This Easy Vegetarian Chili recipe is a hearty and comforting dish packed with beans, vegetables and bold, savory spices. Just toss everything into the slow cooker and you’ll have a delicious and satisfying meal ready to enjoy in the evening!
Try more of my favorite comfort-food recipes, like Instant Pot Chili, Instant Pot White Chicken Chili, Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili, Vegetarian Enchiladas, and the Best Super Moist Cornbread.
Why This Recipe Works
Hearty & Comforting: Who said chili needed meat in it? Seriously, this easy vegetarian chili recipe is just as good as any chili that has meat in it, if not even better. The combination of starchy, protein-packed beans with hearty sweet potato and bright bell peppers come together to be both nutritious and down right satisfying!
No Fuss Slow Cooker Recipe: I would definitely consider this to be one of my go-to easy dinner recipes. It is really easy to prep and throw together in the slow cooker and have for dinner once everyone gathers around the table! With no meat to prep, you just have to dice up some veggies and then let the crockpot do the rest of the work!
Ingredients
- Onion: I usually use brown onions but you can use white onions here, too.
- Bell Pepper: Use whatever color bell pepper you like best! Green is more bitter and the other colors are more sweet.
- Sweet Potato: Sweet potato adds some heartiness and extra nutrition to the chili.
- Beans: I used a combination of kidney beans and black beans here! You can use whatever bean you would like, but avoid black eyed peas since they don’t do well in a slow cooker.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Fire roasted tomatoes add an extra layer of smoky flavor!
- Tomato Paste: For a deeper tomato flavor.
- Spices: Use cajun seasoning, cumin, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and a little bit of cocoa powder to spice this chili up to perfection! The cocoa powder adds a depth of flavor, and won’t make it chocolatey!
- Toppings: Serve the slow cooker vegetarian chili with your favorite toppings like sour cream, chopped cilantro, avocado, salsa, shredded cheese or tortilla chips!
Here’s How to Make It
Step by Step Instructions
- Sear the Veggies: Heat the oil in the bottom of a slow cooker over medium-high heat if you have a sear-and-stew model, or in a large skillet or frying pan. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook until the onions are just starting to soften. (photos 1-2)
- Add the sweet potato, and continue to cook until the onions have some color on them, and the peppers and sweet potato have started to soften. (photos 3-4)
- Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker if you are using a different pan. (photo 5)
- Combine the Additional Ingredients: Stir in the beans, tomatoes, cajun seasoning, tomato paste, cocoa powder, salt and spices. Wash the leftover tomato juices out of the can and add them to the chili with a scant 1/4 cup of water. If you have vegetable broth open in the refrigerator, use that instead. (photos 6-7)
- Cook: Cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Check to see if more salt is needed before serving with your favorite toppings and enjoy! (photo 8)
Expert Tips
- You can use different beans in your easy vegetarian chili, like pinto beans or navy beans!
- If you can’t find or don’t have fire roasted tomatoes on hand, you can use regular diced canned tomatoes instead.
- Add extra veggies! Really make this chili recipe your own and add veggies or grains as you see fit. You can add some diced carrots or even throw in a little quinoa for added protein and energy!
- Serve your sweet potato chili with moist cornbread muffins or some baked guacamole tortilla chips!
Frequently Asked Questions
My best vegetarian chili does include cajun seasoning which has a bit of a kick to it! It isn’t overly spicy, and can be enjoyed by all of the family members. If you like it extra spicy, you can add some extra cayenne pepper or simply serve with some fresh jalapeño slices instead!
This vegetarian chili recipe will stay good in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days! It also freezes nicely, and can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.
More Vegetarian Recipes to Try
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Creamy Potato Soup
- Bread Bowl with Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Best Tomato Soup
- Vegetable Soup
Did you make this recipe? FANTASTIC. Please rate the recipe below and be sure to tag me on social when you share a photo on social – I love seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Easy Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 brown onions
- 4 cups diced bell pepper
- 3 cups sweet potato - peeled and cut into a small dice
- 2 cans kidney beans - drained
- 2 cans black beans - drained
- 1 28oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 tbsp cajun seasoning
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- sour cream, chopped cilantro, avocado, salsa, shredded cheese and tortilla chips - to serve
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the bottom of the slow cooker over a medium high heat if you have a sear-and-stew model, or in a large skillet or frying pan. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook until the onions are just starting to soften.
- Add the sweet potato, and continue to cook until the onions have some color on them, and the peppers and sweet potato have started to soften.
- Transfer the mixture to the slow cooker if you’re using a different pan.
- Stir in the beans, tomatoes, cajun seasoning, tomato paste, cocoa powder, salt and spices. Wash the leftover tomato juices out of the can and add them to the chili with a scant 1/4 cup of water. (If you have vegetable broth open in the refrigerator, use that instead.)
- Cook for 4 hours on high, or 6 hours on low. Check to see if more salt is needed before serving.
Can you freeze this soup?
Hi Marletta – I haven’t frozen it myself but I bet it would work just fine!
I would like to know what is a slat that wasn’t in the ingredients but when you put the things together you said put in the slat
slat is salt
So sorry for the confusion! It is fixed 🙂 thank you for letting me be aware of the typo.
I loved this chili!! Best vegetarian chili I’ve ever tasted. I used an 8oz. Can of tomato sauce (it’s what I had on hand), and I thought it was perfect (I liked it a little thick). Thank you!
I made this for my Sister’s Birthday and doubled it since there were 12 of us! It was so easy to make and sooo delicious. Everyone raved. I made it the night before and warmed it up the next day. Don’t forget the shredded chese, sour cream and green onion. Will make it over and over again.
Hi, thank you for the recipe! I just want to confirm you use no chili powder?
No, but if you’re wanting to add a little kick to this chili, you can totally throw in a dash of chili powder or cayenne pepper, it would be a tasty addition 🙂