Vegan Chili Hearty, satisfying, and veggie-packed, this vegan chili will leave you feeling full for hours. I recommend pairing it with a big scoop of homemade vegan sour cream. If you like a really bean-y chili, you can add another 15-ounce can of beans.
- In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and stir.
- Add the jalapeños, celery, and bell pepper and saute for another 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juice), broth, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans, along with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and hot sauce.
- Simmer the mixture until thickened, about 10-15 minutes, and adjust seasonings to taste if necessary.
- In a large pot, saute the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and stir.
- Add the jalapeños, celery, and bell pepper and saute for another 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- Add the diced tomatoes (with juice), broth, and tomato paste. Stir to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans, along with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and hot sauce.
- Simmer the mixture until thickened, about 10-15 minutes, and adjust seasonings to taste if necessary.
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1.5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 heaping cups diced sweet onion
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4 med/lg cloves)
- 2 jalapeã±os, seeded and diced
- 1 lg. red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 6 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt or to taste
- Carbohydrate 6.44884372915188 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 2.55560219272727 g
- Fiber 1.92332845993349 g
- Protein 1.392527268866 g
- Saturated Fat 0.364505553914493 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (96g)
- Sodium 190.543061554101 mg
- Sugar 4.52551526921839 g
- Trans Fat 0.163309461597129 g
- Calories 48 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large pot, saute the onion and the garlic in the oil over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Season with a pinch of salt and stir.
- Add the jalapeños, celery, and bell pepper and saute for another 5-7 minutes or so, until softened.
- Now add the can of diced tomatoes (with the juice), broth, and tomato paste.
- Stir to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high.
- Add the drained and rinsed beans, along with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and hot sauce.
- Simmer the mixture until thickened, about 10-15 minutes and adjust seasonings to taste if necessary.
Why does yesterday's bowl always taste better than today's? Chemical compounds in spices like cumin and oregano are fat-soluble and break down slowly over hours, meaning the flavor profile deepens significantly after refrigeration. Storing this chili in an airtight glass container for up to four days allows the starches from the black and pinto beans to fully hydrate in the tomato matrix, creating a noticeably richer consistency upon reheating. Reheat portions gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, to prevent scorching the thick tomato paste base.
Optimizing Texture and Spice Balance
Adjusting viscosity requires specific structural intervention rather than just evaporation. Adding an extra fifteen-ounce can of beans increases the overall starch content, yielding a thicker, more traditional heft without altering the base seasoning ratios. Mincing garlic finely and sweating it slowly over medium heat prevents acrid sulfur compounds from dominating the pot, while seeding jalapeños removes capsaicin concentrations entirely from the white pith, allowing control over heat levels. Simmering the mixture uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes lets excess moisture escape, concentrating the natural sugars present in the red bell pepper and sweet onion.
- Too thick? Stir in two tablespoons of vegetable broth at a time until the desired consistency returns.
- Too spicy? Balance excess cayenne or hot sauce by stirring in a tablespoon of fat, such as extra virgin olive oil or vegan sour cream, which binds to capsaicin molecules to neutralize burn perception.
- Lacking depth? Toast ground cumin in a dry skillet for thirty seconds before adding it to the pot to activate dormant aromatic oils.
