This hearty, one pot vegetarian chili makes for the perfect meatless meal prep or weeknight dinner! It’s also high in fiber so you won’t find yourself hungry in an hour.
What You’ll Need
This ingredients list might seem intimidatingly long but it’s mostly pantry staples and veggies. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Beans : the beans make this chili into a filling meal and I usually just use whatever mix I have in the house.
- Tomatoes : I always use canned tomatoes for recipes where I need to simmer teh tomatoes for a longer period of time because they make the final result a lot more flavorful.
- Vegetables : You can add basically any vegetable you want but I like to add zucchini, bell pepper and corn. Sometimes I’ll add in sweet potatoes too.
- Spices: This is the key to to bringing the flavors to this dish! Add a blend of salt, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, coriander, or any other spices you like to use! You can adjust this to your preferences and leave out anything you don’t like.
Variations to this recipe
The best thing about this recipe is how easily manipulated it is to your preferences and dietary needs! You can adjust it not only to preferences but also to availability of ingredients. Here are a few ideas for common variations:
- Beans: You can swap out the beans with any legumes or lentils that you prefer. You could also swap it for shredded chicken. Completely up to you!
- Toss in some extra veggies! You’re not limited to the ones I mentioned. Experiment with the recipe and see what works for you. Maybe you could try potatoes, or green beans, you have endless choices! I like to scan my fridge and just toss in whatever I have. Most times, you can get away with not making a trip to the store for this meal when your fridge is approaching empty.
- Adjust the spice level! If you’re feeling adventurous, be generous with the red chili powder or if you’re feeling bloated maybe reduce the salt and toss in some asafoetida. Again, completely customizable.
How to Store Leftovers (or Meal Prep!)
This homemade chili will last in the fridge for 3-4 days if sealed properly. You can also freeze it in a freezer-friendly container for 2-3 months! Make a large batch and pack away the leftovers for a later time! Just be sure to reheat it well before eating again for the same great flavor. This is great for packing away to college!
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One Pot Vegetarian Chili
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 Large Servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This hearty, one pot vegetarian chili makes for the perfect meatless meal prep or weeknight dinner! It’s also high in fiber so you won’t find yourself hungry in an hour.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds (if you don’t have use ground cumin)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 1 cup corn kernels, frozen
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 chipotle pepper (from a can), chopped
- 2–3 tbsp adobo sauce from the same can above
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Chili Powder, to taste
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 14-oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 15-oz cans of beans (kidney, black, pinto or white)
- 1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
Instructions
- For this recipe, make sure to chop all your veggies before you start cooking because it’s a dump everything in a pot kind of recipe and moves fast.
- In a pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and heat until they start dancing for a few seconds. Add in the chopped onion and garlic, sauté for 4-5 minutes. Then, add in the chopped bell pepper, zucchini and corn. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until they get soft and the onions turn golden brown.
- Add in the tomato paste, salt, black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, oregano and chili powder. Stir everything to combine and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, beans and broth. Stir well, bring to a boil and lower the heat. Put the lid on the pot and cook for 20 minutes. You can simmer it as long as you want but I would recommend at least 20 minutes.
- Taste it and adjust spice and salt to taste. Top with chopped cilantro and greek yogurt or sour cream – enjoy all week long!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: One-Pot
- Cuisine: Mexican