Who says you need ground beef in your chili for it to be good? I oppose! This easy vegan chili is absolutely doable and it's delicious, too! Plus it can still be hearty and filling while staying completely veg-friendly.
This recipe for my easy vegan chili is loaded up with beans, corn, lentils, and vegetables. It also uses fragrant spices that when simmered on the stove make this pot of vegan chili a total dream.
The best part about this recipe is that it's super easy, and takes basically no time to make! A lot of chili recipes cook in a crockpot, which means waiting all day or all night for your meal... not this time! Let that pot simmer on the stove for 20 minutes and it's ready for you to dig right in!
easy vegan chili
Try my recipe for a quick and easy vegan chili… perfect for when it’s cold AF outside!
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Servings:
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use sunflower oil)
- 1 yellow or white onion, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ tablespoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 C crushed canned tomatoes
- 2 C cooked lentils
- 2 C cooked kidney beans
- 2 C frozen corn, thawed and drained of excess water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot heated to medium, sauté onion in oil for about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Then add in red pepper and cook for another minute or so.
- Add all the spices and stir to combine sautéing for another 2 minutes. Then add in minced garlic and stir to combine. You may need to reduce heat to prevent the garlic from burning. Add a small amount of the crushed tomatoes to lift the mixture from the bottom of the pan. Sauté this for another 2 minutes.
- Add in the remaining crushed tomatoes, lentil, kidney beans, corn, sea salt, and ground black pepper. Stir to combine, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes. You can cook for longer, but if you want it done quickly it tasted great after this amount of cooking.
- Top with vegan sour cream, chopped green onions, and more ground black pepper.
Notes
I used tofutti in the pictures and video, but you could also whip up my cashew sour cream.
Maddie
Do you think it'd be a solid substitute if you put in cooked chickpeas instead of lentils? I'm currently on a chickpea kick(pea)! 🙂
Lauren Toyota
SURE why not!!
Kinga
You know that it is the best chili when non-vegan mom every two weeks asks you to make one for dinner :3 thank you Lauren!
Lauren Toyota
NICE! happy it worked out for all of you 😀
Hannah
My dad and brother (meat fanatics) LOVED IT!! So easy and so good!
Lauren Toyota
YAAAY! love that. <3
Catherine St-Pierre
YUM!!! The spices are spot on, as always. I didn't have any lentils on hand, so I switched them for Beyond Beef crumbles and it's AMAZING!
knocklecat
I made this on cold December and it was just perfect. The flavors was perfect and it didn't leave me an after taste, a big plus, and I made the cashew sour cream too. Best winter food.
Indianaliana
Could I possibly substitute the lentils for black beans?
Violet
I made this for my parents. They loved it.
Brittany Nader
I've tried several different vegan chili recipes, and this one is hands down the best! I actually cut the recipe in half (because I only had one can of crushed tomatoes) but wish I would've doubled it for leftovers because it was SO good! Loved it plain, but this would taste great on a baked potato or vegan hotdog. So easy and delicious.
Daphne
Excellent recipe. Flavourful, fast, and easy. Thank you for this recipe.
tori
this was sooooo good! honestly the best chili i’ve had i love this so much, thank you!!!!☺️
Lauren Toyota
so glad ya liked it!
Kyndal
Hi! Do you know how many calories per serving this is?
I’ve made this recipe before with my little sisters and we ate it for days! Loved it!
Lauren Toyota
I don't calculate the calories for my recipes!
Denise
I don’t think I’ve left a comment yet......I have made this 4x already, I just can’t stop........it’s so good.....for realz.......I sub yellow pepper as my huz does not like corn. Just finished a pot and already thinking 🤔 when should I make again. Thank you 🙏🏽
Lauren Toyota
this is awesome! Thanks for leaving a comment 😀 Enjoy the chili!!!
Ali
Hi! Question about the 4 C crushed canned tomatoes, is that 4 cups or 4 cans? (sorry) If cans, what size, 28 oz? Thank you!
Lauren Toyota
its CUPS - so get 2 large cans and still measure it.
Elias
Hi, question about the 2 cups cooked lentils. Am I supposed to cook lentils ahead of time and add 2 cups of it? Can I just add half a cup of lentils and 1.5 cups water and cook the lentils with everything else?
Lauren Toyota
yes 2 cups cooked lentils, I use from a can. But if you know the ratio of liquids for dry then feel free to add the 1/2 cup dried and water like you said!