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Kaleb Wyse wearing a black shirt standing in front of a taupe background.

Why I Love This Vegetarian Chili

Basic chili is a tall order because there are hardly two chili recipes alike. Some people use chocolate, beer, or even coffee to flavor their soup. We’ve all grown up thinking of “chili” in a certain way. For me, that meant saltines, peanut butter, and a pickle somewhere on the table. And whether you like it or have ill memories of the soup, a cozy, warm bowl of vegetarian chili during cold winter evenings (especially here in Iowa) warms not just the body, but the soul as well.

It’s hard to say what a true, basic chili is, but this one lets the real, natural flavors come through. Even without meat, this chili has plenty of body and flavor, thanks to a mixture of dried beans, tomato juice, and a homemade chili powder (if you’re so inclined to make it, and I hope you do!).

Here’s why you’ll love this vegetarian chili, too:

Uses dried beans, which give the chili lots of hearty texture.
Rice thickens the chili naturally without making it overly heavy.
Jalapeños and chili powder let you adjust the heat to your preference.
Vinegar is the secret ingredient added at the end that wakes everything up and keeps the flavors bright.

Bowl of vegetarian chili topped with cheese and scallions.

Vegetarian Chili Ingredients

All of the ingredients in this chili recipe are specifically chosen to make the best soup:

Dried cranberry beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans – Three types, so there’s some textural variety in the finished chili.
Kosher salt and water – Work to season and cook the beans.
Neutral oil – For sautéing the onion.
Onion – Adds sweetness and savory depth.
Tomato paste and tomato juice – Give the chili all of its tomato flavor.
Red bell pepper – Adds sweetness and beautiful color.
Jalapeños – Brings some heat to the chili; use the seeds, or leave them out to control the spice.
Chili powder – Lots of traditional chili flavor; use homemade chili powder if you have it.
White rice – Helps naturally thicken the chili as it simmers.
Light brown sugar – Some sweetness to balance the tomatoes’ acidity.
Bay leaves – Add subtle background flavor while the chili cooks.
White vinegar – A little secret ingredient; stirred in at the end to brighten everything.

The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

Ingredients needed for vegetarian chili recipe.

How to Make Vegetarian Chili

There are 4 steps to making this vegetarian chili recipe:

Step 1: Prepare the beans – Rinse the beans well, then place them in a large stockpot with the kosher salt and water. Bring to a boil, cover, remove from the heat, and let soak for 1 hour. If you’re making homemade chili powder, this is a great time to prepare it.

Step 2: Build the chili base – Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Then, add the onion and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour in the tomato juice, then add the red bell pepper, jalapeños, chili powder, rice, and brown sugar. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a simmer. Drain the soaked beans, then add them to the pot along with the bay leaves.

Stockpot with mixture of dried beans for chili.

Tomato juice pouring into stockpot with cooked onions.

Step 3: Simmer until tender – Cover the pot and let the chili simmer for 1 to 1 ½ hours, or until the beans are fully tender. Stir every so often to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom.

Step 4: Finish and serve – Stir in the vinegar right at the end. Taste and adjust as needed. If the chili feels too thick, add a little more tomato juice until it reaches your preferred consistency. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips

Use a heavy pot – A Dutch oven holds heat evenly and helps prevent scorching on the bottom during the long simmer.
Control the heat – Keep the jalapeño seeds for more spice, or remove them for a milder spice level. It’s totally up to you!
Use canned beans instead – You can swap out the process of cooking dried beans for canned beans. Simply use three drained and rinsed 15-oz cans of your favorite canned beans. I’d suggest two cans of kidney beans and one can of pinto beans.
Do not skip the vinegar – That final addition sharpens the flavors and keeps the chili from tasting flat. It may not seem important, but it definitely is!
Let it rest – Like many chili recipes, this one tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to settle together.
Thin with tomato juice – Do not use water. If you want to loosen the texture without diluting the flavor, use more tomato juice.

Bowl of vegetarian chili with toppings and spoon.

Follow These Tips

Serving & Storage

Serving – Serve the chili hot with any number of toppings set out for everyone to customize their bowl. Shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, avocado (or guacamole), cilantro, and tortilla chips all work well. I also love it with cornbread, especially where there’s some little jalapeño in it, and I’ll never say no to some saltines on the side.

Storage – Let the chili cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. If you want to freeze it, portion the cooled chili into freezer-safe containers or bags, leaving a little room for expansion. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, warm it gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally. Add a small amount of tomato juice if it has thickened in the fridge or freezer.

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Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?

I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!