If you're looking for an easy dinner that's perfect for batch cooking, try this delicious Homemade Vegan Chili. It's packed with protein and so satisfying!
Happy New Year! For many of us, meal prepping is front and centre right now.
Making big batches of food with little effort is ideal at this time of year when it feels like we've got so much to deal with already in work and life.
This Homemade Vegan Chili is by far my favourite meal when it comes to batch cooking (followed closely by my Chickpea Spinach Curry).
I love how versatile it is (you can throw almost any veggies you have into it - don't feel you have to stick with the ones I list in the recipe!), as well as how easy - literally throw the ingredients into a pan and simmer!
It's perfect served with brown rice, avocado and even some tortilla chips or vegan cheese to give it that special something. We make this almost weekly in our house as it's that tasty, and I hope you love it too!
(If you want to be extra fancy, try serving this chili with vegan poutine. So good!)
HOMEMADE VEGAN CHILI - TIPS
The beauty of this chili is that it's seriously simple to make. You can easily customize it with whatever beans and veggies you have to hand, as it's incredibly versatile.
Cut small - My main tip for this recipe is not to cut the vegetables too large. Stick to the 1cm guideline I give in the recipe, as the larger your veggies are, the longer the chili will take to cook!
Minimal water - Also, don't be tempted to add more water than the instructions say! It's a mistake I've made many times before: I think the chili looks too dry, add more water, and end up with a soupy mixture by the time it's cooked!The vegetables release a lot of water as they cook and will naturally make your chili soupier.
Wondering how to go vegan and looking for more easy recipes perfect for meal prepping? Try my Red Lentil Dhal, Red Lentil Vegan Lasagna or Vegan Shepherd's Pie!
If you're looking for even more meal prep inspiration, Minimalist Baker has a great guide - 12 Make Ahead Plant-Based Meals.
Homemade Vegan Chili (gluten-free)
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
- 2 medium peppers of any colour, cut into roughly 1cm pieces
- 1 stick celery, sliced thinly
- 1 medium courgette/zucchini, cut into roughly 1cm cubes
- 2 410ml tins of beans (use your favourite - I like kidney, black, pinto and great northern (approx. 3 cups)
- 1 796ml tin crushed tomatoes (approx. just over 3 cups)
- 1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in ¼ cup boiling water
- 2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (regular will work if you don't have smoked)
- ½-1 tablespoon Braggs Soy Seasoning or soy sauce/tamari
To Serve (optional)
- Brown rice
- Lime wedges
- Chopped coriander/cilantro
- Tortilla chips
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- Prepare all ingredients as instructed above.
- Add the onion to a large cooking pot, along with approx. 2 tablespoon water. Using a medium stovetop heat, steam sauté the onion for 10 minutes with the lid on the pan, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
- After 10 minutes, when the onion is just starting to soften add all other ingredients to the pot, stirring them to combine.
- Increasing the heat, bring the mixture to a boil then reduce the heat to low/medium and cover the pot with a lid (continuing to stir regularly).
- If the chili looks thick at this stage, don't be tempted to add liquid! As the vegetables cook they will release water and the chili will naturally become more liquid.
- Simmer the chili for approximately 15-20 minutes, until the zucchini/courgette is tender.
- Remove from the heat, and serve with brown rice, avocado slices, lime wedges, chopped cilantro and tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Notes
If you’ve tried this recipe, please leave a comment or tip for others below. I'd love to know how you’ve made it your own!
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Luke
I make this recipe so often! Such a good batch cook.
Elizabeth
Me too! Love it.
Alex
I’ve made so many of Elizabeth’s recipes, and this is another one I make all the time!
Great recipe
Elizabeth
Thank you! I'm so glad you love it. I make it all the time as well. 🙂
Sarah
Made this for maybe the 20th time tonight. My go to!
Elizabeth
Yay! I love that Sarah. I made it last night too!