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Hearty, filling and slightly spicy, this Black Bean Chili is perfect for warming up on a cold winter evening. This vegan chili is gluten-free, healthy, and comes together super easily in your slow cooker. All you’ll need is a few minutes to prep everything, dump it all in the Crockpot and let it cook. It’s really a hug in a bowl!
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There’s just something about a warm bowl of soup or chili on a cold winter night, and it’s even better when it’s also a simple low effort recipe that’s delicious too.
Luckily, I have a nice list of favorites to pick from. My healthy white chicken chili and crockpot turkey chili are chock full of protein, and when I’m looking for a vegetarian option, I turn to my smoky black bean lentil chili.
Occasionally, I also like making my Cajun chicken sausage chili and my seafood chili which are an absolute treat for the taste buds!
Why You’ll Love This Vegetarian Chili Recipe
- Loaded with veggies: With black beans as the hero ingredient and lots of veggies added in, this vegetarian black bean chili is packed with fiber and nutrients similar to my vegetarian lasagna with spinach.
- Vegan and gluten-free: The recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free, making it a great choice for those with dietary restrictions. Plus, you can also customize it and try other variations of the recipe if you want to.
- Packed with flavor: Slow cooking actually helps the flavors deepen further. The result is a simple yet incredibly flavorful bowl of chili that everyone will love.
- Easy to make: You’ll barely need any prep time to make it! It’s the perfect set it and forget it meal you can put together on busy days when you don’t want to spend too much time cooking.
Ingredients
- Black beans: I used canned black beans here. They’re packed with protein and fiber, and are super versatile too. If you don’t have these, try using other kinds of beans like pinto beans or red kidney beans.
- Zucchini: Fresh zucchini adds a nice bit of texture to the chili, and is the perfect way to bulk it up too.
- Tomatoes: I used canned fire roasted tomatoes for the added flavor. You can use regular canned tomatoes too, but I would highly recommend using these, as they add a beautiful smoky depth of flavor to the dish.
- Tomato paste: For some extra tanginess and to create a nice rich and thick base.
- Onion and garlic: Any good pot of chili begins with this duo that adds a ton of savory and umami deliciousness.
- Seasonings: To season the dish, I used oregano, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Meaty chili: If you’re not vegan, you can add lean ground meat of your choice (chicken, turkey, and beef are great) to the chili too. Just brown if off in advance and add it to the pot with the beans.
- Spicy kick: To add an extra kick of heat to the chili, add some cayenne or red pepper flakes into the mix.
- Vegan protein: To make the chili protein rich, you can add textured soy protein granules or cooked quinoa into the mix.
- Extra veggies: You can also bulk up the chili with any extra veggies that you may have. Butternut squash, pumpkin, bell peppers, carrots, corn and sweet potatoes are great choices.
How to Make Black Bean Chili
Ready to make this chili with black beans? Start by getting all your ingredients ready.
Step 1: Add everything in. Chop up the zucchini into medium chunks and add them to the Crockpot along with all the other ingredients.
Step 2: Cook and serve. Cover and cook this on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Serve it immediately or refrigerate for later!
Storage Directions
- Storing: This slow cooker vegetarian chili stores really well. If you have any leftovers, transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them for about 3-4 days or freeze for up to three months.
- Reheating: You can reheat the chili in the microwave or in a pot over the stovetop at medium heat. If it’s too thick you can add a bit of water or broth to thin it out.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy a nice bowl of the black bean chili with your favorite toppings like sliced avocados, sliced green onions, lime juice, diced red onions, cilantro or even some fresh or pickled jalapenos.
Sometimes, I also like to serve it with my pumpkin cornbread or a slice of one of my favorite cauliflower bread recipes. If you like a bit of texture, top the bowl with some tortilla chips. I like baking my gluten free tortilla wraps until they’re crunchy, and then using them as a topping!
Expert Tips
- Flavor punch: To lend some extra flavor to the chili, drain the liquid from the canned black beans, and instead, use an equal amount of veggie or mushroom stock.
- Chop wisely: If you’re using a mix of two or more different kinds of veggies, chop them up properly. Veggies like sweet potatoes and butternut squash may take longer to cook than bell peppers and zucchini, so you want to keep them smaller in size to ensure they’re cooked to perfection.
- Stove top method: To make on the stove, just add all the ingredients to a heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven and let it simmer over medium heat for about 30-45 minutes, until the beans are soft and the zucchini is cooked.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes
If you tried this black bean chili recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Vegetarian Chili with Black Beans
Ingredients
- 3 Zucchini, chopped into 1″ pieces
- 30 oz Black Beans, 2 15 oz cans
- 56 oz Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 2 24 oz cans
- ¾ cup Tomato Paste
- 1 cup Onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional Greek yogurt for topping
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer 1 month.
Notes
- Flavor punch: To lend some extra flavor to the chili, drain the liquid from the canned black beans, and instead, use an equal amount of veggie or mushroom stock.
- Chop wisely: If you’re using a mix of two or more different kinds of veggies, chop them up properly. Veggies like sweet potatoes and butternut squash may take longer to cook than bell peppers and zucchini, so you want to keep them smaller in size to ensure they’re cooked to perfection.
- Stove top method: To make on the stove, just add all the ingredients to a heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven and let it simmer over medium heat for about 30-45 minutes, until the beans are soft and the zucchini is cooked.
- Flavor punch: To lend some extra flavor to the chili, drain the liquid from the canned black beans, and instead, use an equal amount of veggie or mushroom stock.
- Chop wisely: If you’re using a mix of two or more different kinds of veggies, chop them up properly. Veggies like sweet potatoes and butternut squash may take longer to cook than bell peppers and zucchini, so you want to keep them smaller in size to ensure they’re cooked to perfection.
- Up the protein: Add 1lb lean of cooked ground beef, chicken, turkey or tofu.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love using the slow cooker as it means dinner is ready when I’m tired after work and if doesn’t matter what time the rest of the family gets home- everyone can eat to suit their schedule! This is a yummy chili that I’ll make on repeat
Hi Megan, if I add ground beef to this, should I cook the beef first?
Yes, I would recommend you do that.
I’m sorry – I see it says there are 8 servings – but what is the serving size?
The serving size is 1/8th of the recipe. If you want to be exact, you would weigh the entire chili on a food scale in grams and divide by 8 to get the grams for one serving. I usually eyeball by dividing into 8 containers if I’m food prepping.
What could I sub the zucchini with? I could shred and mince it but my husband will still say he can taste it . what is with the zucchini haters of this world
You could omit it or replace with eggplant, spinach or kale. If you use the leafy greens, I would add a lot to beef it up.
Everyone is all about the chili, I wish Mr. Hungry liked spicy food!
I understand. Have the same issue with Matt.
I just made a big pot of 3-Bean Chili for the week. Yum!
I’m pretty sure you guys experience annoying heat like we experience annoying cold. I seriously need to buy property in multiple places so that I can just experience the best of both worlds #wishfulthinking
Become a snow bird!
I LOVE black bean chili! So yum! I eat a lot of vegetarian too but not because I am one. I just tend to like all the veggies!