Vegetarian Chili
Serves 4 to 6
You'll LOVE this easy vegetarian chili recipe! Made with fire-roasted tomatoes, beans, and flavorful veggies, it's spicy, smoky, and packed with plant-based protein. This recipe is gluten-free. For vegan chili, skip the cheese and sour cream on top.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
- 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water or vegetable broth
- 3 chipotle peppers from a can of chipotles in adobo, diced*
- 3 tablespoons adobo sauce
- 1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
Topping options:
- Avocado, diced or sliced
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Jalapeño or serrano peppers, diced or sliced
- Fresh cilantro
- Pickled Onions
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, a pinch of salt, and several grinds of pepper and stir. Cook until the onion is translucent, 5 minutes, then add the red pepper. Stir and cook until soft, 5 to 8 minutes, turning down the heat as needed.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin, if using, and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, water, chipotles, adobo sauce, corn, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chili has thickened.
- Stir in the lime juice and season to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
* Chipotle peppers vary in spice level, so if you’re sensitive to spice, start with less. If you love spice, add more to taste. If your chili is too spicy, add more lime juice and a bit of olive oil to tone it down.