Author: This vegan chili recipe is a plant-based twist that tastes better than meat chili!!! You read that right. This vegan chili recipe has won 1st place at a chili cook-off competing against non-vegan recipes! 🏆 Packed with protein and fiber this award-winning vegan chili is not only perfect for game day or entertaining but also easy to make, full of good-for-you ingredients, and freezes beautifully for meal prep.
FEATURED COMMENT:
Oh my goodness! We made this for a family gathering. We have vegans and meat eaters. Everybody loved it. They scraped the pan clean. Our house smelled delicious long after it was gone. I've never been a chili fan and I loved it! It's the best I've ever tasted. Thank you for a chili recipe we all love! - Lisa
I've made my fair share of three-bean vegan chilis in the past, and while they're good, they never quite hit the mark. So when creating this recipe, I made sure it had that meaty chewy texture that makes chili so yummy, all while keeping it 100% plant-based.
The secret? Tofu crumbles. If you're new to this technique, get ready for a delightful surprise! I developed this technique in 2015, it involves taking extra-firm tofu, crumbling it, seasoning it, and baking it until crispy. Stirring these dried tofu crumbles into your chili adds an amazing chewy, meaty texture by absorbing some of the moisture. Trust me, once you try making tofu crumbles, you'll be hooked!
Now that you've mastered the tofu technique, the next key to perfection is to season this vegan chili recipe properly. No bland chili here-this recipe ensures a burst of gorgeous spices, hearty beans, rich simmered tomatoes, and perfectly seasoned tofu for that meaty chew. Plus, it can be made gluten-free and oil-free if preferred.
This easy vegan chili isn't just delicious; it's also incredibly simple. I love having a pot simmering away on the weekend for a week-long treat. Whether you're a seasoned vegan, a curious vegetarian, or a die-hard meat lover, you're in for a treat. Enjoy it on a cozy rainy day, freeze it for later, or bring it to a potluck-this vegan chili recipe is perfect for all occasions.
Common Questions:
How long does this chili last in the fridge? If kept in an air-tight container, chili can last up to 5 days in the fridge.
Can I freeze chili? Yes, you can. As long as the chili is kept in air-tight containers, chili will last up to 2 months in the freezer.
What is in this vegan chili recipe? Black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, tofu (for that meaty texture), and a ton of spices including chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt.
What is the best secret ingredient for chili? Tofu. Yes, tofu. Trust me on this. The secret is that the tofu is seasoned and then dried out in the oven. Then when you stir it into the sauce, it gets this gorgeously chewy, amazing, can't-stop-eating texture.
Can I add red or green peppers to the chili? Absolutely. Personally, I am not a fan of the texture of peppers in chili, but if you enjoy them, chop up one bell pepper and add it along with the tomatoes and beans.
Can this be made in a crockpot? Yes. Sauté the onions and garlic in your crockpot on the sauté setting. Then add the tomatoes, beans, spices and cook it on the low setting for approximately 6-8 hours or on the high setting for around 3-4 hours. Add the tofu crumbles in at the end and continue to cook for another 5 - 10 minutes.
What is chili powder? Chili powder is a spice blend commonly used in Tex-Mex and Mexican cuisines, featuring ground chili peppers, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. It provides a warm, savory flavor with mild to moderate spiciness and is versatile in dishes like chili, tacos, and stews.
How to make the best vegan chili recipe:
For the Chili: Add the olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent and just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, water, and all of the spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer and continue to simmer with the lid off for 1 hour, giving it a stir every now and then. If the chili gets too thick, add water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
For the Tofu Crumbles: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
In a large bowl, mix nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and olive oil. Break the tofu into a few large chunks and add them to the bowl, then us a potato masher to mash the tofu into crumbles. Stir the tofu crumbles well making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated in nutritional yeast mix.
Want to learn more about tofu and all the cool ways you can use it? Check out my full Tofu 101: Easy Tofu Recipes & Guide.
Spread the tofu crumbles evenly over the prepared pan. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nicely browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's good because it will provide a variety of texture to the chili. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Once the chili has simmer for an hour, stir in the tofu crumbles into the chili and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. This will allow the tofu to absorb the sauce and become chewy. Serve hot with toppings of choice and a side of cornbread if desired. See notes for storage.
To make this vegan chili recipe gluten-free simply swap the soy sauce for tamari or another gluten-free alternative. To make it oil-free, check the recipe notes for instructions.
This vegan chili recipe is...
- meaty, chewy, and smoky
- filled with good-for-you ingredients
- spiced to perfection
- an award-winning recipe! 🏆
What to Serve With Chili:
- Easy Vegan Cornbread
- Vegan sour cream or plain vegan yogurt
- Tortilla chips or corn chips
- Vegan cheese shreds
- Chopped avocado or My Favorite Guacamole Recipe
- Chopped green onions or cilantro
- Lime wedges
- Chopped tomatoes or salsa
- Pickled or fresh jalapeno slices
- Rice or quinoa
If you try this recipe let us know by leaving a comment, rating it, and don't forget to tag @itdoesnttastelikechicken on Instagram.
Bon appetegan!
Sam Turnbull.
(click stars to vote)
The Best Vegan Chili Ever!!!
Servings: (makes 8 - 10 cups)
PRINT
PIN
Video
COMMENT
Ingredients
For the Chili:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 cans (28 oz/796 ml each) diced tomatoes, (6 ½ cups)
- 1 can (19 oz/ 540 ml) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked beans)
- 1 can (19 oz/ 540 ml) kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked beans)
- 1 cup water, (plus more if needed)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne powder, (optional for spice)
For the Meaty Tofu Crumbles:
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce, (gluten-free if preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 block (12 oz/ 350 g) extra-firm tofu, drained (no need to press it)
Instructions
- For the Chili: Add the olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent and just begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans, water, and all of the spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer and continue to simmer with the lid off for 1 hour, giving it a stir every now and then. If the chili gets too thick, add water as needed to reach your desired consistency.
- For the Tofu Crumbles: Preheat your oven to 350℉ (180℃). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
- In a large bowl, mix nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and olive oil. Break the tofu into a few large chunks and add them to the bowl, then us a potato masher to mash the tofu into crumbles. Stir the tofu crumbles well making sure all of the tofu is evenly coated in nutritional yeast mix.
- Spread the tofu crumbles evenly over the prepared pan. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, stopping to stir the tofu every now and then. Keep a close eye on it towards the end so that it doesn't burn. You want the tofu to be nicely browned. The smaller crumbles will be darker than the larger crumbles, and that's good because it will provide a variety of texture to the chili. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Once the chili has simmer for an hour, stir in the tofu crumbles into the chili and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. This will allow the tofu to absorb the sauce and become chewy. Serve hot with toppings of choice and a side of cornbread if desired. See notes for storage.
Stefani says
Had this tonight. A-MAZING! Chili is our Halloween tradition and this chili is better than what we usually make. Love it!! So glad we don't have to give up everything now that we are vegan. Thank you!
Sam Turnbull says
You're most welcome, Stefani! So happy you enjoyed it so much 🙂
livia says
Hello! that's Livia from Italy 🙂
I was going to make this recipe tomorrow. It could be ok to use a silken tofu soft? Is there any trick to make it harder? thanks x
Sam Turnbull says
Hi Livia,
No silken tofu won't work. Only extra-firm tofu will work for this recipe. Hope that helps!
Karina says
Today is my second day trying to go vegan and I made this and it is DELICIOUS! I do have a question though, how many days can this last in the fridge? I live alone and it might take me a while to finish it all! ^_^
Sam Turnbull says
Welcome to your new veganism, Karina!!! So happy you like the chili so much. It should last about a week in the fridge, or you can freeze it. So glad you found my blog, let me know if you ever have any questions or need any support 🙂
Milla says
This really is the best chilli ever! Thank you so much for this recipe. It's the easiest one ever for something that is normally so complicated. I did add mushrooms though, and it was great. Thank you again.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you love it so much, Milla! Mushrooms sound like a great addition 🙂
Yvonne says
Hello! This is yvonne from Holland. I just put it all in my slow cooker as I have 10 of my friends coming over for a girlie catch up tomorrow evening. I'm the only Vegan, so I wanted a crowd pleaser. I'll let you know how it went!!!! Ps: If I'm correct I can put the tofu in as soon as it's ready and just leave it in over night correct?? Of should I add them just before serving? Thank you!!!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay! I hope you and your friends love it, Yvonne. Yes, you can put the tofu in as soon as it's ready. It will stay lovely and chewy overnight. 🙂
Rob says
I’m an omnivore and had a dinner party for myself and 5 others, 2 of whom are vegetarians. All I got the whole night from all guests were compliments on how amazing the chilli was! People kept asking me for the recipe and I gladly gave it to them. Definitely make it with the cornbread recipe on here as well. It was incredible and went so well with the chilli. Although the chilli recipe says it serves 8; to be safe, I’d say it would make 6 people more than satisfied.
Also, the only things I changed were that I added the garlic a bit after the onions because minced garlic tends to cook faster than the chopped onions. I also added a splash of white wine to the onions and garlic around 30 seconds before adding the rest of the ingredients. 5 stars. I’d definitely do it again!
Sam Turnbull says
This sounds like a fabulous dinner party you had, Rob! So happy you and everyone loved everything so much 😀
Mary says
I made this last night and as my vegetarian daughter said "it was the bom diggity!" The tofu crumbles add texture and taste great but not in a faux meat way which we hate. I could have just eaten the tofu crumbles by the handful. This will definitely be a regular favourite. Thanks for the recipe.
Sam Turnbull says
Hahahaha! Love it. Sounds like something I would say! 😀
Caitlyn Klein says
I am so happy I came across this recipe because this is the best chili I have ever had in my LIFE!! I couldn't find the nutritional yeast anywhere, but it turned out fine without it. I will mention I made a couple adjustments. I added a large green bell pepper, for added veggies and color. I also added some sweet corn which made it so good. For spices, I used a hot Mexican chili powder instead of traditional. This recipe is definitely a new favorite and I will be making it very often! Thanks for sharing it 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
WOW!!! Can't get a much better review than that!! So very happy you enjoyed it, Caitlyn. In case you ever want to pick up some nutritional yeast you can always find it on amazon. 🙂
Jamie Stephenson says
I plan to make this tomorrow. Can this be frozen?
Thanks
Jamie
Sam Turnbull says
Tofu gets kinds of a spongey texture when frozen, which is ok, but not ideal for this recipe. I would recommend not freezing it. It can be made a couple days ahead of time, however. Enjoy!
Nancy says
I made this tonight for a group of friends. Everyone loved it! I'll have to make a double batch next time, because there wasn't a drop left over!
Sam Turnbull says
Haha! That's a great problem to have. So happy everyone loved it!
Danielle says
Just wondering what size block of tofu you use? Over here (in Australia) it's typically sold in 250g or 500g blocks. I would love to try this recipe, just not sure what size to use. Thanks in advance!
Sam Turnbull says
Oh, I didn't know they were different sizes in other places! I used a 350g block of extra firm tofu. 🙂
Danielle says
Thank you so much! I look forward to trying this recipe soon.
Gina Caracci says
Hi Sam!
I tried your vegan chili last night and was BLOWN AWAY! Im not even a chili person but saw the recipe and had to try it. It was AWESOME! Every bite was a party in my mouth! It was so filling too, that after one (large) bowl, I was full and didnt even have to snack all night like usual..lol I brought some to a friend who isnt vegan and she was impressed. Thanks so much for all these great ideas! (Forgot to soak cashews last night so will have to wait for tomorrow to try sour cream too!)
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! Can't get a much better review than that. So happy you loved it so very much Gina!
Cheryl says
OMG! I made this tonight! So good. I typed it with vegan cheese, sour cream, fresh avocado, fresh jalepano slices, cilantro, scallions (because I didn't have chives) and a squeeze of fresh lime. Delicious!
Sam Turnbull says
Woohoo!! Thrilled you loved it so much, Cheryl! I love all your topping options 🙂
andy says
this really is the best chili ever!
Sam Turnbull says
Hahaha, love it. So happy you agree, andy 🙂
Wendy Welsh says
Ummmm....yes...this absolutely is the best vegan chili ever. Since "converting" in October....we've tried many recipes which although having their own merits.....didn't "wow" us like this one! Our program is also restrictive on sodium and oils so I made ours with all "no salt added" tomatoes and beans, used coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce, and used no salt added vegetable stock in place of the olive oil. Still tons of flavor and so yummy. The tofu crumbles are a game changer for me.....thanks so much for that fantastic idea!!!! Now I've been inspired to create a crumble that will work in a few of our favorite family recipes!! 🙂 Wish me luck! And thanks for the inspiration!
Sam Turnbull says
Woo hoo!! SO thrilled you loved it, Wendy, and were able to make your own adaptions 🙂 I wish you luck, and I hope you enjoy many more of my recipes!
Lindsay says
Yum. Made this for dinner last night and my skeptical hubby called it a win! Of course, he added copious amounts of smoked paprika and cayenne to his bowl, but the rest of us don't love spicy things, so I held back a bit on the spices when I made it. I also had some shredded carrots, green onions and bell pepper left over from something else and added them. I had no idea that tofu crumbles could be so yummy... what a treat that'll be to play with - maybe sausage spiced crumbles for pizza toppings?!
I love your blog and use your recipes heavily in this plant-based food journey I'm on... thanks so much for sharing your gift!
Sam Turnbull says
Oooh I love the idea of sausage crumbles! Gonna try that myself. So happy my recipes are helping your journey and that you love the chili! 😀
Lindsay says
I did make sausage crumbles... but I used lentil and walnut meat instead of tofu (I changed the spices/extras from a taco recipe). It made some killer pizza wraps along with other toppings and your stretchy mozzarella. It's so much fun to experiment! 🙂
Sam Turnbull says
Oooo sounds delish! Yes, experimenting is so much fun, that's basically why I started a blog!! haha
Allison says
Oh my goodness!! I just finished making this chili and it is AMAZING! I had half the amount of diced tomatoes so to make up for some of it I added an 8 oz package of mushrooms, diced. The tofu technique is just brilliant. This is now my new regular chili recipe. So so simple!
Sam Turnbull says
Wohoo!!! SO thrilled you love it so much, Allison! Thanks for the lovely comment, totally made my day 😀
Jane says
When I saw all the comments on this recipe, I knew I just had to try it. Did a couple of tweaks to accommodate for personal taste (added more cayenne pepper and smoked paprika) but this was just so good!
Tasted the tofu crumble while I was baking it and it took quite a bit of effort to just stop cooking the chili and just eat all of the crumble by itself. Thank god I didn't, but I'll probably cook more tofu next time.
Thanks for the great recipe and I can't wait for your cookbook!
Sam Turnbull says
That is the problem with this recipe, the tofu crumbles are so good they get eaten before they even make it to the pot!! So happy you loved the recipe Jane, and I can't wait for my cookbook either!! 😀
Linda says
Okay, I've always made a good chili, but wanted to try the tofu crumbles and had a pot of stewed tomatoes/vegetables I wanted to use (replaced the canned/water) and I have to say..... This is THE BEST VEGAN CHILI EVER!! I would actually say this the best chili ever, period! Just the perfect blend of spices and the tofu crumbles added a wonderful texture. My newly veg husband said "keep this recipe"! Thank you so much! Can't wait to try the vegan sour cream to top it with!
Sam Turnbull says
Yay!!! Sometimes I get nervous when I label recipes "the best ever" because I don't want to mislead. But whenever I do that, it's because I really feel strongly that it is indeed the best one I've ever had. It makes me feel like a million bucks when marvellous taste testers such as yourself, Linda, agree! So happy you and your husband loved it so much. Thanks for your comment, it put some pep in my step for the day 😀
Joanne Freund says
I made this Chili last night and I will now be using it instead of what was a very good recipe. This is just outstanding. The tofu crumbles and the little bit of brown sugar make all the difference. My only modification (and those of us who love to create and cook ALWAYS have to tinker) was that I used one small can of low-sodium (6 oz) V8 juice and water to equal one cup liquid. This was really outstanding and will be replacing my old recipe at any chili bar events. Tonight I am going to try your celery soup - throwing in the cashews is genius! I may use a potato instead of flour to thicken.
Sam Turnbull says
So happy you loved it so much, Joanne! Thrilled and flattered that you found it outstanding 😀 Haha, yes, I'm sure you won't be surprised that I'm always a tinkering with recipes as well, so I totally get that! I hope you enjoy the celery soup as well! Thanks for the lovely comment, it totally made my day 😀