This Ultimate Vegan Chili is AWARD WINNING and it’s so easy to make! Meaty, flavorful and protein-rich, this chili is over-the-top delicious.
Serve with vegan cornbread and vegan sour cream for the best results!
Want even more chili recipes? Check out my Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, Lentil Chili and Vegan White Chili.
The very best vegan chili recipe
Easy vegan chili is loaded with beans, meaty crumbled tofu (or vegan ground meat of your choice), and classic seasonings. This fan favorite dish is ready in under an hour and uses super simple ingredients. It may be a simple recipe, but the results are outstanding. This chili wins awards!
Even meat eaters love this chili! Feel free to make it your own and add in additional ingredients or all of your favorite toppings. Don’t forget the vegan cornbread, vegan sour cream and vegan cheese on the side for a hearty and filling meal!
What is vegan chili made of?
Here are the main ingredients needed for the recipe. The big difference between this chili and a non-vegan chili is that we aren’t using meat of course!
- Meaty tofu crumbles – They are made easily and quickly in the oven while the rest of the chili comes together on the stovetop. Often I skip the tofu and use Beyond meat crumbles instead. You could also use TVP ground beef or another vegan beef substitute.
- Sweet onion and garlic – Classic and necessary chili ingredients. You can use white, yellow or even a red onion.
- Crushed tomatoes – You can substitute this for diced tomatoes if you like a little more texture in each bite.
- Black beans and kidney beans – Use any variety of canned beans you like, but this is my favorite combination. Pinto beans or even chickpeas can be used.
- Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt – This combination of seasonings will make each bite taste smokey, savory, and delicious!
- Maple syrup – Just a little to balance out the acidity.
- Cocoa powder – Adds richness and depths of flavors to the chili. If you haven’t added cocoa powder to your chili before, I highly recommend you try it!
How to make vegan chili
Get the tofu crumbles baking
These tofu crumbles are perfectly seasoned and give this vegan chili a meaty texture. They’re also super easy to make! For an even easier recipe, you can skip the tofu and simply cook 16 ounces or Beyond meat with the onions.
If using the tofu crumbles:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together the soy sauce, nutritional yeast, chili powder, and smoked paprika in a large bowl. Use your hands to crumble the tofu into the bowl and mix everything together.
- Spread the tofu mixture in an even layer on your prepared pan. Place it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Once the tofu is in the oven, start the chili.
Prepare the chili while the tofu bakes
In a large pot over medium heat, add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add in the chopped onion and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes until translucent and fragrant. If using vegan ground beef, cook it now with the onion. Next, add in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
Add the rest of the chili ingredients into the pot (except for the tofu) and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Once the tofu crumbles are done, if using, stir them into the chili.
How to thicken chili
If you like your chili to have a thick or smoother texture, you can use an immersion blender to lightly blend just a few times. Do this before adding the tofu crumbles.
Instant pot vegan chili
Make the chili in an Instant Pot by first turning it to Sauté mode. Add the oil and cook the onions and garlic until soft, then add in the rest of your ingredients (except the tofu, you’ll still need to oven bake this). Secure the lid and cook on manual or high pressure for 8 minutes. Immediately release the pressure, then open the Instant Pot and stir in the tofu crumbles to finish.
Crock pot chili
You can make vegan chili in a crock pot/slow cooker as well. Add all of the ingredients (except the tofu) to a large crockpot and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in the tofu crumbles 30 minutes before it’s done cooking.
Frequently asked questions
Leftover chili will last for 4-5 days in the fridge. Store in airtight containers.
Yes, this chili freezes very well. Freeze in individual freezer-friendly containers, then simply thaw and reheat until warm.
Substitute gluten free tamari for the soy sauce when making the tofu crumbles to ensure the chili is gluten free.
Yes! Some good choices are corn, zucchini, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes or carrots. You can also stir in 1 cup of quinoa with the rest of the ingredients.
How to serve vegan chili
You can’t have chili without cornbread! Serve a piece or two with each bowl of chili. Layer on all the toppings you want, such as:
- Vegan Sour Cream
- Vegan cheese shreds or cheese sauce
- Diced tomatoes
- A wedge of lime
- Tortilla chips
- Chopped cilantro
- Avocado slices
- Hot sauce
- Chives
More cozy vegan recipes to impress a crowd
- Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
- Easy Vegan Ramen
- The Best Lentil Soup
- Vegan Zuppa Toscana
- Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup
Ultimate Vegan Chili
Ingredients
Meaty Tofu Crumbles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce *tamari for gluten free
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 14 ounce block firm tofu
Chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- (2) 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
- (2) 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- (1) 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
Make the tofu crumbles
- In a large bowl, mix together the soy sauce, nutritional yeast, chili powder and smoked paprika. It will be pasty. Now crumble the tofu into the bowl with your hands, and mix together using a large spoon until well combined with the paste.
- Spread the tofu mixture evenly in the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring the tofu halfway through. Once the tofu is in the oven, start the chili.
Prepare chili on the stovetop
- In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add in the garlic and cook 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
- Now add all the rest of the chili ingredients, except the tofu, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the tofu crumbles are done baking.
- If a thicker consistency is desired, use an immersion blender and blend just a few times. Do this before you add the tofu.
- Once the tofu crumbles are done, stir them into the pot. All done! Serve with vegan sour cream, cornbread, tortilla chips, cilantro, tomatoes, hot sauce, vegan cheese shreds and chives, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Use vegan beef instead: May omit the tofu crumbles if desired, or replace them with vegan beef crumbles (such as Gardein brand or Beyond Meat). Sauté the ground meat with the onion, then add the garlic and continue with the recipe. Or simply add some vegetables instead, like frozen corn, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots or zucchini. Or add a cup of uncooked quinoa when you add the beans.
- May substitute diced tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes if desired for more texture.
- Leftovers: This chili will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days, and also freezes well.
- Instant Pot version: Use the sauté feature and cook your onion and garlic, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the tofu, bake that in the oven like normal). Secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Stir in the tofu crumbles and serve.
- Slow cooker version: Add all of the ingredients (except the tofu) and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Stir in the tofu crumbles about 30 minutes before it’s done cooking.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and has been updated with better information and options.
I made this tonight for my non-vegan husband and he loved it! I was short on time so I added extra veggies and quinoa instead of making the tofu crumbles, I will try making them next time! I also used veggie broth instead of water because I needed to use it up. Thank you again Nora, you’re the best!
You bet, Kelly! Your chili sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Hi Nora!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It is the first time I have made anything vegan and it turned out great. Great flavor and very hearty! A friend of mine runs a vegan store/restaurant and I had him over for dinner and he loved it and asked me to make it for an upcoming event he is hosting. I am not professional cook by any means so it is a bit daunting. Any ideas how this can scale up by approximately 13 times!?
I’m so glad the chili turned out great! It’s a staple in my home. I’m sorry to say I have zero experience in scaling up recipes like that, so I’m not the best person to ask. It sounds like your friend should be pretty skilled in this, if he regularly make large amounts of food for his restaurant. Maybe ask him for advice? Sorry I can’t be more helpful there.
BEST. DAMN. CHILI. EVER!
I have been making this chili since December 2021, and it is my go-to chili recipe. I won’t let my husband make chili unless he uses this recipe, because what he normally “whips up” is meh in comparison. Even without the crumbles (I can’t have soy), this chili is incredible! We usually fight over who gets to take any leftovers for lunch the next day.
Thank you so much for sharing this incredible recipe, Nora! I also have made your vegan pancakes and corn bread, which are also outstanding.
Hi Sandi! I am THRILLED that you are loving my chili recipe! Your stellar review and comments just make my day! Thank YOU! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Question — my tofu crumbles were a bit too moist, took an extra 15 minutes in the oven to dry out sufficiently. But, when added to the chili they just disintegrated. 1. Are the crumbles supposed to hold together? 2. Should I have drained the tofu before crumbling into the spice paste? I did use FIRM tofu.
Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes with us!!! 🙂 Everything we’ve tried has been amazing!
Hi there! I never press the tofu for this recipe, but you could if you want. They should not disintegrate into the chili, like meaning they are still visible, like little bits of “meat”. If you want them to stay in larger chunks or something you could try using extra firm tofu I suppose. I hope that helps, and thank you for enjoying my recipes!
This is an absolute winner! I’ve been vegan for 10+ years and have tried multiple mediocre chili recipes. My search is over because this one really is the ultimate vegan chili! I made the recipe as-written and was very impressed by the tofu crumbles. I could see using something like Trader Joe’s soy chorizo to save time if needed. I might try water-sautéing the onions next time, since I sometimes skip the oil if I don’t think it will affect a recipe too much. We had this along with your cornbread recipe, which my teenage son makes for the family every week. Thanks for another amazing recipe!!!
It was great… despite that I didnt have any “nutritional yeast” to bake the tofu part.
I also didnt have (4) 28oz cans of the crushed tomatoes… I used 14oz cans of diced tomatoes.
I also didnt have any kidney beans… so I substitute it for 2 cans corn.
Still very tasty and healthy!!
This Chili is truly award winning!! Made it for a Chili contest and we won first place! We made it with “Feisty beyond meat” instead of the tofu and it was amazing. Also added some Mexican cream on top and Fritos to go along with it- delicious!! Thanks for the amazing recipe 🙂 Will certainly be making it again.
You are welcome, Jessica! Thank you for your yummy ideas and wonderful review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Very good chili recipe. Loved it, and will put it with my recipe collection.
Hi Lee. I’m thrilled this is now part of your recipe collection! Thanks for your stellar review and feedback!
Oh my goodness, Nora, I’d give this one 10 stars if I could. It was absolutely perfect and so so easy. I’ve followed you on Instagram for some time and didn’t realize you had so many awesome savory recipes. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for your fantastic review, Maya!
This really is the best veggie chili recipe I have ever had! I think the cocoa powder definitely makes it. My whole family loves this, even the carnivores. Such a genius idea to make the tofu that way. Thanks Nora! We also eat your Tofu Bacon BLTs in the regular rotation! My husband tells people he likes tofu bacon better than real bacon!!!
Hi Ann. I appreciate your encouraging comments! How wonderful that your family loves the chili! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
I used the Veggie Grillers Crumbles and this chili was everything. I had my family taste it and they loved it and wanted seconds. I can’t wait to make this again. This recipe is going in the books. Thank you!
You bet, Andrea! I’m thrilled the chili was a hit with your family and that it’s going into your meal rotation! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Instead of tofu I used tvp. I rehydrate it and use the same seasoning as the tofu mix and and vegan Worcestershire. I add an extra cup of water and half the crushed tomatoes. I also add nutritional yeast into the chili.
Thank you Melissa, for sharing your ideas and great review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Really tasty and easy to make. This will be my go-to chili recipe from now on.
excellent recipe! for some reason I was craving chili cheese fries, which is something I have never eaten even when I ate meat haha, but I wanted a healthier version. I made this but cut the recipe in half, & added some Plant Boss mild taco crumbles for extra protein as well as some chopped spinach. Served it over roasted potatoes with Violife Mexican shreds & a little hatch salsa. Totally nailed my craving!!
Dear Nora, I have posted a link to you recipe for my FB friends. I used to be a translator and long used a bulgur wheat-based recipe from a cookbook I worked on for a cookware company back in the 1970’s, but yours is better! I do use TVP often because I have it handy.
This is my new favorite.
Hi Lynne! You made my day! I’m thrilled you love my chili recipe! Thanks for sharing your stellar feedback! Happy cooking!
I forgot to add the stars! For the TVP, I re-hydrate 3/4 C in an equal amount of hot water and then add it in with the beans.
Cheers!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Perfect .I don’t usually follow all the steps in recipes ….but I did and the result was great. 😊 THANKS
I am literally licking my spoon right now after my first bowl of this delectable nectar of the Gods! It was super easy and absolutely delicious. I’ve made numerous vegan chilis over the years and this is the best one ever. Trust me and make this!
Thank you so much, Diana!! I’m thrilled you loved the chili 🙂
This is very good! My SAD eating husband loves the flavor!!
How do you suggest incorporating TVP? I’d like to try this in a slow cooker. Thanks!
Add it right into the chili when you add the beans, seasonings, etc.! It will hydrate and soak in all of those amazing flavors while the chili slow cooks. 🙂
Another great one. We substituted the tofu for ground impossible burger, sautéed it with onions and seasoning tofu called for. We also added corn, as it’s my favorite in chili.
We served with baked potatoes. So yummy.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the changes you made and for the review, Evan 🙂
Love it, one of my favorite dinners. Me and my boyfriend have it as dinner more than once a week. I like to eat it with baked potato and sour cream
That’s a perfect pairing, Teresa 🙂 Thanks so much for your wonderful review!
Awesome recipe for bulk season! I up the beans and add lentils for more protein.
Love the tofu crumbles too, thanks so much for posting.
You are welcome, Carlos! Thank you for awesome review and feedback!
Very good!! This will be going into my meal rotation! I made it in the Instant pot and served it with cornbread.
Sounds like a wonderful meal! I love that it’s added to your meal rotation! Thanks for your fabulous review and feedback!
How many cups is one serving?
Hi Kinsey. There are about 6 pretty large servings, about 1 1/2 cups each. Hope this helps!
If I use either of the two substitutes for the tofu as suggested, do I prepare them both the exact same way as tofu?
For using a vegan ground meat instead, simply cook it in the pan with the onion, then add the garlic and continue with the recipe. I will specify this now in the notes. Thanks!