This hearty vegetarian chili is everything you want in a cozy, veggie-loaded dinner recipe-it's smoky, hearty, and bursting with classic chili flavor. It's a Mediterranean diet-friendly recipe that packs in three kinds of beans, squash, peppers, and corn for easy weeknight nourishment. If you're craving a truly delicious vegetarian chili with beans, this one delivers big flavor in less than an hour.

Here at Parsley & Parm HQ we are pretty serious about our chili. I love a good meaty chili on game day just as much as the next person. But I've discovered my family will eat this easy vegetarian chili 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.

What makes this recipe shine ✨

• Quick and easy: it's ready to serve in less than an hour, including prep, simmer, and a short resting time.

• Deep, smoky flavor, boosted by fire-roasted ingredients and a blend of smoked seasonings for a hearty, satisfying taste.

• Veggie-packed and nutrient-rich, loaded with squash, peppers, corn, and three types of beans for plant-powered comfort.

The smoky flavor in this chili makes it feel extra-hearty to our human brains. Smoke and umami together, in particular, send powerful signals that we are eating high-protein, calorie-rich foods. It increases the satiety of the dish without adding excess fat or calories.

I love serving chili with beans alongside my honey whole wheat cornbread. The cornbread adds a whole grain (and extra fiber), which pairs with the beans to make a complete protein. You can do the same thing for other recipes too-for example, this taco soup from Glenda at Making Homemade Easy combines beans with a grain for that same nutritional boost.

Jazz up your chili game with plenty of toppings

Great chili toppings can turn a simple bowl into something unforgettable. On weeknights, I keep it easy with green onions, and avocado, but when I'm serving this vegetarian chili to a crowd, I go all out. Set out a toppings bar and let guests build their own. Each bowl will be unique to the guest who created 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 many options for topping your chili, from cheese to onions to cilantro, avocado, and hot sauce. If you have any carnivores in the house, you can also cook up some chili meat for them to mix into their bowls. For those of us who eat less meat, here are some additional favorites:

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

Valentina's hot sauce or Tapatio
Light sour cream or plain yogurt
Sliced jalapenos
Multigrain tortilla chips
Fresh corn
Lime juice (from lime wedges)

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients for vegetarian chili - diced tomatoes, green chilis, onions, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, beans, bell pepper, vegetable broth, smoked sea salt, smoked paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, coriander, garlic, and avocado oil

Neutral oil: Avocado or organic cold-pressed canola oil.
Yellow onion: White or red onions will work.
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: This is where most of the smoke flavor comes from, so don't skip it! You can swap in a bit of hot smoked paprika to boost the heat level, too.
Ground cumin and coriander seed: If you don't have coriander on hand, it can be left out.
Tomato paste: If you have one of those small 6-ounce cans, go ahead and throw in the whole thing if you don't have another use planned for the remainder.
Low-sodium vegetable broth (or beer, for more flavor): Using low-sodium broth gives you more control over the sodium content in your dish. Beer is a fun way to fancy up the flavor of your chili for company.
Fire-roasted diced tomatoes: My favorite domestic canned tomatoes are Muir Glen Organic.
Fire-roasted diced green chilis: I really love Hatch green 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: Hickory or mesquite-smoked sea salt can be a little much in this recipe. I use either Hawaiian Kiawe smoked sea salt or this Applewood smoked salt from Saltworks. Use plain 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 don't have any on hand, use regular oregano.
Your choice of beans: I use a can each of black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans.
Yellow squash and zucchini: You can also substitute cubed butternut squash or cubed sweet potato.
Bell peppers: Use any color pepper you like, including green. Red bell pepper is my favorite.
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 vegetarian chili is shown topped with plain yogurt, hot sauce, and sliced green onions.

Tips for the perfect Smoky Vegetarian Chili With Beans

Naturally thicken your chili: For a really thick and hearty chili, scoop out about ½ cup of the beans and mash them with a fork or puree them in a blender, then stir them back into the pot during the last 10 minutes of simmering. This naturally thickens the sauce.

Caramelize Your Tomato Paste: Don't skip this step! Stir the paste constantly with the onions and spices until it turns a deeper, browner color and just begins to stick. That brief caramelization is really important for a deep, complex flavor-just keep a careful eye on it so it doesn't scorch.

Keep Your Veggies Crisp-Tender: For the best chili texture, you want your vegetables to have a little crunch! Start checking them around the 10-12 minute mark and take the pot off the heat just before they're fully cooked.

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

Prep your chili up to three days ahead and reheat 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 reheat it.

Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 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 with beans in a bowl with a spoon. Topped with queso fresco, cilantro, red onion, and cornbread.

Did you try this recipe?

If you try this vegetarian chili recipe, I'd love to hear what you think! ⭐ Leave a star rating and a review in the recipe card below-it's helpful feedback for me and also for fellow followers and cooks.

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More vegetarian dinner recipes

A bowl of smoky vegetarian chili with beans in a bowl topped with queso fresco, cilantro, red onions, and cornbread.

SAVE PIN PRINT

5 from 16 votes

Best-Ever Vegetarian Chili with Beans

Recipe By: Lisa Porter

Smoky, hearty, and loaded with veggies, this vegetarian chili brings big, deep chili flavor in a bean-powered, weeknight-friendly package. Perfect for fall dinners, a healthier option for game day, or cozy winter comfort.

Prep Time15

Total Time50

Calories236.7kcal

Protein11g

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil avocado or cold pressed canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 teaspoon jarred garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder see notes for spicy options
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups vegetable broth or beer, for more flavor
2 14-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 6-ounce cans of fire-roasted diced green chilis or a small jar of salsa verde
1 cup corn kernels cut from 2 fresh ears or 1 cup frozen corn
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
2-3 14-ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed I use black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans
1 medium yellow squash, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 large bell peppers, chopped any color

Optional toppings:

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

Instructions

Heat the oil in a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
1 yellow onion, chopped, 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
Add the garlic and cook for one more minute, until fragrant.
2 cloves garlic, minced
Stir in the spices (cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, and chili powder) and sauté until the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds.
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon ground cumin
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 two to three minutes more until the tomato paste gets deeper in color and starts to stick to the pan.
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Carefully add about 1 cup of the broth and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
2 cups vegetable broth
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.
Note: If you prefer a thicker chili, scoop out about ¾ cup of the chili at this stage and mash it with a fork or puree it in a blender. Stir it back into the chili and proceed as directed.
2 14-ounce cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 6-ounce cans of fire-roasted diced green chilis, 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt or regular kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2-3 14-ounce cans of beans, drained and rinsed
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.
1 medium yellow squash, chopped, 1 medium zucchini, chopped, 2 large bell peppers, chopped, 1 cup corn kernels cut from 2 fresh ears
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

Adjust the heat level in this chili by swapping in some smoked hot paprika, medium or hot green chilis, 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. If you don't have smoked sea salt, add a couple of drops of applewood liquid smoke to boost the smoky flavor.

My favorite salsa verde (if you want to use it in place of the green chilis) is La Victoria Thick & Chunky Salsa Verde.

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.

Serve with Honey Whole Wheat Cornbread and plenty of toppings.

Nutrition*

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

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