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Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes » The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili

The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili

January 27, 2020 By Elena Szeliga 20 Comments Last updated December 12, 2020

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This slow cooker vegan chili recipe will delight your taste buds. It’s not only wholesome but delicious and easy to make. A vegan twist on this classic comfort food for those chilly days ahead makes for a healthy dinner packed with nutrients brimming with flavor!

Bowls of Chili on a Wooden Board

This post was originally published on Oct 15, 2017 and updated on Jan 27, 2020 by Elena Szeliga. 

It’s hard to believe that this wholesome slow cooker chili is vegan! Combining a winning grain mix, two kinds of beans, corn, bell peppers, onions and lots of tomatoes make it a hearty, nutritious and comforting meal to enjoy this fall.

The best thing about this easy vegan chili is that it’s basically self-cooking.

Toss all the ingredients into the slow cooker, set it on high and wait for 6-8 hours.

Just let it cook while you are at work and arrive to a home that smells like heaven!

Holding a Pot of Vegan Chili

An added bonus to this recipe is that this vegan chili freezes like a pro.

Make a large batch and store what you don’t eat in the freezer, then you will have a bunch of quick and easy meals ready at your fingertips.

Can you believe October is coming to an end? I can’t either.

I’ve managed to catch the tail end of summer last weekend. I was in Rome meeting my best friend and enjoying lots of pizza, pasta, lasagna and cappuccino as well as T-shirt weather!

However, when I came back, real October was already in full force. To kick off the chilly weather and rain, I immediately made this comforting chili!

Hands Holding a Bowl of Chili

I am always amazed by the power of sharing food that brings people closer. But there is something special about having vegan chili for dinner. To me, it brings the “homey” feeling of comfort, warmth and coziness.

Making this chili (or my perfect vegan sloppy joes) for dinner is a great way to enjoy the presence of your loved ones and bask in the delightful feelings of comfort and peace.

You’ll find more ideas for vegan comfort food recipes (think pasta dishes, soups, casseroles, etc) in my recent post.

A Bowl of Vegan Chili Garnished with Vegan Sour Cream, Avocado and Jalapenos

Why Make Vegan Chili in a Slow Cooker

You don’t have to be a vegan to enjoy this chili! Here is why I love it and you will too:

  • It’s full of flavor and super delicious;
  • It’s packed with nutrients and protein;
  • It’s healthy and low in calories;
  • You can customize it depending on what you like and have in your fridge;
  • Having a slow cooker makes it incredibly easy and quick to make but you can also make it on the stove, or even in an Instant Pot;
  • Adjust the spiciness to your taste and make it kid-friendly;
  • It makes a great vegan packed lunch – just fill a mason jar with it and take it to work (my husband’s colleagues are always envious!);
  • It feeds a crowd of at least 8 people;
  • And my favorite – freeze it in zipper bags for up to 3 months to enjoy whenever you feel like it!

Chili is one of those foods that tastes even better the next day, just like ratatouille, grain stew with sweet potatoes or vegan minestrone soup.

Another hearty, heart warming vegan meal that you should be sure to check out is this Vegan Spaghetti Bolognese. It’s 100% plant based and made with one of my new favorite ingredients: Tempeh!

Bowls of Vegan Chili with Garnishes on a Napkin

This easy vegan chili recipe is a delicious and comforting meal that comes together within minutes. Throw is into your slow cooker and let the magic happen.

Ingredients for the Chili

For this slow cooker chili you’ll need:

  • Beans (I use black and navy beans, but feel free to use your favorite ones);
  • Grain mix that I usually use for my healthy wholemeal bread, a combo of wheat berries, rye, spelt, millet and barley. You can also use any combination of the above-mentioned grains, as well as quinoa to save time (see notes below);
  • Onions and garlic;
  • Red and green bell peppers;
  • Sweet corn;
  • Diced tomatoes and tomato sauce;
  • Vegetable stock;
  • Jalapenos or red chilies;
  • Spices;
  • Vegan yogurt, avocados, lime and tortilla chips to serve.

Grains in a Jug

How to Make This Chili

Start with soaking your beans and grains in water overnight.
Are you pressed for time?
Here is a great shortcut: just use canned beans and quinoa.

Uncooked Black Beans

Uncooked Navy Beans

Once the beans and grains are ready, dice the onion and bell peppers. Here is a life changing trick that will make chopping bell peppers so much easier!

Diced Bell Peppers on a Cutting Board

 

Mince the garlic and chili peppers (I used two but if you like it hot, add more).

Put all the prepared ingredients in your slow cooker. Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and vegetable broth, as well as cumin, sweet paprika, bay leaves, salt and black pepper. Stir everything well to combine.

Ingredients for Vegan Chili in a Slow Cooker

Cook on high for 6-8 hours or until cooked through. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Serve hot with a spoonful of vegan yogurt, chopped avocados, jalapenos, lime and tortilla chips.

If you’re not cooking for a crowd, let it cool and freeze in zipper bags for up to 3 months.

Laddle of Vegan Bean Chili

Cook’s Tips

  • You can store this chili for up to 5 days in the fridge. 
  • This chili is perfect for meal prep. Freeze it for up to 3 months in freezer bags and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Add a bit of water or vegetable stock if it’s too thick.
  • Use leftover cooked beans for this chili for a quick and nutritious meal. Just throw the rest of the ingredients in your crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Bowls of Vegan Chili with the Pot

Recipe Variations

  • Use other types of beans that you like in place of black and navy beans.
  • If you don’t have time for soaking, just use canned or cooked beans. In this case the cooking time reduces to 3-4 hours (on high).
  • You can use any combination of the above-mentioned grains like uncooked quinoa or skip the grains and add lentils.
  • Cook this vegan chili on the stovetop for around 1 hour instead of using the slow cooker.

Here is the full recipe for you, hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did! If you did, I would appreciate you giving it a 5-star rating! 😉

 

 

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4.62 from 21 votes

The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili

The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili Recipe is wholesome, delicious and easy to make. Comforting and healthy freezable dinner packed with nutrients and flavors!
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword bean chili, easy vegan chili, slow cooker vegan chili, the best vegan chili, vegan chili, vegan chili recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Slow cooking time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 260kcal
Author Elena Szeliga
$8

Ingredients

  • 2 cups navy beans soaked overnight or two 14 oz cans cooked beans
  • 2 cups black beans soaked overnight or two 14 oz cans cooked beans
  • 1 cup grain mix a combo of wheat berries, rye, spelt, millet and barley (see notes below), soaked overnight
  • 1 big yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 cup or 14 oz can sweet corn
  • 2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 14 oz cans tomato sauce
  • 5-6 cups vegetable stock
  • 2 red chili peppers or jalapenos, adjust the hoteness to your liking
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 2 bay leaves
  • salt and freshly ground bell pepper to taste
  • Vegan yogurt, avocados, lime and tortilla chips to serve

Instructions

  • Start with soaking your beans and grains in water overnight. If you don't have time for that, just use canned beans and quinoa.
  • Dice the onion and bell peppers. Mince the garlic and chili peppers (I used two but if you like it hot, add more).
  • Put all the prepared ingredients in your slow cooker. Add sweet corn, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and vegetable broth, as well as cumin, sweet paprika, bay leaves, salt and black pepper. Stir everything well to combine.
  • Cook on high for 6-8 hours or until cooked through. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. Serve hot with a spoonful of vegan yogurt, chopped avocados, jalapenos, lime and tortilla chips. Let cool and freeze in zipper bags for up to 3 months if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

Cook’s Tips

  • You can store this chili for up to 5 days in the fridge. 
  • This chili is perfect for meal prep. Freeze it for up to 3 months in freezer bags and reheat on the stove or in the microwave. Add a bit of water or vegetable stock if it's too thick.
  • Use leftover cooked beans for this chili for a quick and nutritious meal. Just throw the rest of the ingredients in your crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours.

Recipe Variations

  • Use other types of beans that you like in place of black and navy beans.
  • If you don't have time for soaking, just use canned or cooked beans. In this case the cooking time reduces to 3-4 hours (on high).
  • You can use any combination of the above-mentioned grains like uncooked quinoa or skip the grains and add lentils.
  • Cook this vegan chili on the stovetop for around 1 hour instead of using the slow cooker.

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 593mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1385IU | Vitamin C: 34.3mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 3.7mg
Tried this recipe?Follow @happykitchen.rocks on Instagram and show me the recipes you are making from my blog using the hashtag #happykitchenrocks!

Other Vegan Soup Recipes You’ll Love:

  • One Pot Vegan Minestrone Soup
  • Easy Vegan Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
  • Vegan Roasted Carrot Soup with Lentils
  • Silky Vegan Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients for Vegan Chili in a Slow Cooker Pinterest
Slow Cooker Vegan Chili Pinterest
Vegan Chili in a Bowl Pinterest

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes, Fall Recipes, Lunch Recipes, Recipes, Soup Recipes, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Recipes, Winter Recipes

About Elena Szeliga

Elena Szeliga is the founder of Happy Kitchen.Rocks, where she shares delicious and healthy vegetarian and vegan food, from weeknight dinners to veganized classics and gourmet appetizers. Her recipes have been featured at Better Homes & Gardens, BuzzFeed, Country Living, The Kitchn and Reader’s Digest. Her mission is to help cook easy vegetarian and vegan meals with simple and fresh ingredients. Read more about Elena.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anais says

    June 6, 2020 at 10:19 pm

    Oh wow, I totally didn’t see that your slow cooker is much bigger than mine. I’ve used mine for years and never had a problem with recipes before but now that I’m about to add the tomato sauce, there is just absolutely no room for it and things are about to spill over! So…as strange as it felt to have to do this, I took cups of ingredients out. 🙁 I’ll try to cook them later?

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      June 7, 2020 at 9:20 pm

      Hi Anais, I’m so sorry it didn’t work for you! What size is your slow cooker? You can scale the ingredients next time (this recipe makes 8 generous servings). And of course you can take part of the mixture out and cook it later. It’s great for freezing. Hope you still enjoyed the chili!

      Reply
      • Laura says

        October 18, 2020 at 7:30 pm

        Hi there,

        Thank you for the recipe. This looks amazing! I’m concerned about the previous comment because I’m using an instant pot with the slow cooker option. How big of a crockpot do you need so I can make sure my instant pot will work?

        Thank you!

      • Elena Szeliga says

        October 19, 2020 at 12:42 pm

        Hi Laura, what size is it? My slow cooker is 4 qt. If you feel like it’s not too big, maybe scale down the recipe? You can go to “servings”, click on “8” and pull the slider to the left. I would opt for 4 portions if you aren’t sure. Hope that helps!

  2. Cathy says

    December 29, 2019 at 11:23 am

    Hi, can this be done in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours rather than slow?

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      December 30, 2019 at 9:15 pm

      Hi Cathy, absolutely! 4 hours on high would be enough for this chili. Hope you enjoy the recipe!

      Reply
  3. Megan says

    December 2, 2019 at 8:22 pm

    5 stars
    First time trying this recipe. I used canned beans and quinoa (thank you for including that option!!) because I have a toddler and a newborn so time is precious. I used a can each of navy, white, red & black beans. Also, I cooked it in the instant pot on soup/stew mode for 30 minutes, came out perfect! So happy to add a delicious freezer friendly recipe to the book!

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      December 3, 2019 at 2:30 pm

      I’m so happy you enjoyed this chili recipe, Megan! My toddler loves it if I make it without jalapenos

      Reply
  4. Helena says

    May 5, 2019 at 2:19 am

    5 stars
    The fact that this chili is freezable makes it a truly amazing dinner recipe. Such a comforting meal!

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      May 5, 2019 at 11:28 am

      Yes, this chili is perfect for meal prep and it serves a crowd! Hope you enjoy it Helena 🙂

      Reply
  5. Michael McLaughlin says

    December 13, 2018 at 12:11 am

    5 stars
    I made your recipe last month, entered a chili cook off contest and won first prize in the Vegan category! Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      December 13, 2018 at 8:38 pm

      Wow! Congratulations Michael! SO happy for you! I’m glad my recipe helped you win!

      Reply
  6. Rebecca Wilson says

    April 28, 2018 at 7:55 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, I made this chili last night and it was the most yummiest vegan chili ever! I soaked my red and black beans the night before, then that morning put everything together. The only thing I did differently was, I used TVP because we had vegan tacos the night before so I had left over “taco meat” in the fridge. I just dumped that in about 1 hour before we ate. I also made vegan corn bread. Thank you for the recipe it’s my knew favorite vegan chili recipe!

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      April 30, 2018 at 9:19 pm

      Hi Rebecca, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your feedback! I’m so happy you loved the chili! It’s my favorite vegan chili as well 😉

      Reply
  7. Elena Szeliga says

    December 1, 2017 at 11:52 am

    Hi Caitlin, you don’t have to cook quinoa beforehand, just make sure you add it to your slow cooker at least 2 hours before the end.

    Reply
  8. Caitlin says

    December 1, 2017 at 12:29 am

    If I use quinoa does it need to be cooked first?

    Reply
  9. Jenni says

    November 10, 2017 at 1:32 pm

    5 stars
    This looks like such a great chili! I doubt anyone would even know that it was vegan! I love that it has so many great beans and grains in there! That would make it so hearty!

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      November 10, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      Thank you so much Jenni! True that, non-vegans love this chili too!

      Reply
  10. Anya says

    November 9, 2017 at 6:13 am

    5 stars
    Hi, your chili looks delicious! I plan to make it this weekend. But, how do you freeze it? After it’s been cooked or before? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Elena Szeliga says

      November 9, 2017 at 9:09 pm

      Hi Anya, great that you plan to make it this weekend! Hope you’ll enjoy it! You want to freeze it after yo make it and let it cool down. You can use freezer plastic bags or containers. That way all you have to do is to thaw it before you want to eat it. I usually move a bag from the freezer to the fridge in the evening and next day I have a dinner ready! Just warm it up in the microwave/stove and garnish as you wish. Hope it helps!

      Reply

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