Crock Pot Vegan Chili
This vegan crockpot chili is so good because it combines hearty beans, fresh vegetables, and savory spices, slow-cooked to perfection for a rich and comforting flavor. Easy to prepare and perfect for meal prep, it’s a nutritious and delicious dish that everyone will love.
Believe it or not, chili can be made healthy without loads of saturated fat and calories with this amazing healthy chili recipe that even has meat-eaters licking their lips. We have other meatless chili recipes that get great reviews like this Instant Pot vegan chili and my one-pot vegan chili mac. If you are in a hurry, this 15-minute black bean chili can save the day!
My own late mother-in-law who grew up on a farm used to say she couldn’t believe that this crockpot chili doesn’t have ground beef in it, and she would always ask me to leave a bowl of it for her dinner. Sometime back, a follower actually won a cook-off with this meatless chili recipe!
Reasons to love this bean chili recipe
- Rich and Hearty: This crockpot vegan chili is packed with a variety of beans, vegetables, and spices, creating a rich and hearty dish that’s perfect for satisfying your cravings.
- Can be Gluten-Free: I use bulgur wheat to create a ground beef texture, but gluten-free substitutions are also included.
- Convenient and Easy: With minimal prep time and the convenience of a slow cooker, this chili is incredibly easy to make, allowing you to enjoy a delicious meal with little effort.
- It’s Different: Unlike other meatless chili recipes that only use beans, we include grain to create a chewy ground beef texture.
Ingredients you will need
- Cooked beans- Use black beans, pintos, kidney beans, or any others you prefer.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes– Diced tomatoes can be used but fire-roasted add more flavor.
- Bulgur– This adds a crumbly ground beef texture. I have included some gluten-free options below.
- Veggies- We use onions and garlic.
- Seasoning- Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and other spices round out the warm flavor.
What is bulgur wheat?
Bulgur is one of the most important ingredients in this recipe. It is a whole wheat grain that is cooked exactly like rice in about 15 minutes. Follow package directions.
I like to make a big batch of it and store it in the freezer to use in recipes like tacos, stews, nachos, etc. because bulgur adds a ground beef texture and soaks up the flavors of the dish you’re preparing. We have a great article on this website to answer all of your bulgur questions on how to cook it and recipes.
There is no need to precook it for this recipe. Just toss in 3/4 cup of dry bulgur.
How to make vegan crock pot chili
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
STEP #1: Drain and rinse canned beans before using them. To do this, I dump them into a colander and rinse them. Personally, I like to use canned beans for this recipe because I like a variety of different kinds in my chili.
However, you could just use one type of bean for the whole recipe. This is especially good if you want to make your own beans fresh. Remember to make sure your beans are already cooked before adding them to the crockpot.
STEP #2: Place all ingredients–onions, garlic, cooked beans, tomatoes, veggie broth, bulgur, maple syrup, and spices–in a crockpot on medium and allow to cook for 4 hours. You can also turn the setting down to low and cook for 6-8 hours.
Stovetop cooking method
STEP #1: Drain and rinse canned beans before using them to remove excess sodium and starch. I do this by pouring them into a colander and rinsing them under running water. I prefer using canned beans for this recipe because they’re convenient and allow me to mix different varieties for a more flavorful chili.
Remember to make sure your beans are already cooked before adding them to the crockpot.
STEP #2: Place all ingredients–onions, garlic, cooked beans, tomatoes, veggie broth, bulgur, maple syrup, and spices–in a stockpot on low heat and allow to cook for 4 hours. You can also turn the setting up to medium and cook for 2 hours.
Instant Pot instructions
STEP #1: Drain and rinse canned beans before using them. To do this, I dump them into a colander and rinse them. Personally, I like to use canned beans for this recipe because I like a variety of different kinds in my chili.
STEP #2: Dice the onion and garlic and add them to your Instant Pot. Press the SAUTE button and allow them to begin cooking in the dry pan. Watch closely, and when they start to turn a little brown, add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable broth and stir to let them caramelize a little bit.
STEP #3: Add the cooked beans and all of the other ingredients EXCEPT the fire-roasted tomatoes. Stir everything together well.
STEP #4: Next, spread the fire-roasted tomatoes across the top of the mixture but DO NOT STIR. This is because tomato-based products that touch the bottom of the Instant Pot cause them to burn.
STEP #5: Place the lid on your Instant Pot, lock it down, and turn the vent to SEAL. Set to MANUAL and allow the chili to cook for 6 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure and then the timer will begin to count down the cooking time.
STEP #6: When the timer beeps once the cooking has stopped, do a quick release of the vent. You may want to use a spoon or dish towel to do this if there is much steam coming out.
STEP #7: Remove the lid and serve. Some great topping options are my Tofu Sour Cream and fresh chives or jalapenos.
*Originally published October 07, 2015.
Make it gluten-free
Substitute Buckwheat groats, brown rice, or quinoa for the bulgur wheat to make this recipe gluten-free.
Award-winning vegan chili recipe
Sometime back, someone won a Chili Cookoff with this recipe.
I won our chili cook Off contest at work today with your recipe. I proudly let everyone know it was vegetarian and shared your recipe! Thank you!”–Sally
Pro tips & suggestions
- Cooked Beans: Either canned or freshly cooked beans work well with this recipe.
- Bean Types: Any type of beans can be substituted. Great options include kidney beans, cannellini, navy, pintos, black beans, and others.
- Make it Spicy: To add more heat or spice to this chili, simply add more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Topping Idea: Sometimes we like to top our chili beans with Tofu Sour Cream. It’s so easy to make with only 5 ingredients and a blender.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, use canned beans or precooked fresh beans for this recipe.
This recipe goes very well with my Country Cornbread or even a side salad. I sometimes serve it with crusty sourdough bread.
There is no need to cook the bulgur or other grain first. Simply toss it in the pot dry.
Yes. Substitute buckwheat groats, brown rice, or quinoa for the bulgur wheat to make this recipe gluten-free.
More Favorite Vegan Chili Recipes
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Crock Pot Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 4-1/2 cups cooked beans (3) 15 oz cans of beans, drained and rinsed. I use black, pinto, and cannellini
- 1 (15 oz) can fire roasted tomatoes with juice
- 3/4 cups bulgur wheat uncooked dry
- 3/4 cup onion, diced
- 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth low sodium
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup Worchester sauce without anchovies
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon season salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Drain and rinse canned beans before using them. To do this, I dump them into a colander and rinse them. Personally, I like to use canned beans for this recipe because I like a variety of different kinds in my chili.
- Place all ingredients--onions, garlic, cooked beans, tomatoes, veggie broth, bulgur, maple syrup, and spices--in a crockpot on medium and allow to cook for 4 hours. You can also turn the setting down to low and cook for 6-8 hours.
Video
Notes
- If you want to make chili in your IP, try this Instant Pot Vegan Chili recipe which is basically the same recipe.
- Either canned or freshly cooked beans work well with this recipe.
- Any type of beans can be substituted. Great options include kidney beans, cannellini, navy, pintos, black beans, and others.
- There is no need to cook the bulgur first. Simply toss it in the pot dry.
- To add more heat or spice to this chili, simply add more cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.
- Sometimes we like to top our chili beans with my Tofu Sour Cream. It’s so easy to make with only 5 ingredients and a blender.
- This Crock Pot Vegan Chili goes very well with my Country Cornbread.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I’m the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I’m passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to help others care well for their health and the bodies God has given us. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
Made this in my pressure cooker with a few modifications. Cooked 1 cup of each beans with 6 cups of vegetable broth and other ingredients except Bulgar. After beans were cooked i added 3 tablespoons of maple syrup and some liquid smoke and a sprinkle of Chipotle powder. Closed pressure cooker and set for 15minutes. Nice BBQ smokey chili flavor. Excellent flavor and texture. I will make it again and will plan on making this for friends and family that are meat eaters.
I just made this chili – it’s amazing!! Just thought I should share – also, I didn’t have pre-cooked bulgar so I added the uncooked and the extra liquid and it turned out great 🙂
I didn’t have Bulgur available so threw in soy curls. Still cooking and keeping my fingers crossed that it turns out ok!
All I can say is Wow! It still has 2 hrs in crock pot, but I keep going and stealing bites from it. I tweaked slightly, but it tastes amazing. I’ve never cooked Bulgar before, but I love how it looks like ground meat. I’ve tried several different WFPB chilis, but none a winner until now. I’m so excited to try more of your recipes.
I too love the texture of bulgur in chili. So glad that you are loving it. Happy cooking!
What is season salt, and how is it different from sea salt? I don’t want to put too much salt in it. Thanks
Very good point. I didn’t even realize that I had both salts listed. I would suggest just using season salt, as it is a mixture of salt, herbs, and spices like turmeric and onion.
I won our chili cook Off contest at work today with your recipe. I proudly let everyone know it was vegetarian and shared your recipe! Thank you
That’s AMAZING! You just made my day! Thank you for letting me know. I think I’ll share this on my facebook page! 😀
Is there a gluten-der substitute for the bulgar?
Some people say buckwheat groats work well as a replacement. I haven’t tried it yet though.
This was by far the best vegan chili recipe I have ever tried. The flavor from the combination of ingredients and seasoning was perfect. I made it in my instant pot cooking the bulgur and beans first. Added the rest of the ingredients and set for 6 minutes on manual. To cook the bulgur I added 1 c dry to 1 3/4 c water and cooked in the IP for 4 minutes. I did decrease to overall salt by 1 teaspoon but that was personal preference. I also used the catsup and found it to add the perfect flavor addition.
I live in Canada, and have never seen fire roasted tomatoes. Would a can of diced tomatoes work?
Mary, yes, diced tomatoes will work too. Fire roasted tomatoes just add a little extra flavor. Enjoy!
@Mary, Sobeys has them!
Three-Bean-Bulgur Chili—
Ingredients:
3 cans of beans, drained and rinsed. I used black, pinto, and cannellini
1 can fire roasted tomatoes, with juice
1-1/2 cooked bulgur wheat (This has a ground beef texture and soaks up flavors. Cooks just like rice in 15 minutes and can be found at most grocery stores.)
1 small diced onion
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups vegetable broth
¾ cup ketchup
¼ cup Worchester sauce (without anchovies)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. season salt
½ tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tsp. sea salt
Place all ingredients in crock pot on medium and allow to cook 4-5 hours.
Sounds good. ……going to get the crock pot out. Thanks!
I wonder if it’s a typo 3/4 cup ketchup? I used ketchup 75% less sugar. Chili came out way too sweet. Loved the look and the texture of this chili. I’ll make again later in the week using tomato paste instead of the ketchup.
Tomato paste or tomato sauce would be a great substitute for the ketchup. These colder days are perfect for chili. Enjoy!
@Terri, if I substitute tomato sauce should I use 3/4 cup as well? And any particular tomato sauce you would recommend?
Hi Ron- 3/4 cup tomato sauce should work just fine in this recipe. Hope you enjoy the chili!
Terri, would you consider posting pressure cooking instructions, especially from dry beans? I love this recipe!
Chris, I have never used a IP pot before, so I’m not sure about the cooking instructions. I’m sorry. Hopefully, someone on here that is IP savvy can chime in here.
Sounds wonderful. However, my slow cooker only has high & low. Guess 2 1/2 hours on high will do it. Take care.
Patsy, yes, I think that would work just fine. Happy cooking!
Looks good. I never pre-cook my bulgar…just dump it in, and it cooks and soaks up the flavor.
Do you add the extra water?
Susan, in this recipe, I only add the extra water if the bulgur is uncooked. Most of the time, I have bulgur cooked and frozen to be easily added to recipes. In that case with this recipe, I would not add the extra water, because the bulgur is cooked. If, however, I didn’t have any on-hand in the freezer and needed to add it uncooked (dry), I would need to add the extra water to allow it to cook in the crockpot with the beans and have plenty of moisture. 🙂
Your recipe says uncooked bulgur, but doesn’t mention adding extra water. How much water?
The recipe calls for 4 cups of vegetable stock, so that is all the bulgur will need to cook to the right consistency. Enjoy!
Looks awfully dry.
Carol, it shouldn’t look dry at all. Make sure you included the 4 cups of vegetable broth and 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes with juice. Did you only use the 3/4 cup of dry bulgur and include only cooked beans (either from a can or freshly cooked) before adding them?