blend: 3 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 can 800g fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 950 ml 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup 200g brown or green lentils, rinsed
  • 1 can 425g kidney beans & 1 can (425g) black beans, rinsed
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
  • Juice of 1 large lime
  • Toppings: Avocado cilantro, vegan sour cream, etc.

Method
 

  1. Sauté Veggies: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onion, peppers, and sweet potato for 8-10 mins until soft.
  2. Toast Walnuts & Aromatics: Add chopped walnuts and cook for 2 mins until toasted. Stir in garlic and optional chipotle; cook for 1 min.
  3. Bloom Spices: Add tomato paste and the entire spice blend. Cook, stirring, for 1 min.
  4. First Simmer: Pour in tomatoes, broth, and rinsed lentils. Add soy sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover partially and cook on low for 30-40 minutes until lentils and potatoes are tender.
  5. Final Simmer: Stir in the rinsed beans. Simmer uncovered for another 20-30 minutes to thicken.
  6. Finish: Turn off the heat. Stir in the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot with your favorite vegan toppings.

Notes

Notes / Tips & Variations:
  • The finely chopped, toasted walnuts are the secret to a great "meaty" texture.
  • This chili is even better the next day and freezes beautifully.
  • For a gluten-free chili, ensure you use tamari instead of soy sauce.