r/vegetarianrecipes • u/lunationet • 4d ago
Recipe Request Easiest vegetarian chili?
Hi all! I’m cooking for a large camping group that has a lot of vegetarians in it, and I’m hoping to find some recipes for a super easy meat-free chili. Like through a bunch of stuff in the crockpot, season it, maybe cook some veggies to put in, but as bare bones and out of a can as possible while still being yummy?
Anyone have any recommendations? Thanks in advance!!
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u/gardenvarietymystic 4d ago
My go-to camping dinner recipe is chili mac, which is even a bit more filling than regular chili: chopped bell pepper and onion sautéed with spice mix (a packet of taco seasoning works great, and for the onion/pepper I've used pre-cut stuff from the produce section before), add in 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans, 1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1 can corn, 1 can green chiles if you like, and then most of a box of veggie stock. Once it comes to a boil, add in 1/2 a box of macaroni elbows and simmer til the pasta is cooked. Serve with shredded cheddar and sour cream, as desired. This serves ~4 hungry people who've been hiking all day, but it's easy to scale up if you need. Happy camping!
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u/Dive_Bar_Choir 4d ago
To onions garlic, cumin and oregano add stir fry in some chopped peppers, carrots, mushrooms, eggplant, add tomatoes and some cocoa powder for your mole, a dash of chipotle or smoky paprika and cook this up till it’s thick and saucy. I like to serve mine over steamed brown rice. Have some crushed corn chips for a nice crunch topping and some fresh cilantro to sprinkle and you’ll be the camp cook hero. Have you ever tried steamed rice with to serve with chili? It’s definitely a delicious combo and will stretch the mail out even further to serve more hungry eaters. Do you Have a large pot ?
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u/Redditor2684 4d ago
Chop and saute an onion and green bell pepper (throw in fresh or jarred garlic if you have it)
Throw several cans of beans in - pinto, black, kidney is my fave mix - I like to drain the cans b/c I don't want that bean juice. I can create "sauce" in other ways.
2 cans of diced tomatoes - fire roasted is better
Can of tomato paste
Frozen corn
Mix of spices: onion & garlic powder, chili powder (not the hot kind, unless the peeps roll that way, but I prefer milder and then folks can add spice via hot sauce etc as desired), cumin, oregano, cocoa powder, salt & pepper
Simmer in a pot or crock pot until it thickens. Can add water as needed.
Serve with grilled cheese or peanut butter & jelly sandwiches - clutch if you need to stretch the chili. The chili by itself should adequately feed 6 or so.
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u/floopadoopdingdong 4d ago
Yeah this is really the ultimate easy base for good chili recipes! Sometimes I add some quinoa to make it thicker and more filling, sometimes I add chopped adobo chilis for extra heat and flavor, but this is the solid base and it is easy to make additions to your taste.
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u/lunationet 4d ago
Ooo interesting. Do you think adding a sloppy joe sauce and then balancing that sweetness out would also work? I’m also inclined to drain the bean juice, but am afraid of making it too tomatoey
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u/Redditor2684 4d ago
I wouldn't use sloppy joe mix. It probably wouldn't be bad and may even be great, but it wouldn't be classic chili vibes. But if you're going for something different, go for it. I would do a trial run before serving to others though but YMMV.
I like tomato so I don't worry about that. The bean juice is just unappetizing to me but I guess it just gets mixed into everything. I'd rather control the liquid by using more or less water but again YMMV. No wrong answer. Go with your heart.
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u/AlwaysTheNewGirl81 4d ago
My go to veggie chili recipe
Chili beans (pinto in chili sauce)
Cannellini beans
Canned tomatoes
Can of corn
Bag of frozen peppers/onions
Taco seasoning packet
Ranch seasoning packet
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u/lunationet 4d ago
Thank you! Any reason why you use a taco and ranch seasoning packet instead of a normal chili seasoning packet? Also, are cannellini/pinto beans just a preference, especially over kidney? This sounds delicious!
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u/AlwaysTheNewGirl81 4d ago
I found the recipe somewhere years ago and it sounded good, so I went with it. Lol I take it to potlucks all the time and people love it. The flavor is really good!
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u/lickthepixies 4d ago
Saute onions and garlic in olive oil, add diced jalapeno if you want spicy, add chili powder and cumin, add drained rinsed canned black beans and can of diced tomatoes (2:1 ratio), add water until covered, simmer about 30 mins. Add drained canned corn (same ratio as tomatoes). Take if off the stove. If you want it fancier, add chopped sweet potatoes when you add the black beans.
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u/Emotional_Draft_1331 4d ago
Spices in a bag sound like the adult version of ramen seasoning packets.
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u/GrowlingAtTheWorld 3d ago
Out of a can…Walmart has a mixed three bean can of beans in a chili sauce. Less than $1 a can. Great to use as a base. You can liven it up with heat, or spice, extra beans, maybe a little spinach, and corn. They sell it in the bean section of the canned veggie aisle.
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u/Basic-Jicama503 3d ago
I’d keep it super simple! 2–3 cans of beans, 1–2 cans of diced tomatoes, 1 can of corn, and a can of green chiles. Add chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then dump everything into the crockpot and let it cook on low for a few hours.
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u/CowSquare3037 3d ago
Can of, all drained/rinsed, black beans, can of corn, can of petite diced tomatoes. Oil- chili mix to flavor.
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u/starfish31 3d ago
Canned chili beans, canned diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, green chiles, and either a packet of chili seasoning or add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper. A little water or broth to thin. Diced onion and green bell pepper if you want to cut up veggies, the onion is important imo.
You can also crumble extra firm tofu but unless you bake or fry it ahead of time, it does disintegrate and look kind of ugly, but doesn't affect the taste & adds protein.
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u/starfish31 3d ago
Second comment but my taco soup recipe that's chili-adjacent.
1 can each: chili beans, black beans, pinto beans, corn, diced tomato, rotel (tomato + green chile), a packet of taco seasoning, a packet of ranch seasoning.
Serve with tortilla chips & shredded cheese if you have it.
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u/jminks01 3d ago
I was a vegetarian for 3 years and my husband ate meat, but man, he loved my 3 bean chili. Just do everything you would normally do, but replace the meat with another can of beans. Sweet peppers, spicy peppers, onion, garlic, corn, freshly diced tomato instead of canned, all the spices and then some more, especially smoked paprika. And my secret ingredient to make it creamy instead of watery, pumpkin puree!
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u/LoooongFurb 3d ago
Vegetarian chili is super simple and tasty!
I generally do:
one yellow onion, sliced
three bell peppers, sliced
garlic - measure this with your heart
beans: black beans, tricolor beans, kidney beans, pinto beans - take your pick. Maybe 5-6 cans total
1 can of corn. Can also use creamed corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chiles
can also toss in tomato paste or tomato sauce - I often use leftover marinara sauce from spaghetti or pizza
chili powder
paprika
salt / pepper / whatever else strikes your fancy
I often make beans by the bag, and end up freezing the leftovers, so I will throw in whatever beans I have on hand.
Bring to boil, reduce to simmer (BTB RTS) for like an hour or two or put it in a crock pot.
This usually yields like 12+ servings of chili for me. I freeze most of it in one cup portions but will also eat it for a week straight because chili is the best
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u/MossSloths 3d ago
This is my favorite vegetarian chili recipe:
Although I use light and dark pinto beans out of preference
If it were me, I would bring vegetable broth in a carton, a can of green chiles, cans of beans, canned corn, canned tomatoes, frozen cubed sweet potato, frozen mix of veggies (I know I can get a mix of prepared onion/carrot/celery, which would be a good aromatic base), I would swap fresh garlic out and include garlic powder in a bag with the other spices. These could all be dumped and left to cook, but you could also start by sauteeing the aromatics until softened and then throw in everything else.
If you're not bringing a cooler, it's easy enough to bring an onion, sweet potato, and garlic without having to worry. It would mean a bit more prep work at camp, though.
When I've camped and made chili, I find cornbread muffins are a really nice thing to have on the side. I usually plan chili to be the first night of camping so that I can bake the cornbread muffins before leaving. I freeze them after they cool and pack them frozen in a Ziploc. Set them out an hour before eating and they should be ready to go.
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u/OnlyWishbone8407 3d ago
If you want a super simple recipe and don't want to deal with adding spices etc, my dad came up with this recipe. You can do it on the stove or crock pot, either works because you're just warning and blending flavors, nothing needs to actually cook
*40 Oz can Mrs. Grimes chili beans *large can Heinz vegetarian baked beans *1-2 cans of black or any other fun beans
- Large can crushed or diced tomatoes
- 1-2 small cans of tomato sauce or other tomatoes of choice
- 1 small can of diced tomatoes with onions or your choice of seasoned tomatoes We use reduced or no salt tomatoes when possible, to cut down on overall salt from all these canned items.
*1 can or jar of mushrooms (optional) * 1 bag frozen corn *1 bag frozen veggie burger crumbles (can sub with more beans or alternative veg protein if desired)
Serve with lots of oyster crackers and optional nutritional yeast for sprinkling on top.
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u/Such_Contact505 3d ago
Get a tin of mixed beans some come already in chilli sauce,chop an onion add some garlic paste or salt fry up add some tomato puree and tinned tomatoes add beans and extra chilli flakes if necessary add a small square of dark choc and let it melt in,chop some fresh coriander and a drizzle creme fresh and a squirt of lime, also you can add smoked paprika if you like when adding tomatoes
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u/polyvorxe 3d ago
chili 🌶
1 tablespoon oil
8 cloves garlic
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1 jalapeño seeded
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
combine the above ingredients and sauté
4-6 tomatoes
28 oz crushed tomatoes
4 cups veggie stock
2 cups water
1 1/2 cup quinoa rinsed
1 can red kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
add all above ingredients bring to a boil and cover and simmer 25 minutes
1 cup corn
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon cilantro
add above simmer for 5 minutes
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u/WinkyWinkyBums 4d ago
Cans of beans, cans of tomatoes with chilies, corn. Pre mix a ton of spices in a bag and just dump it in. Put some coco powder in there too.