Recipes

Basic Vegetarian Pantry Chili

The easiest vegetarian pantry chili, made with pantry staples. This basic recipe is packed with flavor and high in plant-based protein and fiber.

A quick and easy vegetarian chili made with basic pantry ingredients. This recipe was originally posted in 2020 and has been updated to add new photos and an improved flavor. If you’re looking for a nourishing meal that’s made with pantry ingredients, this recipe is for you. It’s also perfect for meal prep and it’s freezer-friendly! I love to make this recipe between grocery store trips, when my fridge is close to empty. Other than the garlic and onion (which I consider pantry ingredients), you don’t need any fresh produce or ingredients!

Not only is this an easy recipe, but it’s also very nutritious and comforting. It’s made with both beans and lentils, which makes this chili hearty and filling (and a good source of fiber and plant-based protein!). Serve this chili with avocados, cilantro and vegan cheese if you have those ingredients on hand. It’s also delicious with crusty bread for dipping.

Note that this is not meant to be a traditional chili recipe. It’s simply my take on a quick and easy vegetarian chili, made with simple ingredients.

Vegetarian Pantry Chili Ingredients and Substitutions:

Olive oil: Or a light-tasting oil, such as avocado oil.
Onion and garlic
Peppers: I love to add a jalapeno pepper, but you can add a bell pepper if you have one on hand. Of course the results won’t be the same, but it will add a bit of flavor.
Herbs and spices: Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano.
Canned tomatoes: You’ll need diced tomatoes (or whole tomatoes that you can crush) and tomato paste
Vegetable broth: You can use water if you don’t have any broth. Make sure to adjust the salt to taste.
Lentils: You can use dried brown or green lentils. Red lentils would work, but cook much faster (15 minutes instead of 30 minutes). I prefer to let the chili cook for a good 30 minutes to bring out the flavors.
Beans: Kidney beans or black beans work well. You could use other canned beans if preferred.
Cocoa Powder: Yes, you read that right. This will add a rich flavor to the chili. Don’t worry, it won’t taste like chocolate.
Soy sauce
Lime juice and/or red wine vinegar: To add acidity to the chili, which brightens the recipe.
Salt and pepper

How to Make a Simple Vegetarian Chili:

Here are the steps to make a simple vegetarian pantry chili.

Cook the onions and garlic
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add the peppers and spices
Add the jalapeño and/or bell pepper (if using) and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add in the chili powder, cumin, paprika and oregano. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cocoa powder and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the liquids and legumes
Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, lentils, beans and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked and tender.
Add acidity
Stir in the red wine vinegar. Taste and add more if needed. You can also add lime juice for more acidity and more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with toppings
Serve with cilantro, avocado, cheese and sour cream (vegan for a vegan chili).

Vegetarian Chili FAQ:

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes! This is a freezer-friendly recipe and it’s perfect for meal prep. Just make sure to let it cool completely before storing it in the freezer.

Can I make this recipe vegan?

Yes, this recipe is naturally vegan and it’s how I always make it. To make sure that it’s vegan, simply use vegan toppings.

Can I use different beans or lentils?

Yes, use any canned beans or dried lentils that you have on hand. I did add a note on red lentils in the ingredient notes above. Just keep in mind that the cook time might vary depending on the type of dried lentils you use. Make sure to cook the chili until the lentils are tender.

More Recipes You Might Like:

Basic Vegetarian Pantry Chili

The easiest vegetarian pantry chili, made with pantry staples. This basic recipe is packed with flavor and high in plant-based protein and fiber.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican, vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, finely diced (seeds removed for less heat)
1 bell pepper (red, orange or yellow), diced (optional)
3 tablespoons chili powder (see notes)
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 can (796ml/28oz) diced or whole tomatoes, with juices
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dry green or brown lentils
1 can (450ml/19oz) red kidney beans or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings

Avocado, sliced or diced
Cilantro, chopped
Cheese (vegan to make the recipe vegan)
Sour cream (vegan to make the recipe vegan)
Squeeze of lime juice

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Add the jalapeño and/or bell pepper (if using) and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add in the chili powder, cumin, paprika and oregano. Cook for 1-2 minutes, then stir in the tomato paste and cocoa powder and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, lentils, beans and soy sauce. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 25-30 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked and tender.
Stir in the red wine vinegar. Taste and add more if needed. You can also add lime juice for more acidity and more salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with cilantro, avocado, cheese and sour cream (vegan for a vegan chili).

Notes

A note on spice: Different brands of chili powders may have different levels of spice. I used 3 tablespoons and it was perfect for me. However, some have noted that the recipe was too spicy. For this reason, I recommend starting with half the amount of chili powder, especially if you don’t enjoy spice. Add more as needed.

You can skip the peppers if preferred to completely make this a pantry recipe. I typically just add a seeded jalapeño as I can’t handle too much heat. If you want a spicier chili, you can keep the seeds or use two jalapeño peppers.

I don’t recommend using green bell peppers as the flavor doesn’t work well in this recipe compared to red, yellow or orange varieties.

If you use whole canned tomatoes, crush them into smaller pieces. I actually prefer this over diced tomatoes as it adds a better texture.

If you don’t have any broth, you can use water. Adjust the salt to taste.

If you make this pantry vegetarian chili, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!

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View Comments

Gina says:

2020-12-16 at 3:10 pm

I liked how this recipe turns out quickly but I had to add an extra can of beans as it was way too hot (spicy)/ next time I will use one third the 3 Tbs Chill powder in the recipe and add more seasoning at the end.
- Nourished by Caroline says:
  
  2020-12-17 at 2:57 pm
  
  Hi Gina, I'm sorry it was too spicy for you! I wonder if your chili powder is different from mine as I have a very low spice tolerance and I never found it spicy. Of course everyone has different preferences. I'm happy you still liked it though! Thank you for the feedback.
- Janet says:
  
  2024-02-13 at 5:55 pm
  
  I made this exactly according to the recipe, but with a green pepper and no jalepeño. Unfortunately, it turned out so spicy and bitter that it was inedible. And I can take some spice. My chili powder was brand new, so maybe that was it? The green pepper was creating the bitter flavor I think, so I scooped all of them out at the end. Removing them helped some. Then I added 1 TB brown sugar and a can of drained and rinsed diced potatoes to try to cut down on the off flavors. Kind of helped, but not much. My partner ate some of it over rice but said his stomach hurt after. Just fair warning that you should NOT use green bell peppers, and you should cut the chili powder down to 1.5 TB.
  - Nourished by Caroline says:
    
    2024-02-16 at 1:23 pm
    
    Hi Janet, thank you for your feedback. I'm so sorry to hear that the recipe turned out this way. I wonder if the brand of chili powder and other spices made a difference. I actually can't stand a lot of spice myself and have never found this recipe to be too spicy to my taste. I will retest the recipe with different types of chili powders and adjust the recipe as needed. Sorry for that experience!
  - Nourished by Caroline says:
    
    2024-02-16 at 1:24 pm
    
    I should also have mentioned that I don't recommend using green peppers in this recipe. I recommend red, orange or yellow peppers only as the flavors differ quite a bit from the green pepper.
Stormy says:

2021-02-08 at 1:44 pm

Thank you for this recipe! I have the canned tomatoes and what not for chili but none of the peppers are or things! I was really having a brainfart on how to make a simple pantry chili and this really helped! =)
- Nourished by Caroline says:
  
  2021-02-08 at 4:33 pm
  
  I'm so happy you enjoyed this simple recipe! Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback. :)