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This simple vegan chili con carne recipe uses a mixture of pantry staples and fresh vegetables, for a delicious meat-free hearty vegan chili.
I have recently turned back towards my pantry/store cupboard ingredients and a fresh produce delivery to help me create delicious and nutritious meals every week. This easy vegan chili con carne is a particular favorite of mine for its customizability and storage options.
In fact, this vegan recipe has become one of my favorite options for chucking in a lot of veggies in a way that’s still really enjoyable for the whole family to eat, while remaining meat-free. Plus, with the addition of soy – you’re able to take advantage of the higher protein levels.
However, it’s also not 100% necessary if you have none to hand and can easily be swapped out with sweet potato chunks or even more beans, depending on what you have available (hence its nickname ”pantry chili”). Really, I honestly just love this recipe for how customizable it is to what ingredients you have at hand.
As I said above, though, one of the best pros of this hearty vegan chili recipe is the storage options. Not only is this recipe amazing for meal prep and can be served alongside quinoa or rice throughout the week. It’s also easily portioned and frozen for up to three months! I always make a massive batch whenever I’m cooking so I know I have spares to hand – when needed.
Lastly, depending on if you’re using tinned beans or pre-soaking and cooking them yourself (which will take longer), this recipe can take just 25 minutes of prep and cooking – so great for a quick, nutritious option.
Note, this recipe can serve up to 8 people. I like batch cooking this recipe because this is very freezer-friendly. So I separate it into portions and freeze it for up to 3 months.
The Chili Con Carne How-To
What’s needed
- soy mince or veggie mince
- red kidney beans (check my blog for tips on how to prepare dried kidney beans)
- bell peppers, carrots, celery
- chopped tomatoes (from tin/can) or tomato passata, tomato purée
- vegetable stock (I used homemade) or even red wine
- olive oil, onions, garlic, paprika (or smoked paprika), fresh chili pepper, salt
Optional: Sweet potato or more beans. You can also mix quinoa directly into the mix if you want to omit the soy but still up the protein levels. This recipe is incredibly versatile.
Steps
Start by prepping the veg and beans. Finely chop the veggies – carrots, celery, bell peppers, garlic, onion, and fresh chili pepper.
If using tinned kidney beans, then you’ll want the beans rinsed and drained. Alternatively, you can pre-soak some dry beans (for at least 4 hours, or overnight). Then cook these separately, and these will be ready to go.
Heat the olive oil in a big saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry until soft.
Add the spices, soy mince, and tomato purée/ passata (tinned diced tomatoes also works). Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the veggie stock. Stir well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, and bring to a boil.
When the mix starts bubbling, lower the heat and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the chopped peppers, celery, and carrots. Stir well and cook for a few minutes. Note: I add the veggies at this stage, as I like them a little more crunchy. If you prefer them much softer, then add them right after the onion and garlic.
Finally, add the cooked red kidney beans.
Mix well and simmer for a few further minutes, until the beans are thoroughly heated through.
Your soy chili is then ready to serve immediately, or be portioned into meal-prep/ freezer-friendly containers.
If you’re storing some for later, just make sure that it has completely cooled down before moving to the fridge/freezer.
Serve your chili con carne hot with sour cream (or vegan yogurt), fresh herbs, and lime. I like to pair mine with brown rice or quinoa, or even as a topping for a baked sweet potato.
You can also use the chili as tortilla filling and make delicious vegan burritos or serve with corn chips and dairy-free cheese for a nachos-style dish.
Keep in the fridge for 4-5 days or the freezer for up to three months.
Other Meat-Free Mains You Might Like:
If meat-free mains are what you’re looking for then I have tons for you. For example, how about these Healthy Mushroom & Lentil Vegan Meatballs or this Super Creamy Vegan Mushroom Sauce Pasta or even this Easy Vegan Bechamel Pasta Bake.
I also have recipes for Meat-free Organic Rainbow Tacos: 4-ways, Sweet Potato Crust Rainbow Pizza, or Healthy Rainbow Zucchini Boats. Head over to the ‘Mains’ section of my recipes, to see the full list of options.
If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments. You can also tag me in your recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie.
Simple Vegan Chilli con Carne Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 grams soy mince or any veggie mince
- 500 grams red kidney beans or 2 tins/cans
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes or 750 ml passata
- 500 ml vegetable stock check my blog
- 3 bell peppers
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 celery stalks 2 medium onions
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup tomato paste 5 tablespoons
- 1 fresh chilli pepper
- 2 tBsp olive oil
- 1 tBsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Start by prepping the veg and beans. Finely chop the veggies - carrots, celery, bell peppers, garlic, onion and fresh chilli pepper.
- If using tinned kidney beans then you'll want the beans rinsed and drained. Alternatively, you can pre-soak some dry beans ( for at-least 4 hours, or overnight). Then cook these separately and these will be ready to go.
- Heat up the olive oil in a big saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and fry until they are soft. Note: If you prefer the veggies (peppers, celery, carrots) very soft, add them at this point. I prefer them more crunchy so I add them later on.
- Add the spices, soy mince, and tomato purée/ passata ( tinned diced tomatoes also works). Cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring occasionally.
- Add the chopped tomatoes and the veggie stock. Stir well. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, and bring to a boil.
- When the mix starts bubbling, lower the heat and simmer for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chopped peppers, celery, and carrots. Stir well and cook for a few minutes. Note: I add the veggies at this stage, as I like them a little more crunchy. If you prefer them much softer, then add them right after the onion and garlic and skip this step.
- Finally, add the cooked red kidney beans. Mix well and simmer for a few further minutes, until the beans are completely heated through.
- Your soy chilli is then ready to serve immediately, or be portioned into meal-prep/ freezer-friendly containers. If you're storing some for later, just make sure that it has completely cooled down before moving to the fridge/freezer.
Serve your chilli con Carne hot with sour cream ( or vegan yogurt), fresh herbs and lime. I like to pair mine with brown rice or quinoa, or even as a topping for a baked sweet potato.
You can also use the chilli as tortilla filling and make delicious vegan burritos or serve with corn chips and dairy-free cheese for a nachos style dish.
Keep in the fridge for 4-5 days or the freezer for up to three months.
Video
Notes
- This recipe is very versatile. Feel free to swap out vegetables for what you have available, swap the soy mince for more beans, sweet potato or quinoa and more.
- This can be meal-prepped and stored in the fridge for 4-5 days or freezer for 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My first try cooking vegan chili con carne and this recipe is so YUM! All the stars!
Glad you liked it, Hiba. Thank you for your comment!
This is a very tasty recipe and nice and low points if you are dieting on WW. 2 points by my calculation.
I’m not vegan so used beef stock cube and I used back beans instead of kidney beans.
Thanks for your comment, Sarah.
I just made it with extra kidney beans and chickpeas also added eggplant looking good take great 🙂
Glad you liked it 🙂
I’m enjoying the oxymoron of a vegan chilli con carne. I think this is a vegan chilli sin carne.
I guess it would be chili sin carne indeed 🙂
While the recipe is fairly easy and generally nice, it is also quite bland since the only real spice that’s added is 1tbsp paprika and 1 tsp salt and that’s it. So to really get that chili flavor (or just any flavor), we added chili flakes, cumin, Chipotle, way more salt, pepper, a d cinnamon. Let it cook together for at least an hour for the flavors to really get nice.
Also I really wish step 7 was added in much earlier and included a side note that the author prefers to add them later, rather than the other way around.
I’m just adding that I’m not vegan, but I am trying to incorporate more vegan/veggie meals in my diet, and this was a nice recipe that I will probably make more
Thank you for your feedback, Heidi – much appreciated. You are welcome to add more salt and spices as you please.
Is tofu crumbled on to use as the soy mince?
Hi Alessandra,
This recipe calls for soy mince or veggie mince but you could substitute it with firm tofu, pressed and then crumbled.