Craving something healthy and hearty that won’t make you feel like you ate a ton of bricks? Our epic vegan chili bowl recipe is the best thing. It has the depth of flavor and textures of a thick, savoury, traditional meaty chili — without the meat of course. It has the bonus of being great for heart health and healing to the gut. Do you want an easy introduction to plant based dishes that all family members will enjoy? Well, keep reading!
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My husband Kris has been experimenting with all kinds of whole foods recipes this past year. He started improving his cardiovascular health and athletic performance by focusing on plant based meals. His impressive personal results motivated him to delve deeper into vegan nutrition. He has developed several entrees with simple ingredients – like this great recipe for vegan chili – that will be sure to entice you meat eaters over to the plant side.
Loaded With Fiber
There is a lot of hype about fiber and its health benefits. For good reason. Dietary fibers are non-digestible carbohydrates, yet are critical for digestive health. Not getting enough fiber can lead to many problems down the line: constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes and some forms of cancer. Eating plant-based foods like our vegan chili is a great way to get lots of much needed fiber into your diet.
Fiber comes in two forms: soluble and insoluble. The body’s digestive enzymes cannot break down either forms.
Foods with Soluble Fiber
- Oat bran, barley
- Beans, lentils, peas
- Various fruits (apples, citrus, strawberries, kiwi, etc)
- Psyllium (Metamucil, etc)
Foods with Insoluble Fiber:
- Whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, kamut, etc)
- Whole wheat
- Wheat bran
- Nuts and seeds
- Various vegetables (corn, cauliflower, potatoes, etc)
How does Fiber Work?
When soluble fiber reaches the intestine, healthy microbial organisms feast on them. These organisms ferment the fiber and create short chain fatty acids which can now be absorbed. These short chain fatty acids reduce inflammation, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Insoluble fiber cannot be degraded by our digestive enzymes nor be consumed by our gut microbiome. Instead, it binds to enterotoxins and attracts water into the large bowel. These actions help the body speed up the movement and processing of waste. In other words, it helps create bulk to promote healthy and regular bowel movements.
Food as Prevention
Canadian gastroenterologist and graduate of the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program, Dr. Ganguli is a huge supporter of switching to a plant based diet. Over the many years of his medical practice he has seen substantial improvements in his patient’s overall health from transitioning to a plant based lifestyle.
Loaded with resources, his website Food as Prevention inspires and educates people on the health benefits of adopting a vegan diet. I love that he has highlighted a variety of plant based recipes that his patients and fellow healthcare workers have tested and shared.
“Beans beans are good for your heart...”
Benefits of Beans
Beans and legumes are the main ingredient in many plant based dishes. Though not always given the attention they deserve, beans have superfood status. In other words, not only are they an amazing source of soluble fibre, they have high levels of protein, antioxidants and iron.
Studies have shown that the resistant starches in various kinds of beans can help you lose weight and help to prevent cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Adding beans to your diet will also help you get your daily recommended protein requirements if you decide to adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet.
We used canned beans in this recipe as it was what we had on hand. It is worth noting that canned beans have salt added in the canning process. If you need to be on a restricted sodium diet, it may be best to use dry beans. If using dry beans, make sure that you soak them overnight first. This reduces the naturally occurring raffinose sugar that causes uncomfortable bloating and gas.
Whichever type you choose, make sure to rinse thoroughly and strain before adding beans to your dish.
Plant-Based Protein
It seems that protein is everyone’s favorite macronutrient these days. It also seems to be a concern whenever plant based meals are discussed. Why? There is an out-of-date notion that plant proteins are “incomplete”.
You see, all proteins in the body are molecules made up of combinations of about 20 amino acids. Nine of these amino acids cannot be made by the body and we must get them from food sources. They are considered essential amino acids.
Foods that contain all essential amino acids are called “complete proteins”. For years there has been a myth that plant proteins are incomplete and therefore inferior to animal protein. This chili recipe is loaded with plant protein and will meet the needs of even the most robust athletes.
In addition to beans, there are many other protein rich plant foods that can be added to dishes. This recipe has an added protein punch. Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and can be used as an excellent meat substitute in so many dishes. Tempeh gives the chili the chewy texture of ground meat that people miss when they eat meatless chili.
We use Lightlife Original Tempeh for this recipe. One 227 gram package is all you need to give your chili some extra protein oomph.
Condiments that Compliment Chili
There are some things that just “go with” a bowl of chili. And this vegan chili recipe is no exception. Finely chopped scallions, lime juice and a dollop of your favorite vegan sour cream elevates chili to another level. On occasion we enjoy sprinkling a little shredded vegan “cheese” on our chili as well. We love Daiya cheddar cheese shreds for this. Scoop it all up with a crunchy tortilla chip and you have a little bit of heaven right there.
Needed Equipment
You’re going to need a cutting board and a good sharp knife because there’s a lot of chopping with this recipe. Also, you’ll need a grater to break down the tempeh into “ground beef” textured morsels.
We cook the chili using a large pot on the stove but you can certainly use a large dutch oven or even experiment with a slow cooker as long as it has an option to sauté the onions on medium heat at the beginning.
So get to it! Many ingredients you will likely have in your fridge and pantry. Everything else can be easily sourced at any grocery store. I’ve included notes in the recipe notes ingredients you may use substitutions for — although I can’t guarantee that it will be as moreish as in our original ;).
The Epic Vegan Chili Bowl Recipe
Equipment
- 1 medium pot
- 1 grater
Ingredients
- 2 cups spanish onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 2 cups carrot finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper finely chopped (we used green)
- 2 jalapeno peppers finely chopped with stalks and seeds removed. Can substitute with other chili peppers for more heat.
- 1/2 cup corn frozen
- 1 cup sweet potatoes chopped
- 540 ml canned red kidney beans
- 540 ml canned pinto beans
- 540 ml canned black beans
- 227 gm Lightlife Original Tempeh grated
- 1 lime juiced
- 796 can crushed tomatoes
- 369 ml can tomato paste
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or honey or maple syrup
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup steel cut oats
- 2 cups water can use vegetable broth if preferred
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
Optional Garnish or Topping Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan sour cream
- 1 cup vegan cheese shredded
- 1/2 cup scallions finely chopped
- 1/2 cup cilantro fresh, chopped
- 1 lime cut in wedges
Instructions
Prepare the Veggies
- Peel the carrots and sweet potato. Chop into small cubes and set aside in a bowl for later.
- Peel the outer layer of a large Spanish onion. Chop into small pieces and set aside in a bowl.
- Peel three-four cloves of garlic and finely mince. Transfer to the bowl with the onion.
- Chop the celery into small pieces and set aside.
- Grate the tempeh using a cheese grater.
Making the Vegan Chili
- Add olive oil to a large pot. Sauté the onions, garlic and celery on medium-high heat until the onions are transparent.
- Add carrots, sweet potato, bell pepper and jalapeño peppers.
- Add grated tempeh to the pot and stir to combine.
- Add salt and spices to the pot and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, lime juice and water.
- Add steel cut oats, beans, corn and stir.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Toppings
- Wash scallions in cold water. Pat dry with a clean towel, finely chop and place in a small bowl.
- Wash cilantro in cold water. Strain and pat dry with a clean towel to remove access water. Finely chop and place in a small bowl.
- Fill a serving bowl with the vegan chili. Spoon a dollop of vegan sour cream on top. Sprinkle some chopped scallions and cilantro. Serve with a wedge of lime.
