January 6, 2024 30 Comments
Are you looking for the best vegetarian chili? Of course you are! Who wants to settle for second place?
Yo love chili and make it a lot during the winter. It’s my go-to meal on a snow day to warm me up from the inside out. My old favorite chili recipes include cocoa powder chili and slow cooker quinoa chili. Chili with cocoa powder is made with beef and is delicious.
A new chili has stolen my heart. My daughter has gone vegetarian with me and she doesn’t want to eat my chili with cocoa powder, so I had to think of something new. This chili also has a secret ingredient: smoked paprika. You can find it next to regular paprika in the spice section and it’s worth every penny you pay for it.
Since you don’t have meat, you need something to give the chili that umami or meaty flavor. The smoky flavor of the paprika is the perfect substitute and makes it the best vegetarian chili I have ever tried or made.
Onions and other vegetables are sautéed and then the spices and garlic are toasted. This step deepens the flavor and makes this chili taste much richer than it is.
I learned from an Indian chef that you should always toast spices because the flavor intensifies. This step takes the dish from “good” to “great.” Don’t skip it!
You don’t need sour cream, cheese or anything else to eat it. I like to add jalapeño slices and hot sauce because I like to sweat when I eat. The cilantro and avocado slices are a nice touch, and if you like Greek yogurt, add a tablespoon.
My daughter complained about the carrots when I made this. That? How can a vegetarian not like carrots? Oh good.
What do you put in your best vegetarian chili?
The best vegetarian chili recipe
Makes 6 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 min.
Print Pin
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 yellow, orange or red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons of cumin
1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 28-ounce can whole or diced tomatoes with juice
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed
1 cup vegetable broth or water
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, celery and carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and stir for a minute to toast the spices. Add tomatoes with juice, black beans, pinto beans, and vegetable broth. Simmer for 30 minutes and serve.
This recipe freezes well and remains edible in the refrigerator for 1 week.
nutritional information
For one serving (about 1 ¼ cup) = 155 calories, 4.2 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 23.2 grams carbohydrates, 3.8 grams sugar, 7.5 grams protein, 7.6 grams fiber, 478mg sodium, 1 blue, 1 green, 1 violet SmartPts
Point values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for informational purposes only. See all Snack Girl recipes
