Is it weird to have a crush on a bowl of chili? This is the BEST vegetarian slowcooker chili recipe. Healthy, gluten-free with vegan option provided.
I want to nominate this chili to be the official gameday food for tailgating. It’s definitely weird to have a crush on a bowl of chili, but a bowl of this vegetarian slowcooker chili will definitely convert you. It’s glossy, has the perfect consistency, and – most importantly – tastes incredible.
Read on for the vegetarian slow cooker chili recipe…
Easy Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Just sautée the veggies and put all of the ingredients in the crockpot in the morning. The slow cooker does all the work allowing the veggies to release their juices and soak up the flavors of the spices. It’s the best vegetarian chili – no the best chili period – that I’ve ever had.
Vegan Slowcooker Chili Recipe
If you skip the sour cream and the cheese on top, you can make this recipe vegan chili.
Large Batch Chili Recipe for Freezing
This chili recipe is an easy way to make extra food for freezing. You can store it for up to four months in the freezer in a sealed airtight container.
Vegetarian Chili Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is super flexible, so it also works great for meatless nachos or vegetarian taco filling. You can also add meat substitutions like soy chorizo or meatless crumbles. Here are the answers to some questions I get about this chili recipe!
- Does chili need chicken or vegetable broth so it isn’t too thick?
- The answer is no! The vegetables release enough liquid to give this recipe the perfect consistency.
- Can you eat chili with noodles?
- Absolutely! I grew up in the Midwest eating chili for macaroni noodles. The addition of noodles, especially elbow macaroni, to this recipe is one of my favorite modifications. Just cook the noodles separately and add them when you are ready to eat. The origin of adding pasta isn’t clear but some people think it goes back to the Great Depression as a way to stretch chili recipes so they lasted longer.
- Can you eat chili with rice?
- Yes! This chili recipe tastes great when served over rice! Just cook the rice separately.
- What kind of onion should I use in chili?
- Yellow onions are the most common onion for chili. They get sweeter and softer when cooked and soak up the spices making them extra flavorful. You can top chili with red or white onions but I wouldn’t use them in the recipe itself as they don’t soften when cooked.
- Can I add frozen meatless crumbles to chili?
- Yes! No need to let them thaw. Just add them to the mixture before you cook.
- Can I add soy chorizo to chili?
- Yes! Just add the chopped chorizo to the mixture before you cook.
- Is it possible to use a 12-quart crockpot for chili?
- Yes! You can double this recipe and it should fit in a 12-quart crockpot.
- Do you put celery in chili?
- Yes! Celery tastes amazing in this chili recipe.
- Can I use this chili recipe for tacos?
- Yes! This recipe works great if you are making meatless tacos.
- Can I use this chili recipe for nachos?
- Yes! This recipe works great for meatless nachos. Just spoon it over tortilla chips and add the toppings of your choice.
Making Vegetarian Chili in an Instapot
You can speed up the cooking time for this vegetarian chili if you have an Instapot! Sauté the vegetables in the Instapot and then use the slow cooker option for 4 hours on high.
Why this is the BEST Vegetarian Slowcooker Chili:
- This is a great Super Bowl or tailgating recipe when made in advance in a crockpot.
- It’s bursting with flavor and has the perfect amount of liquid.
- Make an easy vegan chili if you omit the shredded cheese and sour cream.
- This meatless chili is packed with healthy plant protein – I promise you won’t miss the meat!
- You can make a large batch of chili for freezing to enjoy later.
My Favorite Crockpot:
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PrintBEST Vegetarian Slowcooker Chili
Is it weird to have a crush on a bowl of chili? This is the BEST vegetarian slowcooker chili recipe. Healthy, gluten-free with vegan option provided.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Vegetarian Chili Ingredients
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 onions, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 celery stalks, cut 1/4 inches crosswise
- 4 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 (15.5 ounces) cans black beans, rinsed & liquid drained
- 1 (16 ounces) can cannellini beans, rinsed & liquid drained
- 1 (16 ounces) can pinto beans, rinsed & liquid drained
- 1 (16 ounces) can kidney beans, rinsed & liquid drained
- 1 (14.5 ounces) can of diced tomatoes
- 4–6 tablespoons chili powder, depending on your preference
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Special Equipment
Instructions
How to Make Vegetarian Crockpot Chili
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic sauté until they soften, but don’t brown, for about five minutes.
- Add the peppers and celery and sauté until lightly browned and tender, about 5 minutes.
- Set your slow cooker to low. Add the beans, vegetables, diced tomatoes, spices, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir to combine and cover. Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.
- Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream (optional).
- Chili will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for five days or in the freezer for up to four months.
Notes
Keywords: vegetarian chili recipes, slow cooker vegetarian chili, homemade vegetarian chili, best slow cooker chili recipes, best vegetarian chili recipes
Craving chili? Pin this recipe for later:
Mmmm, that looks delicious!!! No football here, but I’ll still have some of that chili! xxx
You should try it! I definitely don’t watch football either, but the chili is still delish!
★★★★★
I’ve made this and don’t think the chili powder measurements are correct. Did you mean teaspoons instead of tablespoons? Such a dry fiery after taste from 4 tablespoons of chili powder and I love spicy food.
★★★★
Not a typo! I’ve made this recipe dozens of times and always with tablespoons. We use the chili powder from the grocery store, perhaps yours is something stronger? Sorry it didn’t work out for you.
This was a super easy way to make a huge amount of chili, and it smells fabulous. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Yay! I’m so glad you made it! That’s awesome!
★★★★★
We love chili in my house and I’ll make it with tenderloin, ground chicken, beef, and turkey. I haven’t done a straight vegetarian chili that I recall, but this sounds very tasty. I’ll have to save the recipe to give it a try.
I feel like you can never have enough chili versions. I love turkey and putting it in chili is one of my favorite things!
★★★★★
Hi Kelly – the chili looks terrific; I can’t wait to make it! Thanks for including nutrition info.
Hi Kathy – No problem! I hope you enjoy it – it’s REALLY good!
★★★★★
This chili is awesome! I love the bean variety 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that you like it! I’m definitely craving some right now!
★★★★★
I have this cooking now. Is it going to burn without a “broth” or vegetable stock?
Nope! The juice of the tomatoes should be enough to get started and as the veggies cook down they will release some juice! The result is a nice thick chili.
Kelly, I am just now seeing this comment AFTER I submitted my question about the liquid below. Sorry!
How many servings are in this recipe? I have a family gathering this fall and just want to make sure I have enough for everyone to try and have a small bowl
Hi Arielle – This makes an entire large crockpot. I would say it makes 8-10 regular size servings.
What a perfect chili recipe! Just got a slowcooker, I was sceptic with the lack of broth or liquid and the amount of chili powder which seemed huuuge, but I had faith and I’m so glad I did, it turned out to be delicious! I immediatly adopted your recipe as my slowcooker chili recipe. Thanks a lot!
I’m planning to mean this later this week for my book club. Is it really 4 onions? And, do you rinse the beans or include that liquid into the crockpot too? Can’t wait to try this.
We love onions so I always add that many! You can decrease them if you’re worried but I get rave reviews as is. We typically wash any canned beans to get rid of that weird salty liquid but it’s totally your preference.
★★★★★
I want to add frozen meatless crumbles. When would I do that?
I’ve never cooked with fake meat products so I can’t say for sure. You could try adding them right away or defrost them and add them at the end. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.
★★★★★
I did and just put them in the Crock-Pot thawed. :). Worked great and gives the husband the meat texture he craves.
That’s awesome! Thank you for letting me know. I’m sure this will help someone else too. 🙂
★★★★★
I freeze firm tofu, then thaw and squeeze out all the water. Brown the crumbled tofu with the veggies. delicious!
Will this fit in a 6-quart crockpot?
Yes, it should!
★★★★★
What size can of diced tomatoes?
The standard 14.5 ounce can! 🙂
★★★★★
Kelly
I love love your recipe!
Made it for the 2A tournament while we watched CAROLINA They nhaled it
Did not tell them it was vegetarian, you know us guys
Anyway,
I subbed 1/2 teaspoon cayenne for heat instead of hot sauce (combination of factors, mainly none in my pantry)
Added a few Parmesan reggiana rinds diced for that extra little something
In the end, I think the next baby boy will share my name
Thx Kelly
U R the best
Hi Elias – Thank you so much for letting me know. Your feedback made my day and I really appreciate you taking the time to let me know!!!
★★★★★
I’m taking this for a teacher luncheon this week (so excited because it’s always a hit), but I have to leave it at the school when I go to work at 7am. It won’t have a full 6-8 hours if I start it in the morning, so I’m wondering if I could do it on high. I just don’t want a scorched batch of this delicious stuff! Thanks!
Good question! I haven’t tried it on high. What I usually do is let it go overnight and then keep it on warm until lunch. I’m sure you could get away with it especially if you are around to keep an eye on it. Let me know how it works out and I can add it to the recipe for other people.
★★★★★
Hi!
What size crock pot did you use for this recipe? 🙂
You mention veggies in the instructions but they are not listed in th ingredients. What veggies do you suggest?
These are the veggies:
4 onions, chopped
4 celery stalks, cut 1/4 inches crosswise
4 red, yellow or orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped
They are prepped in the previous steps and then you add them to the crockpot.
★★★★★
Made this for meat lovers before and were impressed at how delicious it was without it! My husband is requesting it for his birthday; he loves it that much! Thank you for the delicious vegetarian recipe, and definitely use all the onions…mmm!
★★★★★
That’s amazing! Thanks for sharing that Rachel. I’m glad he likes it!
★★★★★
Hi Kelly! I just discovered your blog (which I am enjoying, BTW) and came across this recipe. Can you tell me how your chili looks like it has a substantial amount of liquid? I don’t see any other liquid in your recipe aside from the small can of diced tomatoes. Am I missing something? I wanted to double-check with you before I attempted to make this tomorrow. Thanks for sharing!
I know it’s very deceiving! Once the veggies cook they will release just the right amount of liquid like what you see in the photos. You’ll love it!
★★★★★
Thank you! I will have to share my results here soon!
I lent my crockpot out to a friend. 🙁 Can this be made on in a dutch oven? If so, what temp and how long do you think?
Hi Kelly,
I am really excited about making this vegetarian chili! It looks delicious and we love Chile in this house. I also wanted to thank you for putting in the little calculation button in case we wanted to double or triple the recipe! My question is what size crock pot / slow cooker is the original recipe created for? I have a 12 oz slow cooker. Would I need to double the recipe? Thank you so much. Just wanted to let you know that I have subscribed to your YouTube channel. Can’t wait to try this and your other recipes!
Kelly o
Hi Kelly – Thank you for the kind words and for your support! This recipe will barely fit in 6 qt and comfortably fit in 8 qt so I think you could double the recipe and it would be fine!
★★★★★
Hi Kelly,
Thank you so much for replying so quickly! I’m really excited because now I can make this chili tonight?. I will let you know how it turns out, but I have a feeling it’s going to be delicious! So happy to be here!
Kelly O
I’m so excited for you! This is one of my favorite recipes!!
★★★★★
Great recipe!!! I also added a 9oz package of soy chorizo to mine and got rave reviews. It’s great both ways thanks again. Janet E.
Amazing, love that idea!
★★★★★
I am planning to make this for a group of men, two of whom are vegetarian. What do you think about adding portobello mushrooms to the recipe for a meaty quality? I was planning to saute the mushrooms with the peppers and add them to the crockpot at the same time. Thanks…
I haven’t tried it but I bet it would be great! Let me know if you do try it!
★★★★★
My husband said this was the BEST chili I ever made. We had surprise guests for dinner and there was plenty to go around. I made it in my Instapot so I sautéed in there first. Used the slow cooker option 4 hours on high. Keep warm.
★★★★★
Amazing! We haven’t invested in an Instapot yet so I’m very jealous! 🙂
★★★★★
Hi Kelly-
I’m making the chili now and the broth looks like veggie broth-not the thick red gravy that your photos show. I’ve only cooked it (or rather ‘cricked it’!) for an hour and a half in high. Will the liquid thicken you and turn the beautiful red in your photos?
★★★★★
Hi meg – As long as you cooked the water out of the veggies by sauteing them first, it should be nice and thick. I hope you had a good result!
★★★★★
Loved it, made it yesterday to watch football. My teenage son asked if it was vegan. I lied and told him no. He had no idea and asked for another bowl.
★★★★★
I’m so glad your family enjoyed this recipe!
★★★★★
Can this be frozen?
Absolutely! It will keep for up to four months in an airtight container.
Hi Kelly!
I made this delicious chili for my mom and myself. I served it over brown rice and my very picky ma loved it! I froze the leftovers. It is just the two of us, and a bowl over rice is so fulfilling?. Then this week ( one week later) I used the chili to make the best tacos ? ever!! Thank you so much for sharing this amazing vegetarian chili❤❤. It is so wonderful to have a great slow cooker recipe like this especially during the holidays.
WOW I love all of these additional uses for the chili! Brilliant!
★★★★★
Just made for the first time tonight. Simple and surprisingly delicious! We didn’t stray from the original recipe. Thanks.
★★★★★
Kelly, how do I make this less spicy?? 🙂 I would love have this for my little daughter!
Thank you for this Kelly – my house smells amazing and I can’t wait to eat it! I added some mild green chilis as well for slight flavor. My fiance and I are looking for healthy vegetarian dishes for health reasons. I can’t wait for him to come home and try this.
FYI – I am also making homemade cornbread to go with this. YUM!
★★★★★