Vegan chili - You do not have to miss a good chili during the chili season. Perfect cozy meal in the cold autumn and winter season. This filling, vegetarian chili with beans, vegetables and bulgur (couscous) is full of flavor. Packed with healthy ingredients, this smoky stew recipe can be prepared in a crockpot or quickly as a one-pot dish. This wfpb chili stew is perfect for party food or just when you feel like a warming soup / stew for dinner.
vegan | vegetarian | oil-free | gluten-free (opt) | sugar free | dairy-free | oil-free | nut-free
Personally, I can eat such dishes all year round. I love all sorts of stews and love to eat them during the week for dinner, especially to go fast.
I've already tried many varieties of chili, but this combination of spices, cocoa and molasses surpasses just about every chili I've tried so far. And you can adjust the spiciness as you wish.
Double beans, corn, Bulgur or couscous, as a ground meat substitute, and tomatoes will not let you miss the traditional Mexican chili.
Homemade chili is not as complicated as you might think. So get to the stove and make yourself comfortable with a large bowl full of chili on the couch.
What ingredients do you need for this vegan chili?
You do not need a lot of unusual ingredients for the chili, most of them you might have, as we have in stock at home:
Bulgur or couscous
Onion
Garlic cloves
Cocoa powder, unsweetened
Molasses
Red and green bell peppers
Tomato paste
Diced tomatoes canned
Kidney beans
Black beans
Corn
Vegetable stock
Cayenne pepper
Paprika
Chili powder
Sea salt and pepper
Oregano, dried
Tabasco or other spicy sauce (opt)
Cumin
Dried coriander
Celery powder
Why do you need cocoa powder and molasses in your vegan chili?
Cocoa powder and molasses are not just baking ingredients for cookies, biscuits and other pastries. Thanks to these ingredients, you get a vegan chili full of flavor. These ingredients do not dominate in the stew. But they highlight the other flavors.
What is Bulgur?
Bulgur is a whole groat wheat that is cooked like rice in about 15 minutes. Just follow the instructions of the package. Bulgur is an important ingredient to mimic the texture of minced meat in stews.
You are welcome to boil the bulgur and freeze it. You can use bulgur for other dishes where you would normally use minced meat like taco, stews, sauces.
Bulgur is very good at absorbing the taste of dishes and is therefore very suitable as a ground meat substitute.
Unfortunately, you do not see any bulgur in the pictures, but couscous, because unfortunately I did not find any bulgur in my area and my supply went out.
What can you use instead of Bulgur?
To prepare a gluten-free version of chili, simply use buckwheat groats.
Couscous is also suitable as a Bulgur alternative. Couscous is made from durum wheat semolina like pasta. It is a flour granule cooked in some water. Couscous is usually steamed and not cooked and cooked in 5 minutes.
Freekeh is perfect as a minced meat substitute or bulgur substitute, just to replace the bulgur 1:1.
How to cook the best vegan chili?
First brown the diced onions and chopped garlic cloves vigorously. For this I always give a splash of water to the onions.
Now you can add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the bulgur or the alternative is cooked.
How to thicken chili
Chili gets thicker through the bulgur, couscous, or you just let it cook a bit longer until it's thickened.
You can also thicken with cornstarch, but it won’t be necessary. Let it cook a little longer accordingly.
Tips for the best vegan chili recipe:
- You can adjust the amount of beans as you like. You can still add white beans or just kidney beans.
- Take the beans you just like, e.g. white beans, pinto beans and others
- If you like chili thicker then just use less broth. Depending on whether you use Bulgur or couscous you need more or less liquid. Bulgur is more absorbent than couscous.
- The chili tastes best when it has stood overnight. If it is too thick the next day, just add a little more broth.
- Just use quinoa, millet or other grains instead of bulgur for a gluten-free version
What can you use as a chili topping?
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Tortilla chips
- Vegan cheese, grated
- Vegan sour cream
- Coconut milk
- Lime slices
- Tortilla crispy baked in the oven
What can you do with chili leftovers?
In the fridge, the vegan chili lasts about 4 days.
Uses of leftovers:
- Topping for nachos, fried potatoes, fries
- Filling for quesadillas, burritos, taquitos, tacos.
Can you freeze chili?
Chili is even great for freezing and thus as a meal prep. The recipe below is designed for about 6-8 people. So if you have leftovers, let the chili cool to room temperature and then freeze it in portions in airtight containers. That's how the chili lasts for 3-4 months.
To defrost, simply remove the chili from the freezer the night before and let it thaw on the countertop.
Is chili healthy?
We do not use oil or added sugar. The chili mainly consists of bulgur, beans, corn, tomatoes. In my opinion, it is a healthy dish full of nutrients such as vitamins A, C, folic acid, iron and calcium. However, I am not a nutritionist and these are just my assessments.
More vegan Recipes
Do not forget to Pin on Pinterest
Have you tried the recipe?
If you tried the vegan Chili, be so nice ♥ and let me know by rating the recipe and writing what you think about it in the comments. Tag me on Instagram too. I am @veeatcookbake and my hashtag is #veeatcookbake. So that I can see your creation. Did you know you can add photos on Pinterest under the recipe Pin? I can’t wait to see a photo of your creation there. You find me with @veeatcookbake. I also would love to hear your feedback, so I can share it on my social media channels.
Vegan chili - You do not have to miss a good chili during the chili season. Perfect cozy meal in the cold autumn and winter season. This filling, vegetarian chili with beans, vegetables and bulgur (couscous) is full of flavor. Packed with healthy ingredients, this smoky stew recipe can be prepared in a crockpot or quickly as a one-pot dish. This wfpb chili stew is perfect for party food or just when you feel like a warming soup / stew for dinner. vegan | vegetarian | oil-free | gluten-free (opt) | sugar free | dairy-free | oil-free | nut-free First brown the diced onions and chopped garlic cloves vigorously. For this I always give a splash of water to the onions. Now you can add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Simmer on low heat for about 15-20 minutes until the bulgur or the alternative is cooked.
Best vegan Chili (wfpb) - authentic and quick
Ingredients
Instructions
This post may contains affiliate links and I may receive a very small commission if you buy through these links at no extra cost. Thank you very much for supporting Ve Eat Cook Bake! More information can be found here.
Anonymous says
BEST EVER , the only recipe you will ever need for authentic, home-style, comforting chili ever again. SERIOUSLY!!! Tastes just like original ! I didn't have onion but used onion powder and also sauteed three stalks of celery and three carrot sticks on hand at the beginning-- turned out great. Super easy and only took about 10 or less to put together. Cocoa powder and molasses were unexpected but glad I followed the recipe! Added great depth of flavor! AWESOME!!! Will make again!
Jasmin says
Thank you for this amazing feedback. I am really happy you liked it.