By Meal Prep Ideas 
Vegetarian Chili that’s “meaty” and satisfying – without all the meat! A hearty mixture of walnuts, mushrooms, and carrots as your base, with big flavors of onion, garlic, green chiles and spices.
Vegetarian Chili That Actually Tastes Like Chili.
Chili chili chili, can’t you see? Sometimes your ways just hypnotize me and even when you’re made without meat?!
Yes, that’s right. I’d like to introduce to you a really good, really “meaty” and satisfying vegetarian chili that, in fact, does not have meat in it at all.
This vegetarian chili is all the good things that I’m looking for:
- thick and hearty and “meaty”, like a standard chili texture
- beans optional – add if you like them, leave out if you don’t
- big, big, big happy flavor
- packed with a variety of veggies
- easy to make
- makes awesome leftovers
- meatless!
If you’re vegan, don’t you worry – this is also a VEGAN chili if you just watch your toppings. Avocado, pickled red onion, radishes, tortilla chips… we got you, vegans. Also: see our Instant Pot Pumpkin Walnut Chili recipe – it’s real good.
I am not a vegetarian or vegan but I hope it’s obvious that I think creative plant-based cooking is so fun and I love the positive impact it has on our bodies and the earth. ♡ You can be all kinds of everything (vegan, vegetarian, or none, IMHO) and 100% enjoy this.
Goals for the rest of the month: more vegetables, and more chili nights!
How To Make Vegetarian Chili
1
Make the “meat” for the chili.
Walnuts, mushrooms, and carrots all blitzed up in a food processor. This is your chili “meat” for this recipe. All vegetarian!
2
Sauté onions and garlic.
Heat a Dutch Oven or another large pot on the stove and get all those good house smells going!
3
Add chiles, tomato paste, and spices.
I love the kick and acidity the green chiles bring and the deep flavor from the tomato paste. Smoked paprika and soy sauce are bringing a bit of a delicious surprise too!
4
Add the “meat” back in.
Let it simmer and cook for about 10 minutes to get the vegetables soft and delicious.
5
Let it simmer.
Add the tomatoes and beans and let it all simmer together for 45 minutes.
6
Add Your Toppings and Eat!
Top with all the usual suspects – sour cream, cheese, cilantro, etc. Get your tortilla chips and get in there!
Ingredients List
Walnuts, Mushrooms, and Carrots
This is the “meat” base of the chili. Pulsed up in a food processor, it’s just absolute texture-perfection. Love this so much.
Onion and Garlic
One of the basic cornerstones of any good chili!
Canned Stuff
The gang’s all here – diced green chiles for a kick of heat, tomato paste for that deep tomato flavor, and canned tomatoes for sauciness.
Spices
We’ve got chili powder and cumin for that classic chili flavor, and then a punch of smoked paprika.
Soy Sauce
Noy typical for chili, but I love it. Soy sauce adds the perfect little dose of umami and saltiness.
Beans
Most veggie chilis are very bean-heavy, but I’m not about that (hence that delicious meatless base). Just one can of beans here is all we need! Black beans or pinto beans would be my pick.
About The “Meat” In This Vegetarian Chili
This vegetarian chili features a hearty mixture of walnuts, mushrooms, and carrots that can beautifully stand in place of your ground beef and absorbs the big flavors of sautéed onion and garlic, diced green chiles, and all those spices. When scooped and topped with some avocado or cheese, sour cream or tortilla chips, it’s just warming and so satisfying in that chili-specific way. And, bonus, it’s totally meatless.
I have some requirements for my vegetarian chili and the first is that I want it to be really on-point texturally. I want it to scoop like a real chili. I don’t want soup, okay? I want a thick and meaty-like chili texture. The “meat” mixture in this recipe is going to ensure that texture.
My second requirement for my veg chili is equally as important: LOW-TO-NO BEANS. I love beans as much as the next person, but sometimes I feel like they are overused in vegetarian lookalike recipes (like vegetarian chili, for example) where we could easily use vegetables more creatively instead of defaulting to 27 types of beans as the base of the recipe.
I don’t know, I have opinions, okay?
Storage and Freezing
As all chilis do, this makes for great leftovers! Here’s how to store in the fridge and freezer:
- Storing In The Fridge: Store in an airtight container – it will keep for 3-4 days. Add more liquid/water if it needs to loosen up at all.
- Storing In The Freezer: Cook the entire recipe and freeze in an airtight container (or two) – it will keep for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to cook, let it thaw in the fridge overnight and heat on the stove.
Frequently Asked Questions For Vegetarian Chili
If I’m allergic to walnuts, what can I use?
I would either omit them and just increase the mushrooms, or you could try another softer nut like pecans. The flavor won’t be quite the same but I could see the texture still working! If you give it a try, let us know in the comments!
I don’t like mushrooms. What can I use instead?
You could try omitting them, but the texture will be a little different. I’d recommend giving this one a try to see if it converts you! 🙂 The mushrooms are chopped SO small that you hardly even notice they’re there.
Can I use a blender to make the “meat”?
This does not work well in a blender as it can’t get it to quite the right consistency throughout. If you don’t have a food processor, I’d probably opt for using a knife and chopping it all very finely on a cutting board.
Is this spicy?
Nope, not at all! Just be sure to use mild green chiles instead of hot.
Can you make this vegan?
This chili is naturally vegan as well! Just be sure to skip the cheese and sour cream on top (or use your favorite vegan alternative).