I'm sure Texas cries every time someone makes a pot of chili with no meat. Well, grab your Kleenex, Texas, because this smoky vegetarian chili recipe just might enter the chili vernacular. It has a smoky, deep flavor and crisp-tender veggie crunch to keep even the most discerning chili critic happy.

A big pot of chili sits on a countertop with a spoon. It is topped with cheese, red onions, and cheese. Cornbread sits on a plate to the side.

Here at Parsley & Parm HQ we are pretty serious about our chili. I love a good, smoky, meaty chili on game day just as much as the next person. But I've discovered my family will eat this vegetarian chili recipe just as enthusiastically on "meatless Monday" as they eat the meaty version on Sunday. It's loaded with protein and fiber and makes a hearty, filling vegetarian dinner perfect for the Mediterranean diet.

The other benefit to serving a vegetable chili is that it gets everyone eating beans. There are three cans of beans in this recipe, which bring the total fiber per serving up to a respectable 11.9 grams, plus 11 grams of protein. I always serve chili with beans alongside my honey whole wheat cornbread, which pairs the beans with a whole grain (and even more fiber) for a complete protein.

Jazz up your chili game with plenty of toppings

One of the things I have always loved about chili is the toppings. On Monday nights I keep it pretty simple with cheese, green onions, and avocado, but when I serve this vegetarian chili recipe to a crowd, I go all out. I love seeing guests load up a big bowl of chili with all of their favorite chili toppings, making each bowl unique to the person eating it.

Toppings for smoky vegetarian chili with beans: plain Greek yogurt, chopped avocado, hot sauce, sliced green onions, queso fresco, chopped red onion, and cilantro leaves.

There are so many options for topping your chili, from cheese to onions to cilantro, avocado, and hot sauce. And if you have any carnivores in the house, you can also cook up some chili meat for them to mix into their bowls. The sky is the limit when it comes to chili toppings, here are some of our favorites:

Queso fresco or queso quesadilla
Cheddar cheese
Cilantro or culantro
Green, yellow, or red onion
Diced or sliced avocado
Crumbled cornbread

Maria's hot sauce or Tapatio
Light sour cream or plain yogurt
Sliced jalapenos
Multigrain tortilla chips
Fresh corn

What's missing? If there's a topping you like to put on your chili that I didn't mention here, let me know in the comments. I'm always looking for new ones.

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients for smoky vegetarian chili with beans.

Neutral oil: Avocado or organic cold pressed canola oil.

Yellow onion: White or red will work too.

Garlic: Minced or pressed. Jarred garlic is acceptable in this recipe.

Ancho chili powder: This is the mild option. If you'd like a spicier chili, you can swap out some of the ancho chili powder for cayenne pepper or a spicier chili powder. If you only have spicy chili powder, start with 2 teaspoons and season to taste.

Smoked sweet paprika: Yet another way you can make this chili recipe spicier is to use smoked hot paprika. However, I've used a lot of smoked paprika here, so if you do use the hot version, I'd either cut back or use a blend of sweet and hot paprika.

Ground cumin and coriander seed: A classic combination of Mexican flavors. If you don't have coriander on hand it can be left out.

Tomato paste: This adds a bunch of umami flavor to this vegetarian chili recipe to make up for the fact that it has no meat. I buy tomato paste in a tube so I don't have to use partial cans. If all you have is one of those little 6 ounce cans, go ahead and throw in the whole thing if you don't have another use planned for the remainder.

Vegetable broth or water (or beer, for more flavor): I use vegetable broth to make this vegetarian, and water will work in a pinch too (though you may need to salt more aggressively). When I'm cooking for company I use beer, which imparts a little more flavor into the dish.

Diced tomatoes: My favorite domestic brand of canned tomatoes is Muir Glen Organic. I use their fire-roasted diced tomatoes for chili.

Diced green chilis: I really love Hatch chilis in this recipe, but any canned diced green chili will work. You can also use a small jar of salsa verde.

Smoked sea salt: I wouldn't use a hickory or mesquite smoked salt in this recipe, it would just be a little much. I use either Hawaiian Kiawe smoked sea salt or this Applewood smoked salt from Saltworks. This is optional, but it really pumps the smoke flavor in this chili recipe. Just use kosher salt if you don't have smoked sea salt.

Dried oregano: Mexican oregano is a little different and that's what I recommend using if you can find it. If you can't find it or don't have any on hand, use regular oregano.

Your choice of beans: I pretty much always make my chili with beans. I use a can each of black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans. Bush's Best is my favorite brand of canned beans.

Yellow squash and zucchini: You can also substitute cubed butternut squash or sweet potato.

Bell peppers: I used red and orange in this recipe but green and yellow work great too.

Corn kernels: Fresh corn is delicious and crunchy in this recipe, but frozen corn works too. I don't recommend using canned corn.

A bowl of vegetable chili with beans is shown topped with avocado, red onion, cilantro, and queso fresco.

A bowl of vegetarian chili is shown topped with plain yogurt, hot sauce, and sliced green onions.

Tips for the perfect Smoky Vegetarian Chili With Beans

Use fresh spices: If your paprika is years old it won't have the same oomph or smoke level as it had when you bought it. Same goes for your other spices, which should be replaced every year. Without the meat in this recipe, we are really relying on your spices for flavor, so this is a good time to grab a couple of fresh jars.

Caramelize your tomato paste: Getting your tomato paste caramelized with the onions, garlic, and spices is really important to making up for the lack of meat in this vegetarian chili recipe. Stir constantly while you do this, and cook until the tomato paste turns a bit browner and begins to stick to the pan. Just be careful not to cook so long it burns. This is a great technique for boosting umami in any tomato-based soup, stew, or sauce without using meat.

Don't overcook your vegetables: This chili is at its best when your vegetables are crisp-tender, with a little bite resistance in the middle. The zucchini and summer squash in particular have a tendency to turn to mush if they are cooked too long. Once your veg has been simmering for 10-12 minutes or so, check them regularly and remove the pot from the heat a little bit before they are fully cooked. They will continue cook in the hot stew for a few minutes.

Two bowls of vegetarian chili sit next to a pot of chili. Toppings sit to the side, such as green onions, red onions, cheese, and hot sauce. Cornbread sits next to the bowls.

Prep ahead and storage

This chili can be prepped one day ahead or made up to three days ahead and reheated over medium-low for serving. If you are really committed to crisp-tender vegetables (like me), you can leave out the corn, summer squash, and peppers and simmer them in your chili when you heat it back up.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power or on the stovetop over medium low heat.

This vegetarian chili can be frozen for up to two months. It will be safe to eat for longer but the texture of the vegetables will begin to change after the two-month mark.

Vegetable chili in a bowl with a spoon. Topped with queso fresco, cilantro, red onion, and cornbread.

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this smoky vegetarian chili with beans, I’d love to hear what you think. I am always trying to get better at developing recipes, and your feedback helps me do that.

Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram (@parsleyandparm) and use #HealthyRecipes. I love seeing your creations!

Love one-pot vegetarian recipes? Try my Mediterranean Chickpea Skillet!

A pot of vegetarian chili with a spoon. Topped with cheese, red onion, and cilantro.

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5 from 4 votes

Smoky Vegetarian Chili With Beans

This smoky vegetarian chili with beans has tons of veg, tons of fiber, and tons of flavor. It makes the perfect Mediterranean diet dinner.

Prep Time15

Cook Time35

Total Time50

Servings:

Calories: 236.7kcal

Author: Parsley & Parm

Equipment

Knife and cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
1 6 or 8-quart stock pot or Dutch oven
Spoon or spatula for stirring
Can opener
Strainer

Ingredients

1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
2 large bell peppers -any color
1 cup corn kernels -fresh (about 2 ears) or frozen
1 tablespoon ancho mild chili powder -see notes for spicy options
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 14-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 6-ounce cans of diced green chilis -or a small jar of salsa verde
2-3 14-ounce cans of beans -your choice -I use black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans
2 tablespoons neutral oil -avocado or cold pressed canola oil
2 cups vegetable broth or water -or beer, for more flavor
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt or regular kosher salt -NOT hickory or mesquite smoked salt. See notes.
¼ teaspoon white or black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano -Mexican oregano if you can find it

Optional toppings:

cilantro, chopped avocado, queso fresco, cheddar cheese, diced red onion, sliced green onion, nonfat Greek yogurt, your favorite hot sauce

Instructions

Prep your ingredients:

Dice onions and mince garlic. Cut zucchini and yellow squash into quarters lengthwise, then slice into ½ inch chunks.
1 yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 medium yellow squash, 1 medium zucchini
Chop bell peppers and cut the corn kernels from the ears of corn.
2 large bell peppers, 1 cup corn kernels
Mix chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, and coriander and set aside.
1 tablespoon ancho mild chili powder, 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander
Open all your canned goods and drain and rinse your beans.
3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 14-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 6-ounce cans of diced green chilis, 2-3 14-ounce cans of beans, 2 cups vegetable broth or water
Measure out remaining ingredients and have them ready.
2 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt or regular kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Cook the chili:

Heat the oil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, until fragrant.
Stir in the spice mixture and saute until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomato paste and use the back of your spoon or spatula to gently mix it in with the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for a minute or two more until the tomato paste gets deeper in color and starts to stick to the pan.
Carefully add about 1 cup of the broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
Add the rest of the broth, the tomatoes, green chilis, smoked salt, pepper, oregano, and beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the squash, bell peppers, and corn, and simmer for 10-15 more minutes, until the vegetables are cooked and the liquid in the chili has cooked down a bit.
Taste the chili and add kosher salt by the pinch if needed.
Allow the chili to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with the garnishes of your choice and serve with honey whole wheat cornbread.

Notes

You can adjust the heat level in this chili by using smoked hot paprika, medium or hot salsa, or a spicier chili powder. To adjust the heat to your comfort level, don't add the spicy ingredient all at once. Start with about half, and add more in small amounts until the heat level is comfortable for you. Make up the difference with the mild version of whatever ingredient you are substituting.

I use Kiawe Hawaiian Smoked Sea Salt or Saltworks Applewood Smoked Salt.

Feel free to add whatever vegetables you want in this chili. Carrots, sweet potatoes, kohlrabi, and cubed butternut squash are all good. You can even add ribbons of kale or chard.

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Nutrition*

*All nutritional values are estimates only. They are calculated by an online resource.

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