Set it and forget it, easy and hearty crock pot vegetarian chili recipe is nourishing and flavor packed! This vegan and vegetarian chili recipe is make ahead ready and freezer friendly. vegetarian + vegan + gluten free

Pure comfort food during the chilliest seasons of the year, what could be more satisfying than vegetarian chili in the crock pot? It’s super simple to pull together, is make ahead ready and will wow even your meat eating friends and family! 

My Texas Roots

This was one of the many recipes I started working on after giving up meat long ago. Growing up in Texas, chili was a staple in every kitchen. In restaurants, it’s common on menus, served piled high with toppings or on burgers, fries, nachos, hot dogs and Texan’s beloved Frito pie (have you tried it?).

A plant based chili was unheard of back in the day. But it didn’t take long to realize a hearty vegan chili is suitable for even the most meat loving chili connoisseurs. This hearty vegan slow cooker chili has a rich spice base akin to its meat based siblings and a rich, full bodied texture.

What is this Vegetarian Chili Recipe Made Of? 

Heavy on the spices, the heat can be taken up or down. Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy crockpot chili:

• Dry Black Beans, Pinto Beans or Kidney Beans (optional) – **updated: see FDAs advisory on not cooking dry kidney beans in the slow cooker in recipe notes**
• Red Onion
• Bell Pepper
• Fresh Garlic
• Spices: Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Ground Pepper, Salt, Bay Leaf
• Jalapeños
• Chipotle Chili (optional)
• Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• Tomato Paste
• Lime
• Masa Harina

A variety of chilis enriches this vegan slow cooker chili’s flavor profile. Masa harina thickens the chili, lends body and offers a mild corn flavor. If masa harina is new territory, I encourage you to give it a go! I’ve linked to other recipes I use it in on the recipe card.

How to Make Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili

For this vegan 3 bean chili, you can use soaked or unsoaked (updated: except kidney beans**) dry beans. I found the window of cooking time to be close either way. Slow cooked chili maximizes flavor because the spices and seasonings are concentrated. Here’s how to make this easy crockpot chili:

• First, to soak or not to soak the beans. Soaking is optional (except for kidney beans – according to FDA, kidney beans must be soaked and boiled**). Sometimes I soak, sometimes I forget. Their’s not much difference in cook time.
• Second, in a 5 quart crock pot, add chopped onion, bell pepper and dry beans (or soaked).
• Third, to the crock, add the garlic, spices, peppers, tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Stir.
• Next, lid the crock and set the cooker to low or high.
• Last, about 15 minutes before serving, make a slurry with the masa harina and pour it into the crock. Lid again and warm through.

Share this hearty vegan slow cooker chili piping hot with cornbread and all your favorite condiments. 

Vegetarian Chili FAQs

Is Chili Better the Next Day? When cooking chili in the slow cooker, I can’t tell that much of a difference the next day. However, when cooked quicker on stove top, an overnight rest in the fridge gives chili a noticeable flavor advantage.

How far Ahead Can I Make Vegan Slow Cooker Chili? Chili’s flavor improves with a bit of time, so chili is perfect for meal prep. If refrigerating, the chili can be made up to days in advance. If needed after three days, freeze it.

Can I Freeze Vegetarian Chili? This crock pot recipe freezes with ease. Simply cool the chili then store it in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and gently reheat on stove top.

How Long Can you Freeze Vegetarian Chili? I’ve frozen chili for up to two months with good results, although you can probably freeze it for longer.

How Do I Thicken My Chili? In this healthy crockpot chili recipe, I use masa harina to flavor, give body and thicken the base. Masa harina is a signature flavor in American Southwest cooking. You’ll find it on the Mexican food isle in well stocked grocery stores or online. It’s made with ground corn soaked in a lime solution then dried. You’ll find this ingredient in tortilla chips, corn tortillas, and tamales as well as many Southwest inspired recipes.

What’s a Substitute for Masa Harina? Several readers from other recipes on Vanilla And Bean have used ground tortilla chips in place of masa harina. Grind the chips fine in a food processor – grind it as fine as possible – and use the it where you would masa harina in this recipe.

A Few Recipe Notes

• Although this recipe is vegan and vegetarian, it can be shared with a variety of condiments like avocado, cilantro, jalapeños, scallions, chopped onion, sour cream or shredded cheddar. Keep it dairy free by omitting cheese and sour cream. 
• My favorite side to share with this vegetarian chili recipe is cornbread and sliced avocado. Corn tortillas make a nice addition sans cornbread if time is short. Here’s my gluten free cornbread recipe that would be delicious with this chili! 
• Time to cook this crock pot vegetarian chili varies depending on bean age, the older the bean the longer the cook. It’s possible that a bean can be so old and dry it won’t cook through. I do not recommend eating under-cooked beans. If they are tough and not showing any signs of progressively getting softer, throw them out. Too, temperature variations range among slow cookers. Use the cook times as a guide.
• I’ve made this recipe with soaked and unsoaked beans. If using soaked beans, reduce the amount of water by about 1/2 C. Adjust as desired.
• Freezer Friendly? Yes please! This crock pot recipe freezes with ease. Simply cool the chili then store it in the freezer. Thaw in the fridge overnight and gently reheat on stove top.

**UPDATE: I’ve been cooking dry beans (including kidney) in a slow cooker for 20+ years without any ill effects but after a reader alerted me to a raw and undercooked kidney bean toxin, I updated this recipe with notes. Feel free to use a mix of black and pinto beans and omit the kidney beans.  Just because I’ve not experienced adverse issues, doesn’t mean there’s not the potential for others to experience it.  See page 254 on FDA’s Bad Bug Book for more info.

More Vegetarian and Vegan Chili Recipes to Love

• Vegetarian Tater Tot Hot Dish
• Kabocha Two Bean Chili
• Vegan Chili by Foolproof Living
• Vegetarian Chili by Green Valley Kitchen

Print Recipe

5 from 3 votes

Hearty Crock Pot Vegetarian Chili

Set it and forget it, easy and hearty crock pot vegetarian chili recipe is nourishing and flavor packed! This vegan and vegetarian chili recipe is make ahead ready and freezer friendly. vegetarian + vegan + gluten free | Use soaked or unsoaked beans in this recipe - if using soaked, reduce the water by about 1/2 a cup. **See note about cooking raw kidney beans in the slow cooker.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 10 mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American, Southwest

Keyword: Vegan Chili Slow Cooker, Vegetairan Chili Crock Pot, Vegetarian Chili Recipe Crock Pot

Servings: 6 Servings

Calories: 254kcal

Author: Traci York | Vanilla And Bean

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C (320g) Dry Beans unsoaked, I use 1/2 C each: pinto, black and kidney beans (see notes on soaking and FDA's cooking advisory on cooking kidney beans in the slow cooker).
• 2 C (230g) Red or Yellow Onion about one large onion
• 1 C (140g) Green Bell Pepper about one medium pepper
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 2 Tbs Dried Oregano
• 4 Tbs Chili Powder
• 1 Tbs Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Tbs Fine Sea Salt
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 3 Plump Cloves of Garlic smashed and minced
• 2 Tbs Jalapeno Pepper fresh or pickled, chopped fine. Remove seeds and ribs for less heat
• 1 Chipotle Chili Pepper (optional) from a can of chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce
• 14 1/2 oz (411g) Diced Fire Roasted Tomatoes from one small can, undrained
• 4 Tbs Tomato Paste
• 4 C (980g) Water see note if using soaked beans
• 3 Tbs Masa Harina mixed with + 1/4 C (56g) hot water
• Lime

Instructions

• Pick through the beans picking out any shriveled beans or small stones. Rinse the dry beans and place them in the cook-pot of a slow cooker. If using dry kidney beans, soak/boil them according to FDA's guidelines below in the notes (and make sure they're fully cooked) before adding them to the soup or use one can (drained) of already cooked kidney beans. Add them to the crock during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

  To the beans add the onion, bell pepper, cumin, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, salt, bayleaf, garlic, jalapeno, chipotle pepper (if using), tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Stir throughly and lid.
• Cook Beans (soaked or unsoaked):

  On High: 6 - 7 hours

  On Low: 7 - 8 hours
• About 15 minutes before serving, mix the masa harina with hot water until smooth and pour it into the chili. Stir. The chili will begin to thicken during the last minutes of cooking. The chili is done when the beans are tender, flavors are concentrated and the chili has thickened.

  Time to cook this crock pot vegetarian chili varies depending on bean age, the older the bean the longer the cook. It’s possible that a bean can be so old and dry it won’t cook through. I do not recommend eating under-cooked beans. If they are tough and not showing any signs of progressively getting softer, throw them out. Too, temperature variations range among slow cookers. Use the cook times as a guide.

  Give it a good squeeze of lime juice, about 1/2 a lime, and taste for salt adjustment.
• Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with any toppings you like: avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, sour cream, scallions, diced onions, lime wedges, sour cream or shredded cheddar.
• Store in the refrigerator in a lidded container for up to three days or freeze for up to two weeks. Thaw overnight in the fridge and gently rewarm on low heat on the stovetop.

Notes

*If using beans soaked overnight, reduce the water by 1/2 C then add more later if desired. According to FDA, kidney beans must be soaked for five hours. See **note below. 

**RAW KIDNEY BEANS: I’ve been cooking raw kidney beans for as long as I can remember in the slow cooker without any issues. But a reader recently alerted me to a raw kidney bean toxin that I felt it important to share here.  This from FDA:  Phytohaemagglutinin is a toxin found in raw and undercooked kidney beans. FDA advises kidney beans not be cooked in slow cookers and be soaked for five hours, strained then boiled for 30 minutes to destroy the toxin.  If you eat them raw or under‐cooked, they can cause you to have extreme nausea, severe vomiting, and diarrhea. Cooking the beans properly destroys the toxin. FDA Indicates not to cook kidney beans in a slow cooker. Slow cookers don’t get hot enough to destroy the toxin in kidney beans. For more info please see pg 254 of FDAs Bad Bug Book. 

More Recipes Featuring Masa Harina:

• Mexican Inspired Tofu Tacos
• Vegetarian Tater Tot Hot Dish
• Kabocha Two Bean Chili
• Slow Cooker Vegetarian Taco Soup
• Roasted Corn Zucchini Fritters

Nutrition is provided as an estimate and courtesy. If this information is important to you, please verify it independently.

Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1491mg | Potassium: 1036mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2336IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 147mg | Iron: 6mg

Tried this recipe?Loved it? Leave a comment below! Take a snap of what you made and share it on social: @VanillaAndBean, tag #VanillaAndBean!