This is our family friend Deb’s chunky vegetarian chili recipe! I first tried it years ago and I’ve made it probably every couple of months since. It’s super tasty, perfectly spiced and fun to eat, especially with some cornbread or a corn muffin.
Christopher and I love to have chili regularly not only because it’s delicious with and without meat, but because that means we can have corn bread or corn muffins, too.
I know you’re thinking, “Can’t you have baked corn goods anytime?”
Of course we can, but we usually don’t. We usually have our corn bread/muffin with something else. Like chili.
One of the things I love about this vegetarian chili recipe is how good it tastes. If you are a meat eater, you won’t even miss not having beef in the dish.
It’s chunky, full flavored and very satisfying. Perfect on these chilly (or chili) winter days!
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How to make vegetarian chili
Pre-step
Get large Dutch oven or stockpot.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – onions, red bell pepper, sliced portobello mushrooms, diced tomatoes, black olives and kidney beans.
Step two
Chop the vegetables in chunks because chunky veggies, are perfect in this chili.
Step three
Heat the Dutch oven on medium and once that has heated up, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
Step four
Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté them for 8 minutes.
Step five
Add the sliced mushrooms and two teaspoons of garlic paste and continue sautéing them for 2 minutes.
Step six
Add diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, dried basil and salt and pepper. Lower the heat under the pan and simmer it for 30 minutes.
Step seven
Add the kidney beans and olives and continue simmering the chili for another 10 minutes.
DING! ⏲
Ladle the chili in the a few crocks.
It’s chunky and soooo good!
Dive right in! I’m going to.
Other popular comfort food recipes
I hope you enjoyed this vegetarian chili recipe! It is super delicious, thick and chunky. Christopher likes his with a dollop of sour cream on top.
Please feel free to leave me a comment! What’s your favorite vegetarian dish?
And as always, may all your dishes be delish!
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium onions cut in chunks
- 1 Red bell pepper cut in chunks
- 10 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms
- 2 teaspoons garlic paste or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 56 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chili powder or more if you love spice
- 1 tablespoon cumin powder
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1 tablespoon basil dried
- .75 teaspoon salt
- 15 ounces red kidney beans drained
- 15 ounces medium black olives drained
Instructions
Make it!
- Heat sauce pan or dutch oven on medium
- Add olive oil
- Add onions and red bell pepper and sauté for 8 minutes
- Add mushrooms and garlic paste and sauté for 2 minutes
- Add diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil and salt
- Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes
- Add kidney beans and black olives, simmer for 10 more minutes
- Ladle some in a bowl or crock
- Eat
- Sigh
- Smile
- Enjoy
Equipment
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Sandi
We are chili-a-holics too! (Is that even a word?? If not it should be!) Your friend’s chili looks delicious, and so healthy! I am glad you were able to share with us 🙂
Elaine
Thank you Sandi! And yes, we should coin that phrase!
Jenni LeBaron
I also can’t ever remember a time that I’ve made cornbread unless it’s to go with a pot of chili. As kids, we would slather them in butter while they were still hot, and sometimes also honey. I love a good pot of chili and yours sets itself apart with its nice hearty chunks of mushrooms – great idea! I can’t wait to try it!
Elaine
Thanks so much Jenni! Hubby still slathers his with butter and honey!! 🙂
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen
I am partial to a big bowl of chilli and I love that this is vegetarian! Looks and sounds delicious!
Elaine
Thanks so much Carrie! I appreciate it!
Amy @ Little Dairy on the Prairie
This chili looks so good! I want a big bowl of it for breakfast!
Elaine
Hehe, Amy! I’m a creature of habit and I’ve never had non-breakfast foods (at least breakfast foods in my mind) for breakfast. Hubby would but not me! But lunch? Let me at it! Thanks for your comment!
Scarlet
This recipe looks so hearty for these cold days we have been having. I have never tried olives in my chili before. Good idea. I will give this recipe a whirl.
Elaine
Thanks Scarlet! I was dubious with the olives before I tried this recipe many years ago!
Matt Kearns
Hey Elaine! This vegetarian chili looks awesome and a nice treat from the traditional meat chilis. I need to make some of this!
Elaine
Thank you so much Matt!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy
Chili of any variety is always a winner here. The perfect comfort food. Love making a huge batch to tucking some away in the freezer for later.
Elaine
Gloria, thank you. I too love to freeze it for another time. And it freezes so nicely!
dixya @food, pleasure, and health
i love chili in all shapes and forms…and vegetarian ones sounds really good and comforting!
Elaine
Thank you Dixya! 🙂
Amelie
A few years ago I introduced Meatless Monday (and often many other days of the week) and this is exactly the kind of recipes my family loves on these occasions!
Elaine
Thanks so much Amelie!! It’s hearty and you won’t even miss the meat. Thank you for commenting!
Beth
That chili looks perfect! Nice and chunky! I’m with you, I don’t have cornbread unless it’s with chili, either! I know I’m thick but I get the “fig” comment from Mom! 🙂
Elaine
Hehe Beth! Thank you! Cornbread is the best with chili!
prasanna hede
I love that its vegetarian,Saw this on Instagram the other day and loved it too.
Rachel
This chili looks so warming and delicious! I wish I had a bowl right now!
Elaine
Thanks Rachel! 🙂
Sharon
A big bowl of hearty chili is always good for the soul and this vegetarian recipe looks so great. I agree that corn bread with chili is definitely called for.
Amanda Mason
This does indeed sound fantastic! I’m a meat lover but having vegetarian every once in awhile is right up my ally!! Love the addition of red pepper!!
Veronika
I was just thinking about making vegetarian chili last week, but never made it…) I love your recipe + it is so simple! Will save it and make it)
Julie
I love that you put olives in your chili. I have never, ever thought to do this, but my toddler and I are both huge black olive fans. Can’t wait to give it a try!
Leslie Haasch
I usually load up my chili with ground beef and bison, but this recipe has reminded me that it can be perfectly filling and amazing sans meat!
Debs Thompson
Lovely recipe. It’s funny I’ve got a vegetarian chilli on the stove as I type this and I’m still thinking “got get some more chilli on the menu!” This sounds amazing!
Elaine
Hehe. Thanks Debs!! I appreciate it.
Christopher
Been eating this recipe for YEARS! And don’t see myself slowing down any time soon. Love this chili.
Elaine
Thanks Christopher! 😉