Another thing I love about this recipe is that the ingredients are very pantry friendly.
Canned beans, quinoa, veggie stock and spices can be kept in the pantry, and any corn or other veggies of choice can be frozen.
It’s so convenient and the only thing you really need that’s fresh is onion and garlic (if you’re feeling extra lazy, sometimes I even sub these for dried powders so I don’t have to chop anything!).
If you’re looking for a similar recipe, my Vegan Stuffed Peppers are stuffed with many of the same ingredients and baked to perfection!
How to Make Vegan Chili
Cooking the Base
To start making this yummy soup, start by placing the olive oil, chopped onion, garlic and pepper into a large pot over medium heat.
Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, and that’s your base!
Cooking Vegan Chili
Now add the remaining ingredients all at the same time (except for the corn).
Give it a good stir and cover.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa is soft and has cracked open.
Finally add the corn and cook another minute or two to heat through, and it’s done!
Serving Vegan Chili
This chili is delicious served plain, or you can add toppings like avocado, green onion, dairy-free sour cream, crumbled chips, dairy-free cheese or nutritional yeast for an extra cheesy flavor!
Easy and Delicious Vegan Chili Recipe
This easy soup recipe is a staple in my house, and especially during the colder winter months.
There’s nothing more warming and comforting than a fresh bowl of homemade chili!
Add olive oil, chopped onion, pepper and garlic to a large pot over medium heat. Cook for 5-8 minutes or until onions are translucent.
Add the rest of the ingredients (except the corn), bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until quinoa is tender (you can tell it's done if you see the seed split apart too). Then add the corn and cook for a minute or two until soft.
Enjoy with toppings of choice!
Notes
*If you like your chili nice and thick, serve as is, otherwise you can add a splash of vegetable stock or water to make it more soupy.
**This chili is even better on day two and three after all the flavors have marinated together! I would eat this up by days four and five though for best taste.
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Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.
Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.
Cinnamon, strong coffee, and dark chocolate all boost them meaty flavor in a good chili. Pick any of the following: 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 whole cinnamon stick, a shot of espresso, a small cup of strong coffee, 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, or a few squares of good-quality dark chocolate.
Coffee. A cup of strong, brewed coffee will work wonders for your pot of chili, imparting a deep, roasted flavor that will make the chili taste like it simmered away all day long.
Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.
Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.
Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.
To enhance the flavor of your chili, brown the meat before adding it to the pot. This step not only caramelizes the meat, but gives your chili more texture, adding a depth that cannot be achieved by simply simmering it in the chili.
Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.
Although the internet abounds with recipes for quick-cooking chilis that take as little as 20 minutes (via MyRecipes), this stewed dish truly benefits from a longer cook time that will gently coax all the flavors out of the meat, legumes, vegetables, and spices in the recipe.
Tomato paste is a great way to add bonus tomato flavor, and thickness, to a chili recipe. To get the best flavor it needs to be browned. Add a couple tablespoons (or a whole can if you want a thicker soup base) directly to the pan after cooking the meat and onions. Stir the paste occasionally to prevent burning.
This Vegan Chili is a moderately-spiced, tomato-y stew loaded with chunks of celery, onion, green bell pepper, and carrot. Spices like ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, and cayenne pepper add some body to the chili, while kidney beans and pinto beans give a hearty and creamy texture.
Stir in some finely ground cornmeal or masa harina.
Start by stirring 1 to 2 tablespoons into your chili, allow the stew to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more, and it should thicken up a bit. Masa harina (an instantly binding corn flour) also works beautifully to absorb liquid.
Sometimes after a long simmer, your chili will taste wonderful be maybe missing one little thing you can't figure out. Try a tad bit of vinegar or a squeeze of lime! The acidity in vinegar & limes bring a good roundness to the pot and binds all the flavors together.
Although canned chili will already have some seasonings, fresh herbs and spices will add bolder flavor. You can upgrade your chili using ingredients you likely already have on your spice rack, such as chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
The best chili meat is a combination of meats, often a mix of ground chuck, ground sirloin, brisket, diced tri-tip, and/or some bacon or sausage. Do your best to mix smaller pieces with larger pieces to stack textures and make it your own! Happy cooking!
Chili must: LOOK GOOD, SMELL GOOD and TASTE GOOD. If in a competition, it must do so lukewarm in a styrofoam cup. It also must look good on as small plastic teaspoon used for judging and tasting. Chili that doesn't win violates one or more of the three basics.
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