Cozy up to a bowl of this hearty and chunky Loaded Vegetarian (& Vegan) Black Bean Chili on a chilly night. Its super easy to cook, packed with veggies and full of flavor!
Jump to RecipeI actually had to make this one twice to nail. The first round was such a disaster!
This is the first time a dish actually looked ugly. Not worth taking pictures at all. They would be unsalvageable.
It was actually because I added a ton of Kale in there just to get some added nutrition. It made all the soupiness disappear and even took away that beautiful red color.
Round 2 was – thankfully – a success!
A very big success in a big hearty bowl.
Isn’t ‘Chili’ a pepper?
Yes, yes it is. Its a hot pepper.
But its also the name of a dish that – or rather a stew – that’s made with those hot peppers (or chili powder), ground beef, beans and tomatoes.
Its one of those Tex-Mex recipes, i.e. originated in Texas, but a lot of people associate it with being Mexican food.
Wherever it may have come from though, its a stellar combination of ingredients!
No beef chili
Common alternatives to the classic ground beef version include using ground chicken or turkey. The goal there is usually to keep the calories low.
But what about special diet folks?!
Vegan and Vegetarian Chili recipes to the rescue!
Use a handful of chopped vegetables in place of the meat, and you get the same chunky curry with the same hearty goodness and the same rich flavor.
Its low in calories, so it’s my preferred version even though I don’t have any dietary restrictions. Now only do I get a ton of veggies in, but I can also eat a bigger quantity at once!
There’s a bunch of vegetables you could use in here, but I made this veggie loaded chili with mushrooms, celery, carrots and red bell peppers.
Yellow squash and zucchini are good options too.
Beans
The classic version uses red kidney beans or even pinto beans – those big ones.
But I choise to go for black beans. They went pretty well being of a similar size as the veggies
Crushed Tomatoes
This is key. You need it for that chunky feel.
Diced tomatoes would be fine, but tomato paste will not work.
Don’t forget to pick the no salt added one!
Crushed Tomatoes Black Beans
I planned to make a black bean chili about 2 weeks ago, and had everything logged into my meal plan for the day. I use the Lose It! app btw, would totally recommend.
But while doing all of that, I realized I didn’t have the core ingredient for the dish: Canned Crushed Tomatoes. I had a bunch of tomato paste that I keep in my pantry for all my curry cravings, but no diced or crushed ones.
I even looked up alternatives to crushed tomatoes, and it was possible to make my own from regular tomatoes – dipping them in boiling water for a minute, taking off the skin, and then blitzing it in a food processor. But I had run out of tomatoes too, so I dropped the plan.
Serving?
Cornbread or rice make for good sides.
To add a little something special, top it with avocado, corn, jalapeños, cilantro, sour cream or cheese. A lot of options here.
More Comforting Soups & Curries
Loaded Vegetarian (& Vegan) Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
- ½ tsp Oil
- ⅓ medium Onion, Chopped, 35g
- 1½ tsp Garlic, Minced
- 1 cup Mushrooms, Sliced, 70g
- 1 cup Celery, Diced, 101g, 1½ large stalks
- ½ cup Carrots, Chopped, 64g, 1 medium
- ½ cup Red Bell Pepper, Chopped, 75g, ⅔ medium
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- ¾ tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Oregano
- ¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 cup Canned Crushed Tomatoes
- ½ cup Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
- 1 cup Black Beans, Canned (260g) or Cooked from dry (74g)
- ½ tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 Tbsp Cilantro (1g)
Instructions
- Pour oil over medium heated pot and fry onions, garlic and vegetables until onions are translucent and vegetables are tender.
- Add spices and salt, mix, and sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add in tomato and broth, bring to a low boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add beans and simmer another 10 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice and cilantro and turn off heat.
- Top with your favorites and serve hot!
- Recommendations: sour cream, corn, avocado, jalapeño, more cilantro!
Notes
- In an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
- Servings: 3 cups | Serving size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 220kcal
- Fat: 2.6g | Saturated fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 43.7g | Fiber: 11.3g | Sugar: 10.5g
- Protein: 13.2g