This Hearty Vegan Chili is hearty, meaty, healthy, full of protein and is oil-free and low-fat! It has chewy buckwheat, red kidney beans and chickpeas for the ultimate texture and lots of spice for a great depth of flavor. Served with Lemon Cream Sauce and chopped poblano peppers for the perfect vegan chili ever!
HEARTY VEGAN CHILI
Growing up in Texas, chili was a big part of our meals. We love deeply flavored chili. Hearty chili. If you serve me chili, it had better have a good amount of the most important ingredient=chili powder! 1 or 2 teaspoons of chili powder does not taste anything like true chili to me. My Dad made the best chili ever. I mean, ever. But it was, of course, full of meat and it cooked on the stove about 6 hours minimum. It was his own recipe and it was fantastic.
Now, these days, I refuse to spend 6 hours on a recipe, haha. Shoot, even 1 hour is pushing it. But I still need my chili to have a great texture and flavor. I don’t want it watery and I need that kick of heat.
For this hearty oil-free vegan chili, I took inspiration from another type of chili I ate a lot of. Those 2 alarm chili kits. Have you ever had those? Oh my gosh, they are SO easy and so delicious and they add a LOT of chili powder. Those kits were straight-forward with very few ingredients, just how I like it.
So, my recipe is very similar to one of those, but of course without the meat. Instead of meat, I used buckwheat for a wonderful, chewy and meaty texture. It is amazing! I also used chickpeas and kidney beans for variety. You can use any beans you like. I made the very first version when I whipped this up using 2 cans of chickpeas and just found it was too many chickpeas, so doing half chickpeas and half kidney beans was perfection to me.
That mixed with the buckwheat gave incredible texture and you won’t miss the meat, I promise!
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHILI
First, you will need to gather these 8 ingredients (+salt/pepper/water):
- 2 cans of your preferred chili beans (I used chickpeas and red kidney beans and felt those worked best for texture)
- raw buckwheat groats
- onion
- garlic
- chili powder (and cayenne for extra heat)
- cumin
- smoked paprika
- tomato sauce
- maple syrup or agave (optional, but recommended)
To a small bowl, add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and cayenne (if using) and whisk well. Set aside.
Add 1/4 cup water to a large pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes, stirring often to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn.
Add the bowl of pre-mixed spices and stir for about 30 seconds to lightly toast the spices and absorb any residual moisture.
Add the 2 1/2 cups water, tomato sauce, maple syrup (if using) and beans and stir well. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. The chili will be very watery at this stage, but don’t worry, it will be thickened nicely after 30 minutes of cooking. Once boiling, cover and lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes to soften the beans.
Stir in the buckwheat and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chili thickens beautifully and the buckwheat is tender. It should be thickened like in the photos, but still with some liquid.
Taste and add any more salt if needed. I found 3/4 teaspoon to be absolutely perfect. Add cayenne pepper if more heat is desired. Top with desired toppings.
TOPPINGS FOR CHILI
The toppings are endless for this vegan oil-free chili, but my favorites for both taste and texture are the following:
No chili is complete without my Vegan Lemon Cream Sauce. This is the most popular sauce on my blog. Readers LOVE this sauce and it makes the perfect compliment to spicy chili and acts as a sour cream. Although, in my humble opinion, it tastes way better than sour cream! The sauce has been so popular with readers, that it is also in my Cookbook.
- fresh chopped red onion
- fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
- green onions
- chopped poblano pepper. O.M.G. This was a game changer topping for me. Especially if you can find a good, spicy one, it provided a lovely crunch and kick of heat, without being too spicy. Not to mention, the flavor of poblano peppers is so good! Definitely recommended
That Lemon Cream Sauce swirled into the chili is next level delicious.
MORE VEGAN CHILI RECIPES READERS LOVE!
- 30 Minute Vegan Mexican Chili
- Vegan Pumpkin Chipotle Chili
- Pumpkin Red Lentil Chili
- Low-Fat Chili Cheese Fries
- Sweet Potatoes with Chickpea Chili
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Hearty Vegan Chili (Oil-free)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160g) finely diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon (15g) minced garlic (5 large cloves)
- 4 tablespoons salt-free standard American chili powder (I use and recommend my homemade blend)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt & 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/4 cups (300g) salt-free tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- two 15oz cans of beans of choice, drained & rinsed (I used 1 can chickpeas and 1 can red kidney beans and felt those worked best for texture)
- 1/2 cup (90g) uncooked white quinoa for high protein OR 2/3 cup (120g) raw buckwheat groats for a more meaty texture
Optional Toppings
- chopped fresh poblano pepper (so delicious on top!)
- Lemon Cream Sauce (the perfect balance to the spiciness)
- fresh cilantro
- red onion
Instructions
- To a small bowl, add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt and pepper and cayenne (if using) and whisk well. Set aside.
- Add 1/4 cup water to a large pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes, stirring often to make sure the garlic doesn't burn.
- Add the bowl of pre-mixed spices and stir for about 30 seconds to lightly toast the spices and absorb any residual moisture.
- Add the 2 1/2 cups water, tomato sauce, maple syrup (if using) and beans and stir well.
- Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. The chili will be very watery at this stage, but don't worry, it will be thickened nicely after 30 minutes of cooking.
- Once boiling, cover and lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes to soften the beans.
- Stir in the buckwheat and bring back to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the chili thickens beautifully and the buckwheat is tender. It should be thickened like in the photos, but still with some liquid.
- Taste and add any more salt if needed. I found 3/4 teaspoon to be absolutely perfect. Add cayenne pepper if more heat is desired. Top with desired toppings.
Not seeing tomato sauce in the ingredient list but see it in the directions. How much? Can you update? Thanks so much for your wonderful recipes.
It’s listed right under the water “salt-free tomato sauce”.
Hi,
I made this once a while back and it was awesome!!
At that time I thought this recipe called for 1/3 cup grouts? When I revisited this recipe quite a while after making it the first time I saw 2/3 cup grouts!
Did this change from the first Post?
Thanks so much
Michelle
How do you cook this in an instant pot? It seems it must have been an instant pot recipe based on the comments.
Here is the instant pot version: https://thevegan8.com/vegan-instant-pot-chili/
How can this recipe be adjusted so that it is not spicy? The aftertaste is way too spicy.
How can people without an Instant Pot make this recipe on the stove top?
Make the regular version! https://thevegan8.com/vegan-chili-oil-free/
At what point does the liquid smoke go in, it’s just listed an ingredient without instruction? Otherwise it looks good
With the other liquids in step 4, sorry about that, I’ve fixed it.
We made some tweaks, but over all LOVED this recipe! We didn’t have any buckwheat groats so I eliminated them entirely. I only had one can of black beans so I used some marinated baked tofu I had leftover in the fridge. Excellent substitution! Also added chopped carrots and some frozen corn since we didn’t have the buckwheat. Tossed in the liquid smoke toward the end of cooking since I wasn’t sure when it was supposed to go in. Did I miss it in the instructions? All in all, excellent recipe. Will make it again for sure!
Hey Brandi, I’m trying to log this for my fitness tracker. I’m need to know the nutritional values which uses serving size and calories per serving. I need to know the calories per serving size, and the serving size (either in ounces or cups) and the number of servings the recipe makes (3-4 doesn’t work well for the recipe analyzer). (Also helpful per serving: calories, total g. of fat, g. of carbohydrates, mg. of sodium, g. of sugar and g. of protein.) Thank you. I enjoyed the chili!
Hi John, I added it to the recipe card. Each serving will be about 2 cupfuls/standard soup bowl.
We loved it!! I had a small bowl and when I went back to the pot, it was gone! Why? Because my husband and his brother gobbled it down, LOLOL. Really very good chilli. Thank you.
Haha that’s so awesome!!!
Oops – forgot to leave a rating with my last comment
After two years of procrastination, I FINALLY made this chili. It is AWESOME!!! Hubby is ecstatic! I made it as you recommend, but opted to not include cayenne. Perfect! The groats give it a chewy, meaty texture. Hands down the best chili I’ve ever had! My only comment…..since I typically cook in bulk….is that this doesn’t make as much as normal “soup” recipes (you did accurately state it only makes 3-4 servings). I normally make 6x recipes….I’ll probably make 9x of this next time. And yes….next time will be soon!
I’ve made this recipe a couple of times and it is a hit with my carnivorous family. This chili has Excellent texture and flavor, and so easy. I am just learning to cook vegan and oil feee, so your recipe and tutelage are most helpful. Great site Brandi – well done and a thank you! Jerry
Just made this and loved it! The only slight changes I made: 2 cans of kidney beans; a bit less cayenne; and used a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce (a little bit more than recipe). Loved the buckwheat groats—wow—so clever! I didn’t make the lemon cream sauce but may try that next time although it’s perfect without it. This is my favorite chili recipe because of the flavor, texture, and ease to make and will definitely make again and again. Really appreciate that your recipes are oil free and healthy and plant based—exactly what I need. Thanks so much for another delicious recipe!
Made this tonight- it was AMAZING!! Used black beans because I didn’t have kidney, and bulgar wheat because I didn’t have buckwheat. The lemon cream sauce is SO GOOD in it!! The only thing I still add fake meat to is chili because I love contrast of the crumbles with the beans..but this has all the contrast and is so much healthier and more delicious! I can’t wait to try your other chili recipes but this one will be hard (impossible?) to beat!
So very happy to hear this Cori, thank you for the lovely review!! That is what I love about buckwheat, it really gives a meaty crumble texture, so definitely try that next time too, if you can!
Definitely going to get the buckwheat for next time—-though I can’t imagine it getting any better:) also stocking up on chili powder! Thank you!
Made this last night and was delicious! It is fiery though, even without the cayenne. I added cashew milk at the end and will probably have the chilli powder next time. The lemon sauce was delicious as well.
This was amazing! I used chickpeas and red beans. Subbed the buckwheat with red lentils. Will definitely be on my rotation!
So happy to hear it Tamara!
My local HEB did not have the Buckwheat Groats 🙁 What else could I use instead?/Where else could I find Buckwheat Groats?
Thank you!
Izzy
I’d try online on Amazon or something if you can’t find it locally. Many things seem to be harder to find this year, I so order several thing online from either Amazon or Walmart, makes it easier, as anything can be found online!
This soup is soooooo delicious! I just ate 2 bowls. haha
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes with us Brandy.
Love,
Lala
I make chili quite often once fall hits because it’s easy, healthy, and delicious. I’ve made many of the chili’s on this blog (all amazing). But this chili. THIS one—it’s the only one I make any time I have guests or plan to serve others. Everyone—and I do mean everyone—goes crazy over it. The oat groats give it an incredible texture that feels really hearty, and the flavors are all so vibrant! Always my go-to!
Unsure if you’ve read the book “in the flo” but I’ve been trying to sync my cycle and as a vegan I’ve been trying to find a recipe that includes buckwheat and kidney beans… and since it’s getting colder I came across this recipe and it is added to my meal plan. I can’t wait to try it.
Thank you for this, your effort is noticed and appreciated.
Made this chili last night and it was PERFECT. Your recipes are always the first that come to mind when I do feel like putting in some effort with a savory recipe (haha I’m so lazy with my own meals/non-blog recipes!), and this one did not disappoint! Seriously, the spice amounts are perfect and it was SO so flavorful. Love that it doesn’t call for 50+ ingredients like most chili recipes, but still so flavorful and satisfying. So happy we doubled the recipe and have leftovers!
So I was daunted by the chili powder amount and only used 4 tablespoons for a doubled recipe and it was amazing like that. Based on these comments I’ll try for the full amount next time. I also used bulgur (because I can’t read, apparently 😉 ), added celery, carrots and hominy and it was so good. The maple syrup added a richness that I wouldn’t have thought. Just clipped it to my Plan to Eat!
So glad you enjoyed it! Haha, chili powder is more of a warmth spice than super spicy, unlike cayenne, for example. True classic chili always has a good amount. But so glad you loved it with half the amount, thank you Elyse!
I just made this tonight and it turned out great. I didn’t use the lemon sauce due to lack of ingredients. I used canned diced tomatoes and leftover tomato paste because that’s what I had on hand. Who knew I’d been using too little chili powder all my life! Next time I’ll use more buckwheat because it wasn’t that noticable. I plan to try more of your recipes. Thanks.
Absolutely stunning recipe and in answer to an earlier post, I substituted mixed quinoa for the buckwheat and it was wonderful
I made this last night. I doubled the recipe and used one can each of black, pinto, kidney and garbanzo beans. I used uncooked wheat berries in place of the groats, because that’s what I had on hand (the bag said they cooked in 15 min so I thought it would be okay). I was daunted by the volume of chili powder, but I have never had one of Brandi’s recipes turn out less than fabulous, so I trusted. I hesitated with the maple syrup, because we don’t really care for sweetness in our meals, but I added half, tasted it, then the other half. I set my insta pot to 10 min low pressure, like another reviewer said, and let it naturally release on a one hour drive to a dinner party. I had to keep reminding myself that Brandi’s recipes have never let me down, because normally you wouldn’t test a new recipe at a dinner party, and I hadn’t even tasted it yet. It turned out amazing, and everyone wanted the recipe. We served it over baked potatoes, with all the toppings Brandi suggests, including the lemon cream. Thanks so much for another winner dinner, Brandi!
So glad you trusted my recipe and loved it, haha! Yes, the maple syrup is a tiny amount for a whole pot of chili and it’s never added to make it sweet, as you saw in the end, it only balances out the heat magically and is wonderful to the overall flavor. That much chili powder is so classic here in Texas and is so good and not spicy, but rather, just deeply warm flavored. So glad you loved it in the instant pot too!