Vegan Chili (Slow Cooker)
This Vegan Chili is hearty and cozy and takes only 10 minutes of prep! It goes right into your slow cooker and is perfect for meal prepping. It results in a thick, and delicious chili that is so filling!
Thanks to Crockpot™ for sponsoring this blog post! Thanks so much to you my readers for supporting the brands who support Jessica in the Kitchen! All texts and opinions are my own.
I’ve been making this chili for my family from before I even went vegan, and that in and of itself is a testament to how delicious (and requested!) it is! Time and time again, after a single spoonful when it’s done, I hear a satisfying “ahh”. This Vegan Chili uses some simple pantry ingredients to make a hearty and delightful meal that you and your family will also be looking forward to. And if it’s just you, this freezes so beautifully too! Read on for more on that. It’s also an incredible option for serving at Thanksgiving or any holiday occasion this year.
Speaking of holiday occasions – how is that looking for you this year? I know things look a bit different for everyone this year. If you’re participating in a virtual Friendsgiving/Zoomsgiving (I am for one of them!) this is such a cool option to show up with! Let me know how you’re adjusting this year!
You may remember me mentioning Crockpot MyTime™ 6-QT. Programmable Slow Cooker in my Mushroom Wild Rice Soup recipe last month. Firstly, you guys LOVED that dish and I love seeing all your photos to this day about it! I’m using that Crockpot MyTime™ 6-QT. Programmable Slow Cooker today again for this Vegan Chili!
I’ve been using it for a while and on a few different recipes, and needless to say, I’m in love. Not only do I love the size, I love the fact that it fits into your lifestyle. If you love prepping dinner in advance (AGAIN, teach me your ways!) – YOU tell it what time you want to have dinner, and your Crockpot™ does the rest. This is so ingenious for meal prepping or if you have specific meal times that you want to fit into. If you want to be able to set a manual cooking time though, no worries, your Crockpot™ also easily caters to the traditional “HIGH” or “LOW” settings.
For this Chili, either option is up to you. Which is pretty much the way life should be right?!
Notes on the Ingredients:
Uncooked Quinoa – be sure to use uncooked quinoa since it’ll soak up your veggie broth and add to the texture
Black Beans – feel free to swap this for pinto or kidney beans, or any of your favourite kind of beans
Diced Tomatoes – I prefer using canned tomatoes here because it’s way easier, but you can use regular tomatoes. I would recommend juicy and fresh tomatoes, so they have a similar amount of liquid as canned diced tomatoes.
How to Make Easy Vegan Chili (Step by Step Instructions)
Add the vegetable broth, uncooked quinoa, black beans and tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Next add the peppers, carrot, corn, onion and garlic, and stir.
Then add the rest of the seasonings and stir a few times to combine.
Cover your Crockpot™ and set to high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours (for high, monitor the last 30 minutes and for low, monitor the last hour). If you like a chili with more liquid, do the 2 1/2 on high, and 5 on low. If you like thicker and just a little bit it liquid, go with the higher number for each option. Taste when finished, and add any more salt or heat if needed.
After your soup is finished cooking, serve and top with your favourite toppings such as vegan sour cream, avocado, scallion and vegan cheese or shredded carrots. Enjoy!
Expert Tips & FAQ
- Dice the veggies into similar sizes so that everything cooks evenly. That’ll give you the best texture for the vegetables in the chili.
- Be sure to stir everything together well. Since you want to let your Crockpot™ do its thing without disturbing it, you want to ensure all your veggies and seasonings are properly mixed so they all cook together perfectly.
- If you want an extra creamy chili, you can blend a cup of it at the end in a blender, then stir it back in. This is a method I love to do in many of my soups, and it works well with chili too!
- I often get asked “does this freeze well? This one does! Freeze, then thaw overnight in your fridge when ready to enjoy, then reheat.
- Feel free to make this your OWN! You can leave the corn out, try two different types of beans – the options are endless!
How to Serve – I would suggest trying to my vegan sour cream to serve on top with a few slices of avocado!
More Crockpot Recipes
Enjoy friends! If you make this Easy Vegan Chili Recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Easy Vegan Chili Recipe (Slow Cooker)
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 15 oz black beans, (1 can of black beans) drained and rinsed
- 14 oz canned diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 onion , chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 small chili pepper
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
Instructions
- Add the vegetable broth, uncooked quinoa, black beans and tomatoes to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Next add the peppers, carrot, corn, onion and garlic, and stir, then add the rest of the seasonings and stir a few times to combine.
- Cover your Crockpot™ and set to high for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours (for high, monitor the last 30 minutes and for low, monitor the last hour). If you like a chili with more liquid, do the 2 1/2 on high, and 5 on low. If you like thicker and just a little bit it liquid, go with the higher number for each option.
- Taste when finished, and add any more salt or heat if needed. Feel free to add more veggie broth too if you want it more liquid.
- After your soup is finished cooking, serve and top with your favourite toppings such as vegan sour cream, avocado, scallion and vegan cheese or shredded carrots. Enjoy!
Notes
- Dice the veggies into similar sizes so that everything cooks evenly. That’ll give you the best texture for the vegetables in the chili.
- Be sure to stir everything together well. Since you want to let your Crockpot™ do its thing without disturbing it, you want to ensure all your veggies and seasonings are properly mixed so they all cook together perfectly.
- If you want an extra creamy chili, you can blend a cup of it at the end in a blender, then stir it back in. This is a method I love to do in many of my soups, and it works well with chili too!
- I often get asked “does this freeze well? This one does! Freeze, then thaw overnight in your fridge when ready to enjoy, then reheat.
- Feel free to make this your OWN! You can leave the corn out, try two different types of beans – the options are endless!
If you try this Vegan Chili with Quinoa and Black Beans please let me know in the comment section below, or tag me on instagram with the hashtag #jessicainthekitchen! For more exclusive recipes follow me on Instagram AND on Snapchat: jessinkitchen.Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
Hi Jessica, I hope you are doing ok in these crazy times and that you are your family are safe and healthy. I just felt that I needed to reach out. The first time that I commented on your vegan crockpot chili was back in November of 2016. It has since stayed in a rotation in our house. I’m up in Canada and when it became apparent that we were going to need to start to socially distance ourselves and cut back on leaving the house I decided that I should stock up on some supplies in the event that things get too bad. When trying to think about a meal plan your vegan chili came to mind first. A no brainer. So once again this morning I made a double batch. Everyone here is looking forward to dinner tonight! Food becomes a nice distraction if you are fortunate enough to be able to make choices. I appreciate your site very much and wanted to give back in some way. You’ve made that very easy with your “It’s That Easy Ebook” of vegan/vegetarian recipes. Just as a disclaimer to others who may be reading this comment, we are not a family of vegans or vegetarians but are looking forward to trying more of the recipes in your ebook to begin a journey of reducing our reliance on a meat and dairy diet. Thanks again.
Hi Murray. Thank you, we’re doing well and we wish the best for you and your family. Jessica and I are speechless. We’re so happy to hear that it has been in your rotation for that long. To hear that you love the E-Book is the icing on the cake. Thank you so much for your incredibly kind words. We appreciate you so much and hope that you and your family stay safe.
I made this today for a neighbor who works as an intensive care nurse in a local hospital. She is working extra shifts during the pandemic crisis and her husband is still working outside of the home as well. They are juggling their jobs, stress, childcare for their two young kids and homeschooling responsibilities while the schools are shut.She texted me tonight to say, “Dinner was amazing!” I didn’t even have all the ingredients — no chili pepper, no cayenne pepper, no toppings and only about a quarter cup of onion but it was still incredibly tasty! She is a meat eater, but I think she really did enjoy it. Just wanted you to know your recipe went to feed one of our nation’s healthcare workers, and she truly appreciated it. Thanks for a great, healthy recipe that’s so easy to throw together!
Hi Michelle,
Aww wow this comment truly truly warmed my heart. Firstly, that is so incredible of you to do and she sounds like such an incredible asset during this crisis. So happy it works even without all the seasonings! That feedback will be very helpful for a lot of people right now. Wow thank you so much again – it really means a lot to me and I’m also so happy that she enjoyed it! You’re so very welcome and hope you keep safe and healthy!!
Made this for dinner last night and it’s so nice. I dont have a slow cooker, but it worked just fine in the oven. Also added some chopped courgettes.
Thanks for the recipe, tastiest chili ever, having the leftovers for lunch now x
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe Victoria! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!
I like to toss all of the ingredients (minus the can of tomatos) into freezer bags and stock up my freezer. So yummy and filling for vegan and omnivores alike.
Great tip Brittany! Thank you so much for leaving such a nice comment!
Go to chili recipe! Easy and delicious. One of the only vegan meals the entire family will eat! Just throw all the ingredients in and voila!
This is so nice Nicky. Thanks for leaving such a great comment.
Easy, fast, and absolutely delicious, especially with the vegan cornbread!
Awesome we’re so happy you enjoyed it Anne! Thanks so much for reading!
Wow is all I can say – I’ve always adored meat chilli, but haven’t had it since cutting out red meat – this option was amazing – both my husband and I just loved it and have it again tonight in a jacket potato – beautiful- thanks fir amazing recipes xx💛
We’re so happy that you and your husband enjoyed this recipe Pauline! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!
HI Jessica, thanks for this delicious, easy recipe, I loved it! I want to make it for a friend who just had a baby, but realized that I’m out of quinoa. Do you think that basmati rice (or another grain) might work? I wouldn’t mind taking the risk if it for me but don’t want to mess it up for her!
Thanks 🙂
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe Jill! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment! We haven’t tried it but you should and tell us how it is!
This is a delicious vegan chili and so easy to put together! I did increase the amount of cayenne because I like it spicy but kept everything else exactly as written. Perfect cozy fall/winter meal!!
This is a HIT (this is my second time making it)!! SO quick easy and delicious, not to mention it makes my apartment smell so good lol. Thanks for your recipes I plan to make it through all of them 🙂
We’re so happy that you enjoyed this recipe Tiffany! Thank you so much for reading and leaving such a nice comment!