15 Vegetarian Chili Recipes That Are Cozy and Satisfying

There's a surprising amount of variety in this collection of meatless chili dishes, so much so that you may find yourself bookmarking a few new favorite vegetarian chili recipes. What makes them so varied are the unexpected additions they contain, such as white beans, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, and fennel, and of course, the tofu that stars in the Smoky Tofu Chili pictured here. Grains and legumes, like quinoa and lentils, also appear in some of these recipes, adding texture and heft in addition to beans. Sweet potatoes pop up as well, as do regular potatoes in a kid-friendly version that actually has you whip up a super quick chili (secret ingredient: taco seasoning) and serve it over roasted potato wedges.

One in particular stands out: a white bean chili that manages to straddle two geographical regions: Latin (think: poblano chiles, cumin, chili powder, and coriander) and Mediterranean (the key to richness and depth of flavor: a Parmesan rind!).

Most, though not all, of these hearty and warming bowls are ready in an hour or much less, and there are some smart hacks, like using a skillet instead of a pot, so the wide pan surface lets spices and aromatics meld quickly for deep complexity in a fraction of the time. Another creative shortcut: spike marinara sauce with cumin and chipotle-chile powder, and half the work is done.

Of course, half the joy of any chili, meatless or not, is in the fixings, and we heartily endorse them for all of these recipes. Go traditional with cheddar, avocado, sour cream, and red onion or scallions; or get creative and try crumbled queso fresco, sliced jalapeño chiles, and crumbled tortilla chips.

Vegetarian White Chili

Although this hearty white bean chili features ingredients you might expect like poblano chiles, cumin, chili powder, and coriander, a Mediterranean ingredient—the rind from a piece of Parmesan—is the key to its richness and depth of flavor.

Vegan Sweet Potato Chili

Toasted ancho chiles add smoky, earthy flavor to this meatless and super-healthy chili, which teams vitamin-rich sweet potatoes with protein-packed black beans.

Weeknight Vegetarian Chili

When you're craving comfort food and can't wait, this skillet dish fits the bill and then some. The wider pan surface lets spices and aromatics meld quickly for deep complexity in a fraction of the time.

Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili

With garbanzo, kidney, and pinto beans, this hefty chili will easily fill you up. It's especially good served with white or brown rice, or with warmed tortillas. Don't skip the avocado and cilantro for serving!

Black-Bean and Sweet-Potato Stew

This satisfying vegetarian stew is ready in about an hour—and more than half that time is hands-off. It has complex flavor thanks to velvety, earthy sweet potatoes, nutty quinoa, and smoky chipotle peppers.

Spicy Vegetarian Chili

Here's a creative way to get chili on the table in under an hour. The recipe has you spice store-bought marinara sauce with cumin and chipotle-chile powder; along with beans, bell pepper, and onions, you've got one speedy supper.

Roasted Potato Wedges and Chili

This ultra kid-friendly dish simply consists of roasted potato wedges topped with a gentle chili made with tomatoes, beans, and taco seasoning.

Vegetable Chili

If you've got time, this excellent chili is worth your while. You soak dried beans and then simmer them until tender, which gives the finished dish a fantastic texture you just don't get with canned beans.

Vegetarian Chili with Avocado Cream

Finely chopped fennel and black-eyed peas are two unusual additions, but they work impressively well in this veggie chili. A drizzle of avocado cream (made from avocados, fresh lime juice, salt, chili powder, chopped jalapeños and sour cream) at the end gives it a luxurious feel.

Paneer Chili

If you can't decide between Indian food and chili, this is your recipe. It combines paneer (Indian-style cottage cheese) with garlic and bell peppers, plus a piquant sauce that pulls everything together. The best part: it comes together in minutes.

Sam's Vegetarian Bean Chili

What's great about this recipe is that it can be made almost entirely out of ingredients that are likely already in your pantry: canned diced green chiles and tomatoes; spices; and canned beans. An onion, a poblano chile, and garlic are the only other items you need.

Vegetarian Black-Bean Chili

This chili packs in an impressive array of veggies, including zucchini, corn, carrots, and tomatoes. The black beans give it oomph, as does a simple mix of seasonings.

False Alarm Vegetable Chili

Adding lentils to chili is an unexpected way to add interest. If you go with red or yellow, they'll become soft and tender after simmering for just 15 minutes; brown or green varieties keep their shape a bit better and lend a mild, earthy flavor.

Vegetarian Chili

This straightforward veggie bowl gets powerful flavor from a good amount of tomato paste. And using a can of plain diced tomatoes plus another can that includes green chiles gives it a little extra interest.