The Best Vegan Chili Recipe

Name: The Best Vegan Chili Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup walnut halves; 2 large jalapeños, stems removed; 5 or 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled; ¼ cup soy sauce; 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, divided; 2 Tablespoons oil; 2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped; ½ teaspoon sea salt; 4 Tablespoons mild chili powder; 2 ½ Tablespoons shiitake mushroom powder; 1 Tablespoon ground cumin; 1 Tablespoon dried oregano; 6 cups water, divided; 2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon "No Beef" Base, optional; 3 (15 oz) cans beans of choice, rinsed and drained; 1 teaspoon Maldon smoked sea salt, optional; ⅔ cup bulgur, dry

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5.0

78 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Additional Time
20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings
8 servings
Calories
360 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
American

The Best Vegan Chili Recipe

Finn Russell

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If you're looking for the ultimate vegetarian and vegan chili recipe, look no further! This award-winning vegan chili is perfect in every way. It's thick, meaty, balanced, and impossibly flavorful. A true classic and always a crowd pleaser! With gluten-free and oil-free options.

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Ingredients

Servings

½ cup walnut halves
2 large jalapeños, stems removed remove seeds for mild chili, or include them for extra heat
5 or 6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cup soy sauce or tamari for GF
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes, divided preferably fire-roasted
2 Tablespoons oil omit for oil-free and use water or broth to sauté onion
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 Tablespoons mild chili powder the spice blend, not pure chile; see Note 1 for homemade
2 ½ Tablespoons shiitake mushroom powder see Note 2
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
6 cups water, divided or use 4 cups veg broth + 2 cups water and omit bouillon below
2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon "No Beef" Base, optional
3 (15 oz) cans beans of choice, rinsed and drained I like 2 cans black beans and 1 pinto
1 teaspoon Maldon smoked sea salt, optional or other salt to taste
⅔ cup bulgur, dry or TVP or quinoa (½ cup) for GF

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Instructions

Preheat a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Toast the walnuts for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a large food processor and pulse until the texture of coarse crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add the jalapeños, garlic, soy sauce, and ½ cup of the tomatoes to the food processor. Blend until pureed, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
Use a towel to wipe out the soup pot and remove any walnut fragments. Add the oil and place over medium heat. Once hot, saute the onions, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until translucent. Season with ½ teaspoon fine sea salt.
Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in the chili powder, mushroom powder, cumin, and oregano. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add the pureed mixture from the food processor, and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
If using bouillon, dissolve in ½ cup water. Add this plus the remaining 5 ½ cups water, tomatoes, beans, and smoked salt to the pot. Bring to a boil.
Stir in the bulgur and ground walnuts. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let stand 5 minutes, then serve.

Notes

Note 1: this recipe originally called for 2 dried New Mexican chiles and 2 Ancho chilies. To use these instead of chili powder, toast the dried peppers in a 300 degree F oven for 8 minutes or until fragrant. Remove the stems, and then blend in the food processor until powdered.
Note 2 - I use this mushroom powder. It lasts for months and is also great for adding umami to grains, seitan, and soups. If using whole, dried mushrooms, process them into a powder using a blender or food processor.
Store leftover chili in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Chili can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 360kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 55g (18%) Protein 17g (34%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 0mg (0%) Sodium 1800mg (75%) Potassium 26mg (1%) Fiber 14g (56%) Sugar 8g (16%) Vitamin A 960IU (19%) Vitamin C 28mg (31%) Calcium 140mg (14%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 360 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	360kcal	18%
Carbohydrates	55g	18%
Protein	17g	34%
Fat	10g	15%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	1800mg	75%
Potassium	26mg	1%
Fiber	14g	56%
Sugar	8g	16%
Vitamin A	960IU	19%
Vitamin C	28mg	31%
Calcium	140mg	14%
Iron	4mg	22%