The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili Recipe is wholesome, delicious and easy to make. Comforting and healthy freezable dinner packed with nutrients and flavors!
It’s hard to believe that this wholesome chili is vegan! 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 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 when you’re back, your home will smell like heaven!
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 slow cooker vegan chili!
I was always amazed by the power of sharing food that brings people closer. But there is something special about having chili for dinner. To me, it brings the “homey” feeling of comfort, warmth and coziness. Making this vegan chili (or my perfect vegan sloppy joes) for dinner is a great way to enjoy the presence of your loved ones and feel comforted and peaceful.
Why Make Slow Cooker Vegan Chili
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;
- Adjust the hotness to your taste and make it kid-friendly;
- It makes a great portable 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 a food that only tastes better on the next day, just like ratatouille, grain stew with sweet potatoes or vegan minestrone soup.
This slow cooker vegan chili is a delicious and comforting meal that comes together within minutes, and then your slow cooker does the rest of the work!
How to Make The Best Cooker Vegan Chili
For this slow cooker vegan 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.
Start with soaking your beans and grains in water overnight. If you don’t have time for that, just use canned beans and quinoa.
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!
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.
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.
Here is the full recipe for you, hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
The Best Slow Cooker Vegan Chili
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!
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!
I’m so happy you enjoyed this chili recipe, Megan! My toddler loves it if I make it without jalapenos
The fact that this chili is freezable makes it a truly amazing dinner recipe. Such a comforting meal!
Yes, this chili is perfect for meal prep and it serves a crowd! Hope you enjoy it Helena 🙂
I made your recipe last month, entered a chili cook off contest and won first prize in the Vegan category! Thank you!!
Wow! Congratulations Michael! SO happy for you! I’m glad my recipe helped you win!
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!
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 😉
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.
If I use quinoa does it need to be cooked first?
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!
Thank you so much Jenni! True that, non-vegans love this chili too!
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!
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!