This Vegetarian Chili is a super satisfying meatless main dish. Made in the crock pot or instant pot, it’s a healthy meal that you can easily prep in advance.
This recipe is part of my Dump it 'til it's hot series of dump recipes. It's all about making delicious food with minimal prep, no pre-cooking, the ability to freeze for a good make-ahead meal. And trust me when I say, easy never tasted so good!
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Vegetarian Chili
Another recent request from you guys is meatless dump recipes. Now, I’ll be honest, meatless meals aren’t exactly my strong suit. But I had a blast creating this recipe.
I was actually pretty excited to have this vegetarian chili. After I photographed it, I packed it up and used it as lunch prep for the entire week and it made a very satisfying lunch. This crockpot vegetarian chili is also a great meatless Monday option for a family full of meat-lovers.
Tips for making this vegetarian chili recipe
- Drain all your beans and corn well. Don’t worry about rinsing them.
- Be aware that the vegetable broth gives a slightly different flavor that most people are used to in chili, it’s almost a tiny bit sweet. If you prefer a more traditional flavor, substitute beef or chicken broth for the vegetable broth.
- Use whatever color bell peppers you prefer.
- I use a jalapeno (with the seeds removed) and a bit of cayenne pepper to add a nice kick. If you prefer it to be not as spicy, substitute a small can of mild diced green chiles and black pepper in place of cayenne pepper.
Frequently asked questions about making vegetarian chili (slow cooker + IP)
- How long is vegetarian chili good for? 5-6 days covered in your refrigerator.
- Can you freeze vegetarian chili? Yes- either before or after cooking.
- What to serve with vegetarian chili? I like to serve it with some shredded cheese, chopped scallions and some crumbled tortilla chips, but feel free to add any of your favorite chili toppings!
Vegetarian Chili Recipe Upgrades
Although this is designed to be a dump-and-go recipe, here are a few “upgrades” you can make if you have a little extra time on your hands and don’t mind doing a small amount of extra work. You don’t have to do them to have a delicious meal, but they will make this recipe come out even more delicious:
- Make some homemade guacamole to go with this!
Make it a meal!
A few great recipes to round out and complete this meal would be:
Helpful tools:
- Gallon freezer zipper bags
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Chef's knife
- Cutting board
- 9" x 13" pan
- Slow cooker
- Instant pot
- Slow cooker liners
This Vegetarian Chili is a super satisfying meatless main dish. Made in the crock pot or instant pot, it’s a healthy meal that you can easily prep in advance.
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 jalapeno, diced (if you don't want it to be spicy, sub small can mild diced green chiles)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup vegetable broth (can sub chicken or beef broth for a more traditional flavor)
- 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 14 ounce can black beans, drained
- 1 14 ounce can pinto beans, drained
- 1 14 ounce can kidney beans, drained
- 1 14 ounce can corn, drained
- 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- The toppings of your choice
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Mix all ingredients in crockpot until well combined (except for the toppings). At this point it can also be placed into 1-2 plastic zipper bags to freeze.
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Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.
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Serve immediately with the toppings of your choice.
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Mix all ingredients in Instant Pot until well combined (except for the toppings). At this point it can also be placed into 1-2 plastic zipper bags to freeze.
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Cover and press the Manual High Pressure. Set the instant pot for 10 minutes and set the steam release to sealing.
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Once the time is up, do a quick release and serve immediately with the toppings of your choice.
Now that you know how to make this Vegetarian Chili recipe, be sure to share it and tag @thelifejolie on Instagram and Facebook. And be sure to pin it to save for later or bookmark it!
Check out other Dump It ‘Til It’s Hot posts:
- Dump recipes main page
- My introduction post
- Best tools for prepping dump recipes
- Tips for making dump dinners
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