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A simple and delicious Vegetarian Chilli recipe. Perfect for vegans and meat eaters alike, this is a hearty, comforting vegetarian family meal that’s full of flavour.

Vegetarian chilli recipe with butternut squash and chipotle served with potato wedges and avocado

Hands up anyone in need of some good, healthy comfort food? Meeeeee!

It’s freezing cold outside here today, frost on the ground and all I want to eat is something that will warm me up without too much effort.

This vegan chilli, not only does all of those things (hello chipotle!) but also squeezes in a small mountain of veggies and beans to make you feel super well too.

Add some tortilla chips or potato wedges and even the kids love it.

You’ll love this Vegetarian Chilli because:

Vegan and so tasty you won’t miss the meat.
✅ A cheap and easy meal.
✅ Perfect batch cook for the freezer.

Butternut squash bags and beans in cans

This Veganuary I felt really motivated to try and add some vegan dishes to our weekly meal plan.

I think I had been put off feeling the recipes might be overly complicated, but I realised that if I could find some short cuts to making tasty vegetarian or vegan food, it would really encourage me to cook more meat free meals.

overhead shot of ingredients for vegan chili recipe; butternut squash, beans and tomatoes

What I used to make this Vegetarian Chilli recipe:

Soffito Mixture – This is one of my FAVOURITE shortcuts. I use this in place of onion, carrot and celery. Pre chopped and available in the freezer at lots of supermarkets. Of course you can use the individual veggies and chop them yourself if you prefer.

Butternut Squash – I actually used this mix of pre prepared Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato as it’s SO easy to use and tasty.

Mixed Bean Salad – This tinned bean mix is so easy to use, with lots of yummy beans already mixed and ready to use. If you prefer, you can use a couple of cans of different beans.

Chipotle Paste – This smokey, tasty chilli paste is my favourite shortcut to this tasty chilli.

Vegan chilli recipe with mixed beans in a can

What to serve with the Vegetarian Chilli recipe:

  • Homemade potato wedges.
  • Lime wedges.
  • Avocado slices.
  • Tortilla chips.
  • Cheese and sour cream (if you’re not vegan, or use vegan alternatives).
  • Rice.
  • Tortilla wraps.
  • Coriander or mint sprinkled.

Vegetarian chilli in a bowl with chipotle and butternut squash, avocado and lime

Tips for making this Vegan Chilli (or Vegan Chili if you’re American!):

  • This makes at least 6 portions and freezes really well. Portion up when cold, freeze and then reheat thoroughly when you want to eat.
  • You don’t NEED to puree some of the mixture, but I like the texture it gives. If you don’t have a hand blender, you could mash some.

Fancy some other vegetarian recipe inspiration?

Vegan chilli in a bowl topped with herbs, avocado and lime

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make this Vegan Chilli recipe. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ by the recipe.

Also, if you’d like to show me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see your creations.

4.84 from 12 votes

Vegan Chilli

A simple and delicious Vegan Chilli recipe. Perfect for vegetarians and meat eaters alike, this it hearty and full of flavour.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Ingredients 

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 Onion, Peeled and finely chopped (see Note 1)
  • 3 Carrots, Peeled and finely chopped (see Note 1)
  • 3 Sticks celery, Trimmed and finely chopped (see Note 1)
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, Peeled and crushed
  • 90 g Chipotle paste
  • 2 tsp Ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar
  • 700 g Butternut squash, See note 2.
  • 800 g Tinned tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Tomato puree
  • 800 g Essential Waitrose Mixed Bean Salad, See note 3.
  • 300 ml Vegetable stock
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Limes

To serve:

  • Limes, coriander or mint and avocado, wedges, tortilla chips or rice

Instructions 

  • Heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan and add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until starting to look translucent. (About 10 minutes). Stir to prevent them sticking.
  • Add the chipotle paste, ground cumin, brown sugar and cook for a further 10 minutes until everything is golden and fragrant.
  • Add in the butternut squash, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, mixed beans,stock and salt and pepper. Stir well, pop a lid on and cook for about 40 minutes until the butternut squash is soft.
  • Using a hand blender, blend SOME of the mixture to thicken the sauce. Add in the juice of 2 limes and stir well before serving.

Notes

Note 1 - Soffritto Mixture - This is one of my FAVOURITE shortcuts. I use this in place of onion, carrot and celery. Pre chopped and available in the freezer at Waitrose & Partners. Of course you can use the individual veggies and chop them yourself if you prefer.
Note 2 - Butternut Squash - I actually used this mix of pre prepared Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato as it's SO easy to use and tasty. You can use peeled and chopped regular fresh squash and/or sweet potato if you prefer.
Note 3 - Waitrose essential Mixed Bean Salad - This tinned bean mix is so easy to use, with lots of yummy beans already mixed and ready to use. If you prefer, you can use a couple of cans of different beans.

Nutrition

Calories: 392kcalCarbohydrates: 77gProtein: 19gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 687mgPotassium: 1896mgFiber: 17gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 17946IUVitamin C: 50mgCalcium: 191mgIron: 8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Family Food, vegetarian
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Sarah Rossi founder of TamingTwins.com and author of 'What's for Dinner?' books.

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3 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Used the recommended shortcut ingredients and it was fuss free and extremely tasty 😋 will be a regular batch cook for me going forward.