This Ultimate Vegan Chili is packed with protein, over-the-top delicious, and easy to make on the stove, in the Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker. Meaty, award-winning flavor in under 1 hour!
Want even more vegan chili recipes? Check out this cozy Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili, this protein-packed Lentil Chili, and this easy, creamy Vegan White Chili.
Chili is my #1 cold-weather meal, which you could have probably guessed by the endless vegan chili recipes on my blog, like my Veggie Chili and this Chili Cornbread Casserole. But it’s this Ultimate Vegan Chili that I always come back to. And with hundreds of 5-star reviews, it’s even become a fan favorite!
I love how simple it is to make with basic ingredients in just 1 hour. Both vegans and meat-eaters can’t seem to get enough of the beans, meaty tofu crumbles, and smoky flavors in every spoonful.
Remember to bake a batch of my Vegan Cornbread and serve it on the side! It’s my absolute favorite way to soak up every last drop of each hearty, award-winning bowl.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I just won a chili contest at work with your recipe! It was the only vegan chili and no one was told ahead of time. The flavor and texture of this chili is absolutely perfect. Also a super easy recipe to make! Thank you 😊” – Erin
Why this is the very best vegan chili recipe
- Seriously meaty – My favorite “secret weapon” here is the meaty tofu crumbles. They add a chewy, satisfying bite that rivals any classic chili recipe.
- Adaptable – It’s an adaptable weeknight dinner you can make on the stove, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker.
- Crowd-pleaser – Whether you’re feeding this to a table of meat-eaters or serving it at the chili cook-off, this is a chili that leaves everyone impressed!
How to make vegan chili
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
First, make the tofu crumbles.
Start by whisking the soy sauce, nutritional yeast, chili powder, and smoked paprika together in a large bowl. Crumble the tofu into the bowl and mix until the crumbles are well coated.
Spread the seasoned tofu crumbles on a lined baking sheet. Bake them in the oven until they’re slightly golden and a little crisp around the edges.
Instead of the meaty tofu crumbles
For an even easier chili recipe, skip the tofu and cook 16 ounces of Impossible or Beyond Meat crumbles, TVP, or rehydrated soy curls in the pot with the onion.
Meanwhile, make the chili on the stovetop.
Sauté the onion in a large oiled pot over medium heat. Once it’s translucent, stir in the garlic.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot (except the tofu) and stir to combine. Heat to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer for 20 minutes.
Thicken the chili
Try mashing some of the beans in the pot or blending some of the chili with an immersion blender before you add the tofu.
Once the tofu crumbles are done baking, stir them into the chili.
Divide the chili between serving bowls and serve with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Chili topping ideas
Just because I can eat chili without toppings doesn’t mean I want to. I always top each bowl with:
- Diced tomatoes
- A dollop of my homemade Vegan Sour Cream
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Fresh cilantro or chives
- A few pickled red onions
- Lime wedges
- A sprinkle of vegan shredded cheese
- A drizzle of hot sauce
Frequently asked questions
Extra veggies are always welcome here. Some of my readers have added sliced mushrooms, fire-roasted corn kernels, chopped red bell peppers, diced sweet potatoes, shredded carrots, and diced zucchini to the chili. You could even stir in 1 cup of quinoa with the rest of the ingredients for even more bulk.
I used canned black beans and kidney beans, but pinto beans and chickpeas (or a mix!) are also delicious in chili.
Personally, I like this subtle kick of heat in this chili. If you’d prefer to tone it down, reduce the chili powder to 2 tablespoons and omit the cayenne pepper.
Yes, you can make the meaty crumbles up to 1 day ahead of stirring them into the chili. Wait for the tofu to cool before storing it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Use Sauté mode to cook the onions and garlic until soft, then add in the rest of your ingredients (except the tofu). Secure the lid and cook on manual or high pressure for 8 minutes. Immediately release the pressure, then open the Instant Pot and stir in the tofu crumbles to finish.
Add all of the ingredients (except the tofu) to a large crockpot and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or on low for 4 to 5 hours. Stir in the tofu crumbles 30 minutes before it’s done cooking.
The cooled leftover chili will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. I like to divide it into separate airtight containers for easy, reheatable meals.
Ultimate Vegan Chili
Ingredients
Meaty Tofu Crumbles
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce *tamari for gluten free
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 14 ounce block firm tofu
Chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- (2) 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
- (2) 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- (1) 15-oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
Make the tofu crumbles
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together the soy sauce, nutritional yeast, chili powder and smoked paprika. It will be pasty. Now crumble the tofu into the bowl with your hands, and mix together using a large spoon until well combined with the paste.
- Spread the tofu mixture evenly in the pan. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring the tofu halfway through. Once the tofu is in the oven, start the chili.
Prepare chili on the stovetop
- In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add in the garlic and cook 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
- Now add all the rest of the chili ingredients, except the tofu, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the tofu crumbles are done baking.
- If a thicker consistency is desired, use an immersion blender and blend just a few times. Do this before you add the tofu.
- Once the tofu crumbles are done, stir them into the pot. All done! Serve with vegan sour cream, cornbread, tortilla chips, cilantro, tomatoes, hot sauce, vegan cheese shreds and chives, if desired.
Video
Notes
- Use vegan beef instead: May omit the tofu crumbles if desired, or replace them with vegan beef crumbles (such as Gardein brand or Beyond Meat). Sauté the ground meat with the onion, then add the garlic and continue with the recipe. Or simply add some vegetables instead, like frozen corn, red bell peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots or zucchini. Or add a cup of uncooked quinoa when you add the beans.
- May substitute diced tomatoes for the crushed tomatoes if desired for more texture.
- Leftovers: This chili will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days, and also freezes well.
- Instant Pot version: Use the sauté feature and cook your onion and garlic, then add the rest of the ingredients (except the tofu, bake that in the oven like normal). Secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes. Stir in the tofu crumbles and serve.
- Slow cooker version: Add all of the ingredients (except the tofu) and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours. Stir in the tofu crumbles about 30 minutes before it’s done cooking.
I made this tonight for my non-vegan husband and he loved it! I was short on time so I added extra veggies and quinoa instead of making the tofu crumbles, I will try making them next time! I also used veggie broth instead of water because I needed to use it up. Thank you again Nora, you’re the best!
You bet, Kelly! Your chili sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Hi Nora!
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It is the first time I have made anything vegan and it turned out great. Great flavor and very hearty! A friend of mine runs a vegan store/restaurant and I had him over for dinner and he loved it and asked me to make it for an upcoming event he is hosting. I am not professional cook by any means so it is a bit daunting. Any ideas how this can scale up by approximately 13 times!?
I’m so glad the chili turned out great! It’s a staple in my home. I’m sorry to say I have zero experience in scaling up recipes like that, so I’m not the best person to ask. It sounds like your friend should be pretty skilled in this, if he regularly make large amounts of food for his restaurant. Maybe ask him for advice? Sorry I can’t be more helpful there.
BEST. DAMN. CHILI. EVER!
I have been making this chili since December 2021, and it is my go-to chili recipe. I won’t let my husband make chili unless he uses this recipe, because what he normally “whips up” is meh in comparison. Even without the crumbles (I can’t have soy), this chili is incredible! We usually fight over who gets to take any leftovers for lunch the next day.
Thank you so much for sharing this incredible recipe, Nora! I also have made your vegan pancakes and corn bread, which are also outstanding.
Hi Sandi! I am THRILLED that you are loving my chili recipe! Your stellar review and comments just make my day! Thank YOU! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Question — my tofu crumbles were a bit too moist, took an extra 15 minutes in the oven to dry out sufficiently. But, when added to the chili they just disintegrated. 1. Are the crumbles supposed to hold together? 2. Should I have drained the tofu before crumbling into the spice paste? I did use FIRM tofu.
Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes with us!!! 🙂 Everything we’ve tried has been amazing!
Hi there! I never press the tofu for this recipe, but you could if you want. They should not disintegrate into the chili, like meaning they are still visible, like little bits of “meat”. If you want them to stay in larger chunks or something you could try using extra firm tofu I suppose. I hope that helps, and thank you for enjoying my recipes!
This is an absolute winner! I’ve been vegan for 10+ years and have tried multiple mediocre chili recipes. My search is over because this one really is the ultimate vegan chili! I made the recipe as-written and was very impressed by the tofu crumbles. I could see using something like Trader Joe’s soy chorizo to save time if needed. I might try water-sautéing the onions next time, since I sometimes skip the oil if I don’t think it will affect a recipe too much. We had this along with your cornbread recipe, which my teenage son makes for the family every week. Thanks for another amazing recipe!!!
It was great… despite that I didnt have any “nutritional yeast” to bake the tofu part.
I also didnt have (4) 28oz cans of the crushed tomatoes… I used 14oz cans of diced tomatoes.
I also didnt have any kidney beans… so I substitute it for 2 cans corn.
Still very tasty and healthy!!
This Chili is truly award winning!! Made it for a Chili contest and we won first place! We made it with “Feisty beyond meat” instead of the tofu and it was amazing. Also added some Mexican cream on top and Fritos to go along with it- delicious!! Thanks for the amazing recipe 🙂 Will certainly be making it again.
You are welcome, Jessica! Thank you for your yummy ideas and wonderful review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Very good chili recipe. Loved it, and will put it with my recipe collection.
Hi Lee. I’m thrilled this is now part of your recipe collection! Thanks for your stellar review and feedback!
Oh my goodness, Nora, I’d give this one 10 stars if I could. It was absolutely perfect and so so easy. I’ve followed you on Instagram for some time and didn’t realize you had so many awesome savory recipes. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thank you so much for your fantastic review, Maya!
This really is the best veggie chili recipe I have ever had! I think the cocoa powder definitely makes it. My whole family loves this, even the carnivores. Such a genius idea to make the tofu that way. Thanks Nora! We also eat your Tofu Bacon BLTs in the regular rotation! My husband tells people he likes tofu bacon better than real bacon!!!
Hi Ann. I appreciate your encouraging comments! How wonderful that your family loves the chili! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
I used the Veggie Grillers Crumbles and this chili was everything. I had my family taste it and they loved it and wanted seconds. I can’t wait to make this again. This recipe is going in the books. Thank you!
You bet, Andrea! I’m thrilled the chili was a hit with your family and that it’s going into your meal rotation! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback! Happy cooking!
Instead of tofu I used tvp. I rehydrate it and use the same seasoning as the tofu mix and and vegan Worcestershire. I add an extra cup of water and half the crushed tomatoes. I also add nutritional yeast into the chili.
Thank you Melissa, for sharing your ideas and great review! Wishing you happy cooking!
Really tasty and easy to make. This will be my go-to chili recipe from now on.
excellent recipe! for some reason I was craving chili cheese fries, which is something I have never eaten even when I ate meat haha, but I wanted a healthier version. I made this but cut the recipe in half, & added some Plant Boss mild taco crumbles for extra protein as well as some chopped spinach. Served it over roasted potatoes with Violife Mexican shreds & a little hatch salsa. Totally nailed my craving!!
Dear Nora, I have posted a link to you recipe for my FB friends. I used to be a translator and long used a bulgur wheat-based recipe from a cookbook I worked on for a cookware company back in the 1970’s, but yours is better! I do use TVP often because I have it handy.
This is my new favorite.
Hi Lynne! You made my day! I’m thrilled you love my chili recipe! Thanks for sharing your stellar feedback! Happy cooking!
I forgot to add the stars! For the TVP, I re-hydrate 3/4 C in an equal amount of hot water and then add it in with the beans.
Cheers!
Thank you so much! 🙂
Perfect .I don’t usually follow all the steps in recipes ….but I did and the result was great. 😊 THANKS
I am literally licking my spoon right now after my first bowl of this delectable nectar of the Gods! It was super easy and absolutely delicious. I’ve made numerous vegan chilis over the years and this is the best one ever. Trust me and make this!
Thank you so much, Diana!! I’m thrilled you loved the chili 🙂
This is very good! My SAD eating husband loves the flavor!!
How do you suggest incorporating TVP? I’d like to try this in a slow cooker. Thanks!
Add it right into the chili when you add the beans, seasonings, etc.! It will hydrate and soak in all of those amazing flavors while the chili slow cooks. 🙂
Another great one. We substituted the tofu for ground impossible burger, sautéed it with onions and seasoning tofu called for. We also added corn, as it’s my favorite in chili.
We served with baked potatoes. So yummy.
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing the changes you made and for the review, Evan 🙂
Love it, one of my favorite dinners. Me and my boyfriend have it as dinner more than once a week. I like to eat it with baked potato and sour cream
That’s a perfect pairing, Teresa 🙂 Thanks so much for your wonderful review!
Awesome recipe for bulk season! I up the beans and add lentils for more protein.
Love the tofu crumbles too, thanks so much for posting.
You are welcome, Carlos! Thank you for awesome review and feedback!
Very good!! This will be going into my meal rotation! I made it in the Instant pot and served it with cornbread.
Sounds like a wonderful meal! I love that it’s added to your meal rotation! Thanks for your fabulous review and feedback!
How many cups is one serving?
Hi Kinsey. There are about 6 pretty large servings, about 1 1/2 cups each. Hope this helps!
If I use either of the two substitutes for the tofu as suggested, do I prepare them both the exact same way as tofu?
For using a vegan ground meat instead, simply cook it in the pan with the onion, then add the garlic and continue with the recipe. I will specify this now in the notes. Thanks!