A lot of my recipes feature meat because I love meat. However, I also really have to go meatless some days for a multitude of reasons. When I’m craving a hearty meal without the meat I often look towards beans to give that hearty feel. This vegan chili recipe tastes a lot like a traditional chili, but all without the meat. This recipe is fairly mild in flavor because my family tends to like more mild dishes. I personally LOVE spicy foods so I pile on the spices as I build my bowl. But, if you prefer the spice in the dish then you can double or triple the jalapeno in the recipe or add your favorite hot peppers.

Vegan Chili Recipe

This recipe makes approximately 8-10 hearty bowls of chili. I cook this on the stove top, but you could certainly create in a slow-cooker for four hours.

Ingredients:

1 15.5 oz can pinto beans (drained)
1 15.5 oz can kidney beans (drained)
1 15.5 oz can black beans (drained)
1 10 oz can rotel (drained)
1/2 medium yellow onion diced
3 cloves garlic diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper diced
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green bell pepper diced
1 jalapeno diced
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes (drained)
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 6 oz can tomato paste
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (Note: Not all balsamic vinegars are vegan. Check to make sure gelatin isn’t used before using for a vegan dish.)
1 Cup Vegetable Stock
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

Sauté the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeno in olive oil until slightly softened.
Add in the beans, tomatoes, rotel, tomato sauce, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, vegetable stock and seasonings.
Cook on low for 30 minutes. Let it come to a slow rolling boil until the liquid cooks down and the chili is thickened.

Top this dish with some chives or pickled jalapenos. Looking to just have a vegetarian version? Top with your favorite sharp cheddar!