Jam-Packed Vegan Chili Recipe

Vegan chili chock full of deliciousness!

Chili has always been, and will forever continue to be, a staple meal in my life. Of course, the Tex-Mex recipe typically calls for ground beef, and toppings often include shredded cheese and sour cream. With these ingredients off the table, I’ve been able to create a delicious vegan chili recipe that focuses on tasty, fresh vegetables.

Serve this vegan chili with fresh bread, or a personal favorite, as a chunky sauce over pasta. If you’re using dried beans, 1/2 cup soaked overnight is perfect. This recipe serves 6-8.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
• 1 brick extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled
• 2 Tbsp ketchup
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp chili powder (or to taste)
• 1 large sweet potato, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 12 tomatoes, peeled and diced (or 2 large cans)
• 1½ cup cooked beans (red or white kidney, or black beans work great)
• ½ cup corn kernels
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a frying pan, prepare the tofu. Add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil to the pan over medium heat. When oil is hot, add crumbled tofu and mix. Let tofu fry 5 minutes, and then mix in ketchup and soy sauce. Continue frying for 5-10 minutes, or until the mixtures browns. Set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom. When oil is hot, add onions, stirring occasionally until onions become translucent. Add garlic and stir, letting it cook for 30 seconds. Then add cumin, coriander, oregano and chili powder. Stir mixture and let cook 30 seconds.
3. Add sweet potato, stir and cover. Stir occasionally until sweet potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes. Add carrot and bell peppers, continuing to cook covered, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, beans, tofu and corn, and stir well. Remaining covered, bring the mixture to a boil and then lower heat. Let simmer 20 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. More chili powder can also be added if the chili isn’t spicy enough, or if it’s too spicy add water (1-2 Tbsp) to make milder.
5. Remove chili from heat and add fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.