This vegan tofu chili is SO GOOD. It’s meaty, spicy, and fills you right up. Loaded with tofu crumbles, beans, tomatoes, and all the crowd-pleasing chili flavors that will satisfy even the most skeptical meat eater. Top it off with a mound of shredded vegan cheese and a side of Homemade Vegan Cornbread and you’re good to go!
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Winter weather staples that are saving me right now: warm soups, hot cocoa, and spicy chili.
This chili recipe has a smattering of every type of chili I’ve eaten in my day. I swapped the ground beef for tofu crumbles, and added in all the classic spices and ingredients most people would expect (and probably already have) when heading into the kitchen to make a big pot of this good stuff.
Chili can be tweaked to match your preferences, so taste testing is a must. Want more texture? Add in another can of beans. Want more depth of flavor? Make sure to saute all the vegetables and simmer the chili for another hour. Want to crank up the heat? Add in more cayenne or chop up a jalapeño pepper and toss that in. Want to play around with spicy flavors? Cayenne powder will give you very spicy and pungent flavors, chipotle will be smoky and earthy, and ancho is slightly fruity and not as spicy. There’s little tricks to getting the chili to taste the way you want, I’ll share what I know below in a bit more detail. But first let’s rundown some recipe highlights.
What You’ll Need to Make This Recipe
Spices
To keep this meal easy peezy, I’m sticking with ground spices—chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon. You can substitute the smoked paprika for regular paprika on a 1:1 ratio. You can also substitute the red pepper flakes for cayenne if you want to kick up the heat. Use 1/2 to 3/4 as much ground cayenne to achieve the same level of heat. I would recommend starting with a smaller amount and adjusting up for taste.
Onions
Depth of flavor is a must when making chili, and to achieve that you’ll want to really brown the onions to deepen the flavor. The onions should go from crispy and pungent to a little softer and a little sweeter. A good 10 minutes here will do, until they turn golden. I use this technique in most of my savory dishes because it brings out the best flavor.
Cocoa Powder
Cocoa powder might seem like an off beat choice, but the combination of chocolate and chilis is actually nothing new. Both chili peppers and chocolate are native to Mexico and Central America, and often combined in dishes to lend some added depth and richness for a more savory and satisfying meal. I hardly ever make chili without it.
Canned Beans
This recipe calls for kidney and black beans, but any bean will do. Pinto, navy, and cannelloni beans have also worked really well in this recipe.
Vinegar
Vinegar might seem like another off beat choice, but it actually adds a splash of acidity to give the chili a nice flavor boost before serving. Apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, or sherry vinegar are all great options. One tablespoon in the pot is enough to brighten up the flavors. Ran out of vinegar? A squeeze of lime will also do the trick.
Tips For Making This Recipe
Cook the tofu and the onions separately. I’ll be the first to tell you I often combine this step out of sheer laziness. But if you’ve got the time or have a dinner party to impress, it’s best to cook these two separately. Cooking them together crowds the pan which causes the ingredients to steam instead of brown, and you might end up missing out on a good flavor-building opportunity.
Cook your chili the day before. Chili is almost always better the next day. After spending a night in the fridge, ingredients always seem to become one harmonious whole. This would be a good tip to keep in your back pocket for when you’re planning your next dinner party.
Short on time? Add tomato paste. Because tomato paste has an intense, concentrated flavor, it’s especially handy on those weeknights when you don’t have time to let a pot simmer for very long before serving. Mix in 2 to 4 tablespoons of tomato paste along with the spices and win back some of those deep, concentrated flavors.
Top It Off. I like to finish my chili with vegan cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, vegan sour cream, cashew cream, vegan yogurt, hot sauce, scallions, or avocado.
Storage. Chili will last about 3-4 days in the refrigerator, and freezes very well up to 6 months. Make sure to cool chili completely before freezing.
Did you make this recipe?
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Vegan Tofu Chili
Ingredients
tofu crumbles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 14-ounces extra firm tofu
chili
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- 1 14-ounce can kidney beans drained, rinsed
- 1 14-ounce can black beans drained, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Instructions
for the tofu crumbles
- Arrange tofu on large plate lined with 3-4 paper towels, top with more paper towels. Press firmly to release as much water as possible. Discard paper towels. Crumble tofu into a large bowl with your hands. Add olive oil, chili powder and paprika, and mix together with a wooden spoon.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, saute tofu crumbles until slightly browned, about 5-10 minutes. Set aside.
for the chili
- In a large pot over medium heat, add a tablespoon of water or olive oil. Add chopped onion and saute 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add in the garlic and cook 1 more minute (stir, stir, stir!). Add splashes of water as needed to prevent burning.
- Add the rest of the chili ingredients, except the vinegar, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes.
- Before serving, add a splash of vinegar and stir. Enjoy!
Notes
- Variations: You can replace the tofu crumbles with pre-packaged vegan meatless “ground beef” crumbles.
- Storage: Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days, and freezes for up to 6 months.
- Tip: If you like a thicker chili, use an immersion blender before serving.
