The Best Vegan Chili Recipe (Served in a Hat)
This is the ultimate vegan chili recipe. None other is so delicious that it still slaps when served from a gentleman's cap with tortilla chips, or a lady's floppy brimmed hat with a ribbon on it.
Servings: 2 full hats (about 9 cups of chili)
Calories: 996kcal
Cost: $14
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups seitan hand torn, or coarsely ground in a food processor, or use store-bought vegan mince
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons Mexican chili powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced
- 2 teaspoons molasses
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes fire-roasted if available
- 1 cup unsalted vegetable stock or water
- 1 cup vegan refried beans
- 15 oz. can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 15 oz. can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped dark chocolate optional
Optional Garnishes and Serving Goodies:
- Hat(s) of your choice (express yourself with the power of hat!)
- vegan cheddar cheese shreds
- Pickled red onions
- Lime wedges
- Vegan sour cream
- Avocado slices
- Cilantro leaves
- Minced chives
- Vegan cornbread
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large pot. After 90 seconds when the oil is hot, add the ground seitan, or vegan ground beef and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until browned all around.
- Add the diced onion and red bell pepper, and continue cooking over medium-high heat, stirring regularly with a metal mixing spoon for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the minced garlic, black pepper, ground cumin, smoked paprika, the chili powder blend, oregano, tomato paste, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and molasses and sauté for 2-3 more minutes until fragrant.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable stock (or boring ol’ water), vegan refried beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and salt. Lower the heat to medium, and cook without a lid on the pot for 8-10 minutes, or until the desired consistency has been reached.
- Optionally stir in the dark chocolate at the very end for a deeper richer chili. And let it melt fully into the chili before serving.
- To serve, fill the hat(s) with the vegan chili. You can line the hat with a ziplock bag if you are a chump, or whatever. Otherwise, if you are like the least fun person in the galaxy, I guess you can forgo the hat entirely and just serve the chili in a bowl, or whatever.
- Garnish as desired with shredded vegan cheddar, pickled red onions, lime wedges, vegan sour cream, avocado slices, cilantro leaves, or minced chives. Some soft, sweet corn bread is a perfect accompaniment on the side. A weird faux-leather driving glove on the side filled to the brim with frothy ice cold root beer? Why not? Who can stop you?
Video
Notes
🚮Cast Away your Cast Iron: Use an enamel coated dutch oven or a stainless steel pot for this chili. Something with a nice thick bottom is great to prevent burning, but cast iron should be avoided, as the acidity of the tomato will draw out a slightly metallic flavor from the pot.
🔥 Sear-iously Good Seitan
Brown the seitan or vegan mince well in the first step to build a deep, savory flavor base and perfect texture for when it simmers with the other ingredients. 🎩 Choose Your Chili Chapeau
Pick a hat with a sturdy brim and deep crown to hold the chili without spills. Line it with parchment paper or a ziplock bag if you're feeling fancy, but if you’re eating chili from a hat, who cares about etiquette? 🔧 Thickness Tweaks
If your chili turns out too thick, gradually add vegetable stock or water until you hit the right consistency. Too thin? Let it simmer uncovered a bit longer to reduce and avoid drippy hat disasters. 🎓 Hat-tiquette 101
Ensure your chili-serving hat is clean and non-absorbent. Straw hats may soak up the chili, so opt for a plastic-lined fedora or a vintage cloche for a more practical and stylish experience.
Brown the seitan or vegan mince well in the first step to build a deep, savory flavor base and perfect texture for when it simmers with the other ingredients. 🎩 Choose Your Chili Chapeau
Pick a hat with a sturdy brim and deep crown to hold the chili without spills. Line it with parchment paper or a ziplock bag if you're feeling fancy, but if you’re eating chili from a hat, who cares about etiquette? 🔧 Thickness Tweaks
If your chili turns out too thick, gradually add vegetable stock or water until you hit the right consistency. Too thin? Let it simmer uncovered a bit longer to reduce and avoid drippy hat disasters. 🎓 Hat-tiquette 101
Ensure your chili-serving hat is clean and non-absorbent. Straw hats may soak up the chili, so opt for a plastic-lined fedora or a vintage cloche for a more practical and stylish experience.
Nutrition
Calories: 996kcal | Carbohydrates: 136g | Protein: 65g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Sodium: 4844mg | Potassium: 2939mg | Fiber: 40g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 4062IU | Vitamin C: 147mg | Calcium: 433mg | Iron: 17mg