The Best Vegan Chili
Get ready to "chili" out and cozy up with The Best Vegan Chili - it's so good, even carnivores will be saying, "meat who?" This flavor-packed fiesta features a hearty mix of walnuts and tempeh, giving you a protein punch that's just as satisfying as it is nut-ritious. Loaded with a rainbow array of veggies and fiber-rich beans, it's a veggie bonanza that's sure to delight. And just a heads-up, this chili isn't afraid to bring the heat – it's got a hint of spice that'll warm you up faster than a cozy blanket on a chilly night. The combination of the walnuts and tempeh are oh-so-similar to ground beef, making this hearty chili a true delight.
Equipment
- stove, dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, water, or veg broth for sautéing
- 8 oz tempeh
- 1 cup walnuts
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 1 small sweet potato cut into small cubes
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 large red bell pepper diced
- 1 large orange bell pepper diced
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire powder
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes with juices
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth plus more as needed
- 7 oz chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped (more or less for desired spice - these babies are hot!)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp unsweetened raw cacao powder
- 14 oz can kidney or black beans drained
- 14 oz can pinto beans drained
- 1 cup yellow sweet corn
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 cup cilantro leaves chopped
To Serve Ingredients
- 6 almond flour or corn tortillas cut into 1/4" strips
- ½ cup plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt or sour cream
- 1 avocado cubed
- 2 green onions finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the tempeh and walnuts in a food processor and pulse 8-10 times until finely crumbled (similar texture to ground meat). Preheat the oven to 350.
- Heat oil, water or broth in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in tempeh and walnuts and sauté for 4-5 minutes until golden on the edges. Add in the sweet potato and a generous splash of water or broth. Cover, reduce heat to low and steam for 5 minutes until sweet potatoes are tender. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté for 2-3 more minutes until the onions are tender, adding more water or broth as needed to deglaze. Add in the peppers and cook for 2 more minutes before adding in the spices and tomato paste, stirring until spices are fragrant for about 30 seconds.
- Pour in the tomatoes, broth, adobo peppers, maple syrup, cacao powder and coconut aminos and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in beans and corn and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes.
- While chili is cooking, spread the tortilla strips on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, checking frequently towards the end, until they become golden and crisp.
- Taste the chili and adjust to your liking, adding the chili garlic sauce if desired for some extra spice. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro and heat through.
- Serve hot topped with yogurt, avocado, tortilla strips and green onion!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!