This vegetarian chili recipe is easy to make in 30 minutes on the stovetop. It’s loaded with veggies and perfectly seasoned with a homemade spice mixture. It's a healthy, hearty and cozy meal.
Mix cumin, coriander, paprika, chili powder, sugar, sea salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Add sweet potato, water, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, onion and minced garlic to a large pot, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are soft (about 10-15 minutes)
Add bell peppers, carrots, corn, shredded zucchini and the remaining 1 TBS olive oil to the sweet potatoes in the pot, cover and cook until carrots are soft (about 10 minutes).
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilies, spice mixture and beans and stir until evenly distributed.
Cook over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, reduce heat to a simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until ready to serve, stirring occasionally.
Serve with your favorite chili fixings! Our favorites include sour cream, green onions, cheddar cheese, and crushed tortilla chips!
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Notes
Ingredient Substitutions Note: you can replace any vegetable with an equal amount of another vegetable if there's a veggie you don't prefer listed in this recipe.
Olive oil. Avocado oil or canola oil are good substitutes for olive oil.
Onion. Use red, yellow, or a sweet white onion.
Minced garlic. Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic, just add it with the spice blend.
Sweet potato. You can substitute your favorite potato here, but I prefer sweet potatoes (yams).
Bell peppers. any color variety of bell pepper works well in this recipe. If you like to add some heat, use spicier peppers.
Shredded zucchini. I like to shred it so that it's undetectable to my kids. You can dice it if you prefer.
Corn. Fresh and frozen corn both work well in this turkey chili.
Spice mixture. I have written this recipe with the spice ratios and combination that we enjoy the most. If you change it I cannot guarantee the results. The one thing I will say is that you can add more chili powder, or some cayenne powder to increase the heat if you wish (we like mild chili).
Fire roasted tomatoes.You can substitute regular canned, diced tomatoes.
Black Beans. I use one can of black beans because my husband does not prefer beans, so I don't like to make our chili too "beany." However you can add another can (2 cans total) if you love beans. You can also use any type of beans you like. My other favorites are kidney beans, great northern (white) beans, and garbanzo beans (chickpeas).
ServeServe with your favorite chili fixings! Our favorites include:
StoreStore leftover vegetable chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. FreezeYou can freeze this vegetarian chili in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat by thawing it in the refrigerator overnight and warming it on the stovetop.