Packed with veggies and protein, this Instant Pot meatless chili has a deep, complex flavor with just enough spice. It’s a warm and cozy hearty bowl of goodness!
Just like being able to bake a delicious loaf of bread, learning how to roast a whole chicken in the oven, and knowing how to make the best scrambled eggs – we all need to know how to make a good, worthy-of-another-bowlful chili recipe.
After trying no less than a dozen meatless chili recipes, I think this Instant Pot vegetarian chili is the one you should print out and put in your recipe box.
I have to be honest though – I didn’t originally set out to make a dozen chili recipes just to find you the perfect one.
We had some family coming to visit, and I did some research ahead of time, trying to narrow down a chili recipe that would work for both my husband (who was vegan at the time) and the rest of us meat-eating people.
I found one I thought would work, made it, and it was DELICIOUS!!
It was so good in fact, that my husband – WHO IS A RECOVERING BEAN-HATER – had two bowlfuls!
A month later, when I wanted to make chili again, I practically pulled out my hair trying to figure out which vegetarian chili recipe I had made.
We ended up going through four different recipes, only to realize that none of them were THE RECIPE that we had that first time when company was visiting.
And then it hit me – I didn’t make one recipe that night. I made TWO!
You see, as a foodie, very rarely do I ever make a recipe as written. I’m often substituting for things I don’t have, doubling spices, or leaving steps out because I started making dinner too late…again.
It’s both a blessing and a curse. I can make almost any recipe work in my kitchen, but I can’t make it again unless I write it down!
Thankfully, I took the extra five minutes to write this meatless chili recipe down so that we can all enjoy it again!
EASY INSTANT POT VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPE
This delicious easy vegetarian chili recipe is:
- Hearty and filling. This is a bowl full of goodness!
- Inexpensive. And it can work with almost anything you have in your kitchen.
- Great flavor! It has a real depth to it, so it’s not just a superficial chili recipe. It tastes complicated and worthy of savoring, but it doesn’t call for any ingredients you can’t find at your local grocery store.
- Just the right amount of spice. And the spice that is there is offset by the sweet potato.
- Allergy-friendly and vegan chili recipe. Gluten free and dairy free, it’s perfect for serving a group with different dietary needs.
INGREDIENTS FOR MEATLESS CHILI RECIPES
Most meatless chili recipes have four main components, and this one is no different:
BASE VEGETABLES
Our base of chili vegetables includes onions, garlic, sweet potato, and canned diced tomatoes.
The first time I made this I used fire-roasted canned diced tomatoes, which really added a flavor punch. I recommend using those if you can, but plain canned diced tomatoes work too (that’s what I used for these photos).
You could swap the sweet potatoes for butternut squash if you want to mix it up!
PEPPERS
We have a variety of peppers here, including green bell pepper, red bell pepper, poblano pepper, chipotle peppers (from a can), and jalapeño.
I recommend using all of these peppers because they all add something different to the chili.
If you need to tone down the spice, pick jalapeños that aren’t wrinkly, and be sure to de-seed and remove the membranes of the jalapeño. Poblano peppers aren’t spicy, so there’s no worry there.
SPICES
This blend of spices is unlike any other chili I’ve made, but it’s absolutely KEY to making a good chili. I used chili powder, cumin, cayenne, cocoa powder, cinnamon, paprika, and salt.
I know what you’re thinking – cocoa powder and cinnamon in chili?!
Trust me here. If Slow Cooker Carnitas earns rave reviews every time and contains cinnamon, you can put cinnamon and cocoa in your chili.
BEANS
Most bean chili recipes use kidney beans, but I simply don’t like them. So, I don’t use them!
Instead, I used a combination of black beans, pinto beans, and lentils.
This is very flexible – use whatever chilli beans you like!
Note that this meatless chili recipe starts with beans that are already cooked.
I use my Instant Pot to cook dry beans in bulk because dry beans are cheaper than buying canned beans, and it’s just so easy to do!
You can make beans in the slow cooker too, but make sure you plan your week accordingly, so the beans are done by the time you’re ready to make chili.
If you choose to go the canned beans route, be sure to drain the beans and rinse them thoroughly three times before using them in the recipe!
HOW TO MAKE VEGETABLE CHILI RECIPE
Step 1. Place all of the vegetable chili recipe ingredients, except the beans, lentils, and toppings, in the Instant Pot and stir to combine them.
Step 2. Close the Instant Pot, turn the valve to “sealing” and press the “soup” button. Alternatively, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
Step 3. When the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
Step 4. Add the beans, stir well, and replace the lid for 2-3 minutes to warm the beans. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper if needed.
Step 5. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
CROCKPOT VEGETARIAN CHILI RECIPE
I used my Instant Pot for this vegetarian chili recipe because I didn’t start dinner until the afternoon. You could easily make this a slow cooker vegetarian chili though if you want! Simply add all of the ingredients to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
As written, this chili produces just enough liquid to keep the beans and sweet potato whole as you stir. Liquid doesn’t evaporate in an Instant Pot, but it does slightly in a slow cooker.
If you go that route, you’ll likely need to add more liquid. I suggest keeping 2 cups of chicken stock or vegetable broth on hand, just in case you need to add some as the chili cooks throughout the day. (Here’s how you can make chicken stock for free.)
STOVETOP VEGETARIAN CHILI
You can also make this recipe on the stovetop. Add all the ingredients into a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Bring to a boil and then let simmer over medium heat. The longer the simmer, the more flavor you will get.
Similar to the slow cooker version, you may need to add vegetable broth or chicken stock to increase the juices.
TO SERVE WITH MEATLESS CHILI
We usually eat homemade vegetarian chili with Baked Potatoes (here’s how to make them SUPER fast) or Baked Sweet Potatoes.
You could also serve it:
Whatever you do though, don’t forget your favorite chili toppings!
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced black olives
- Finely diced onions
- Corn
- Diced avocado
- Diced tomatoes
- Chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips
VEGETARIAN. CHILI RECIPE FAQS
Is vegetarian chili healthy?
Absolutely! This meatless chili is packed with vegetables and protein, and it’s super flexible too. This vegetarian. Chili recipe is great to add those one or two carrots or celery ribs or even spinach or kale you have hanging out in the fridge. In the summer, zucchini and green beans would be wonderful, too.
I recommend keeping the base of spices and peppers the same, add the sweet potato and then go from there!
How long is vegetarian chili good for?
When you have a lean grocery budget, you learn to judge whether foods are still good with the smell test, rather than a certain number of days.
This chili lasted 5-6 days in our refrigerator before I realized that we were “chili’d out” for now and the rest needed to head to the freezer.
Store leftovers in an airtight container to preserve freshness.
Can vegetarian chili be frozen?
MORE DELICIOUS MEATLESS MEALS
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Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili
Packed with veggies and protein, this Instant Pot meatless chili has a deep, complex flavor with just enough spice. It’s a warm and cozy hearty bowl of goodness!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Instant pot
- Cuisine: American
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 poblano peppers, diced
- 1 jalapeño, finely diced
- 3 chipotle peppers, diced (from canned chipotle peppers)
- 1 lb sweet potato, cut into ½ pieces
- (2) 15-oz cans diced tomatoes, with juices
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp paprika
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne
- 2 tsp cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups black beans, cooked (or one 15oz can)
- 2 cups pinto beans, cooked (or one 15oz can)
- 2 cups lentils, cooked
- Optional Chili Toppings: diced avocado, cilantro, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Place all ingredients, except the beans and lentils and toppings, in the Instant Pot and stir.
- Close the Instant Pot, turn the valve to “sealing” and press the “soup” button. Alternatively, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes.
- When the timer beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
- Add the beans, stir well and replace the lid for 2-3 minutes to warm the beans.
- Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
You could easily make this a slow cooker vegetarian chili though if you want! Simply add all of the ingredients to your crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
As written, this chili produces just enough liquid to keep the beans and sweet potato whole as you stir. Liquid doesn’t evaporate in an Instant Pot, but it does slightly in a slow cooker.
If you go that route, you’ll likely need to add more liquid. I suggest keeping 2 cups of chicken stock on hand, just in case you need to add some as the chili cooks throughout the day.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 902
