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!

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 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 amazing 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 dish that only tastes better on the next day, just like ratatouille, grain stew with sweet potatoes or vegan minestrone soup.

This crockpot 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/sour cream, chopped avocados, jalapenos, lime and tortilla chips. Let cool and freeze in zipper bags for up to 3 months if desired.

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.

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

Print

4.66 from 20 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, the best vegan chili, vegan chili

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Slow cooking time 8 hours

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 260kcal

Author Elena Szeliga

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

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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