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The most delicious, nutritionally-dense chili recipe you will ever try! This is one of my favorite recipes that I continue to work hard to perfect, and it’s one I never get tired of. This chili is so filling and satisfying and there are so many ways to enjoy it! Whether you throw it on a bed of chips or fries, or add your favorite toppings and enjoy it straight out of a bowl, this is the epitome of comfort food and the best meal to make during the cool weather months.
Below is a step-by-step guide to making this wholesome chili, with a full recipe summary and measurements at the bottom of the page.
Here’s an informational list of the ingredients you’ll need to prepare this spicy vegan chili:
- Onion: White or yellow onions will work best for this recipe. I typically use sweet yellow because I enjoy their milder flavor. Onions are rich in antioxidants and other compounds that help to fight against disease and cancer.
- Carrot: This common vegetable is a great source of vitamins and nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin K, calcium and beta-carotene, which is found in many orange fruits and vegetables and supports immune health and eye health.
- Garlic: Aside from the incredible flavor garlic adds, it also has major health benefits and strong anti-inflammatory properties that can protect you from illness and disease.
- Spinach: This leafy green is high in antioxidants and helps manage blood pressure. Fun fact: spinach is actually one of the vegetables that is more nutritious after being cooked.
- Mushrooms: I typically use Baby Bellas when cooking with mushrooms, but any kind should be fine. Mushrooms are another good source of vitamins, protein and antioxidants.
- Bell pepper: Some major health benefits of bell peppers are their high concentration of vitamins and nutrients such as Vitamins A, C, B6, K, and E, and potassium and fiber.
- Poblano pepper: These, along with all other peppers, contain a compound called capsaicin which gives them their spice and has been found to show many health benefits. Some benefits of poblanos are reduced inflammation and cancer-fighting antioxidants, like quercetin. Overall, these peppers are a great immune booster. Pro tip: Charring peppers before adding them to any recipe is a great way to enhance their flavor. You can do this on a gas-lit stove or barbeque, but since my home runs on electric, I typically just use a small kitchen torch. You can find the one I use here: https://amzn.to/3ShwSm9
- Butternut Squash: Like carrots and other orange vegetables, butternut squash is loaded with beta-carotene and also alpha-carotene, which our body converts to Vitamin A and in turn supports our immune health. It’s a great source of fiber and potassium and can help regulate blood sugar and also blood pressure.
- Corn: In it’s purest form, corn is an excellent source of vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants, such as Vitamins A, C, and B6, and helps to prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.
- Black beans, Red Kidney beans, & Pinto beans: Legumes are packed with protein and fiber as well as other essential vitamins to fight against illness and disease. I always try to buy the salt-free cans if they have them so that I can maintain a healthy sodium intake, since too much can lead to negative effects. When eating a plant-based diet, it’s very important to ensure you are meeting your daily protein requirements. According to the CDC, your daily protein intake should make up approximately 16% of the calories you consume. Since beans contain roughly 8 grams of protein per one half cup serving, consuming them on a daily basis is a great way to ensure your meeting those needs.
- Diced tomatoes: Even canned tomatoes are a great source of nutrients and contribute to a reduced risk of cancer and heart disease by lowering cholesterol and boosting the immune system.
- Tomato paste: A key flavor enhancer in any recipe it’s used in. This concentrated form of tomatoes adds a richness of flavor and helps to thicken and bind the ingredients for this delicious chili.
- Vegetable broth: Vegetable stock, broth, or bouillon will work equally fine.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, coriander, oregano, allspice, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper: It’s all about the spices when it comes to the flavor of this chili! In addition to their amazing taste, there are added benefits when it comes to including these in this meal. According to NutritonFacts.org, spices offer a wide range of benefits and are known to improve health issues such as cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, and they can even be mood boosters! Therefore, it’s important to include at least a small amount of herbs and spices in your daily diet.
Pro tip: I always try to buy my produce and herbs from the local farmer’s market because the quality of flavor makes a huge difference! Plus I love to support my community and the environment, and you can’t beat the piece of mind of knowing exactly where your food comes from. I encourage you to check out your local farms (if you haven’t already) and see what they have to offer!
Step 1:
Gather your ingredients and get chopping! You’ll need to chop the onion, carrots, green bell pepper, mushrooms, poblano, and mince the garlic if using fresh.
Step 2:
Start by adding the garlic, onions, and carrots to your pressure cooker and set the SAUTE setting to 7 minutes. After a couple minutes, add the tomato paste and mix it in well to coat all the veggies. Sauté for another 4-5 minutes, or until the tomato paste is sticking to the bottom of the pan, stirring every minute or so.
Pro tip: Sauteing the veggies and dried herbs with the tomato paste really intensifies the flavor of the soup by reawakening the herbs and maximizing the rich depth of flavor concentrated in the tomato paste.
Step 3:
Once the tomato paste is sticking to the bottom of the pan and starting to brown (pictured on the right), add a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze and be sure to scrape off all the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Then add the remaining vegetable broth, and all other ingredients to the pot.
Step 4:
Cook on High Pressure for 15 mins.
That’s all there is to it! You can store this veggie chili in the fridge for up to 7 days, or even freeze it to enjoy in the future. If you try this recipe and enjoy it, share it with a friend and comment down below. I always love to hear your feedback!
Don’t own a pressure cooker?
Don’t worry! You can always cook this on the stove or use a slow cooker, it will just some extra time. Using a pressure cooker is a great time saver and also allows your food to retain a lot of it’s vitamins and nutrients, whereas cooking in open containers with exposure to oxygen can lead to a loss of nutrients and flavor. I literally use my Instant Pot almost every single day and highly recommend investing in one to save yourself some time and energy! Here’s a link to the one I have been using for years: https://amzn.to/3z1656A
Spicy Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 charred poblano diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups butternut squash diced
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 8 oz. mushrooms diced
- 10 oz. spinach chopped
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 15 oz. can pinto beans drained
- 1 15 oz. can black beans drained
- 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans drained
- 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes
- 6 oz. tomato paste
- 2 1/2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- optional toppings: green onions, sour cream, cheese, jalapeños
Instructions
- Add onions, carrots, and garlic to a pressure cooker and set SAUTE feature to 7 mins. (See notes for slow cooker or stove-top instructions.)
- After a couple minutes, add the tomato paste. Mix well to coat all the veggies, and sauté another 4-5 mins, or until the tomato paste is sticking to the bottom of the pot, stirring every minute or so.
- Once the tomato paste starts to brown on the bottom of the pot, add a splash of vegetable broth to deglaze and scrape all the bits off the bottom.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and mix well.
- Cook on High Pressure 15 mins.
