My slow cooker vegetarian chili is hearty, smoky, and rich with bold flavor—an easy set-it-and-forget-it meal perfect for busy weeknights or meal prep.
214.5-oz cans fire-roasted tomatoeswith their juices, diced
115-oz can tomato sauce
14-oz can Hatch green chilesdiced
1medium yellow oniondiced
1medium red bell pepperdiced
1medium jalapenodiced, remove seeds for less heat
3clovesgarlicminced
1cupvegetable broth
1tablespoonchili powder
1tablespoonbrown sugarpacked
2teaspoonsground cumin
1teaspoonsmoked paprika
1teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonground black pepper
1tablespoonlime juice
1tablespoonlow-sodium soy saucereduce to 2 teaspoons for regular soy sauce
Instructions
Dice the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Mince the garlic.
In a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker, combine the kidney beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato sauce, diced green chiles, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic. Pour in the vegetable broth.
Add the chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Cover and cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chili has thickened slightly.
Stir in the lime juice and soy sauce just before serving to brighten the flavor.
Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings such as shredded cheese, diced red onion, cilantro, avocado, or tortilla chips.
Notes
For added heat, stir in cayenne pepper or an extra jalapeño
For deeper flavor, add one minced chipotle in adobo sauce.
To thicken the chili, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
Mix up the beans: swap in a can of black beans or chickpeas if you prefer.