Psssst...want to know a little secret? Tofu chili is the best vegan chili you will ever eat! Hearty, crumbly, and packed with protein, tofu is the game changing addition to meatless chili that you've been missing.
Guys, I've been holding out on you.
I can't believe it took me five years of blogging to share this secret: tofu is amazing in chili.
I can almost hear all the tofu haters out there scoffing. But you know what? One day, waaaaaaay back, I was a tofu hater myself. And tofu chili is definitely one of the top (at least in the top three) dishes that made me love it.
Let me explain.
You know how people say tofu takes on the flavor of what it's cooked with? Well, that's only sort of true. It depends on how you prepare the tofu. So, for example, if you dice up a bunch of tofu and pan fry it (say, using this method) and then drench it in sauce, it's just going to taste like tofu covered in sauce.
But if you crumble up your tofu and cook it in flavorful sauce, then your tofu sucks up the flavor, and it actually does end up tasting like what you cooked it with.
Chili is the perfect example of a dish where this method works. And bonus: the crumbly texture of tofu is perfect for taking the place of meat in chili.
Tip: to give your crumbled tofu an extra hearty, chewy texture that's perfect for chili, freeze it first! I talked a little bit in this taco recipe about how freezing tofu is a game changer in terms of texture. All you have to do is stick the tofu in the freezer (in the original packaging, or sealed up in a freezer bag), let it freeze solid, and then thaw it completely. Need more guidance? Read: How to Freeze Tofu.
If you forget to freeze your tofu the chili will still be awesome, so no worries there. But try to remember to freeze it if you can, because it's better that way!
How to Make Amazing Tofu Chili
So let's talk about how this chili comes together. First you'll sauté some onions and peppers, then the tofu gets crumbled up and added, along with some spices. This gives the tofu a chance to brown, and the spices get a little toasted, which enhances the flavor.
From there you add the tomatoes, beans and (my second favorite chili ingredient) some beer. Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes, but longer if you like the flavors to really mingle. I added a bit of corn at the end for extra texture and a touch of sweetness.
And that's it! Super easy right? Dish it out and top with avocado, cashew cream, scallions, cilantro, or whatever you like.
A Few More Pointers...
- This stuff is freezer friendly! Make a double batch and freeze half for later.
- If you're not into beer, just swap it out with an equal amount of vegetable broth.
- If you do use beer, check with barnivore to make sure the variety you choose is vegan.
- Adjust the spice level to your liking. I keep mine mild because my husband isn't into super spicy food, but feel free to up the heat with as much cayenne pepper and hot sauce as you like.
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Spicy Tofu Chili
Hearty, crumbly, and packed with protein, tofu is the game changing addition to meatless chili that you've been missing.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (14 ounce) package extra firm tofu, preferably frozen and thawed
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
- Cayenne pepper to taste, (optional)
- 2 (14 ounce) cans fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup vegan ale
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Vegan sour cream, cashew cream, or yogurt
- Hot sauce
- Chopped scallions
- Avocado slices
Instructions
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Coat the bottom of a large pot with oil and place it over medium heat.
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When the oil is hot, add the onion and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
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Add the garlic and crumble the tofu into the pot. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, ancho chile powder, and cayenne. Continue to sauté everything until the tofu begins to dry up a bit, about 5 minutes more.
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Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, black beans, kidney beans and ale. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.
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Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for at least 30 minutes, and up to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a bit of water if it becomes too thick during cooking.
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Stir in the corn and allow to continue simmering for about 2 minutes, until heated throughout.
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Remove the pot from heat and taste test. Season with salt and pepper to taste
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Ladle into bowls and top with toppings of choice. Serve.
Do you think this could be made in a slow cooker? Any adjustments?
I think so! I haven't tried this one, but most chilis work well in the slow cooker. You could either follow the recipe up to step 3 and transfer to the slow cooker, or just skip the sauteeing and dump everything in at once, omitting the oil. It will be a smidge less flavorful if you choose the latter option. I'd have to guess at the cook time, but I'd say 4-5 hours on low or 6-8 on high. Keep an eye on it - it's done when it's nice and thick, the peppers are soft, and the alcohol has cooked off.
If I use dried beans. What is the quantity before soaking that is equal to a 14oz can?
The recipe sounds great...
You'll need about 3/4 cup of each type of bean. I hope you enjoy!!
Whay can I use instead of ale?
You could use another type of beer or vegetable broth! :)
Oh no!! I've had some tofu go bad in the frige before and it was really gross. I hope you can give it a try again someday. The bolognese sounds delicious. :)
My kids LOVED this. Not a complaint in sight from either of them. I cut the spices down to their taste and used broth instead of beer.
Thanks!
You are welcome! I'm so glad you and the kids liked it!
I'm a big fan of meat, but I'm also trying to embrace tofu. So this seemed like an intriguing option. I'd never frozen tofu before, and I've never done anything but slice tofu so I'm not sure how the texture changed. The only ancho chile powder I could find was a giant $8 jar. I opted to substitute chipotle. I also don't care for the flavor of beer/ale and didn't want to buy a bunch just to use a cup. So I spoiled the vegan-nes of this recipe with some low-sodium chicken bone broth I had in the fridge. I ended up letting it simmer for the whole 90 minutes, figuring that would be best for the flavor. Now I'm no chili expert or anything, but it seems like this is missing something in flavor. Maybe I just have an atrocious palate, though. I certainly don't have the culinary know-how to figure out what might improve it. The tofu has a scrambled egg texture, and I'm not sure what I think about that. Texture is about 75% of my experience with food, so I'm missing that firm chunkiness of meat. But it's definitely not bad. I would make this again if I could figure out how to shore up the flavor. Maybe keeping the corn out would decrease the sweetness? I'm just not sure. I think I'm going to start making a bunch of different chili for work meals to study the food a bit more. Thank you so much for the recipe!
Hmmm...maybe try using a different brand of tofu. I find there's a lot of variation in firmness, even among those labeled as "extra firm." Trader Joe's and Soyboy are usually the firmest, so maybe try one of those if they're available. And for the flavor, you could try taking it up a notch by adding some liquid smoke. I LOVE it in recipes where I'm going for a meaty flavor, but I know it's hit or miss with lots of people (otherwise I'd include it in pretty much all of my recipes!). If you use it, try adding about 1/2 teaspoon at a time - a little bit goes a long way!
I will definitely give your suggestions a try! My dad used to use liquid smoke on burgers he made on his gas grill, so I've got no problem trying it out. As for tofu, I'll have to see what else is available next time I go to Whole Foods or Sprouts. My usual grocery stores have all the same stuff and zero variety in firmness.
I almost made this without the tofu (because I didn’t know if I’d like it in a chili) - what a huge mistake that would have been!!!
This dish is AMAZING!! I absolutely LOVED the crumbled tofu - it smelled SO good while sautéing with the garlic & ground cumin. This is the best chili I’ve ever made/had & I’m not even vegan or vegetarian!
Thank you for posting such a great recipe!
I really want to try this, with the freezing method. I want to drain the tofu. Should I drain it before freezing or after thawing? Thanks
Either way should be fine! I usually just stick a whole, unopened package of tofu in the freezer and then drain it after. Enjoy!
I just made this as a lunch meal prep for the week and it is DELICIOUS!!! The only thing I didn't add was the ancho chili powder because I didn't have any, but the level of spicy was PERFECT! I used about 1/4 ts of cayenne because I like mild flavor. Also, I didn't have enough time to freeze and thaw the tofu, but it was still extra firm tofu and it tastes just fine. I want to eat a bowl of it right now lol, but I will resist and save this for lunch. I will definitely be making this recipe again and adding it to the favorites list. I love that its a freezer recipe and super easy to make. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe. :)
I'm so glad you like it! Thank so much Ada!
I made this last night, my first time making chilli. We loved it. I put less chilli powder in as we generally don't eat much of it.Thanks for a great recipe.
Celeste,.Melbourne, Australia
I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for sharing your results Celeste!!
I made this chili for dinner before I was scheduled for surgery, the kids an hubby loved it! Didnt even have leftovers to put away! This is a first for me, I followed the recipe exactly minus the ale ofcourse. Who knew guilt free chili would taste so good?
I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks so much Moraya!
I was very skeptical. I’ve frozen tofu before but still used it cubed, not crumbled. I’ve never made a tofu dish that I liked or would make again. So imagine my surprise when this chili was very yummy! I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I basically made the chili that I used to make with ground beef. I’ve tried TVP and meatless crumbles in the past but didn’t like the result. This was delicious and as good as the chili I made pre-vegetarian days. Thanks for enlightening me on the use of frozen tofu. Now I want to try tacos and sloppy joes! I hope they are as good as this chili.
Yay!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Frozen tofu does work great in tacos and I love the idea of using it in sloppy joes! Thanks so much Kathy!
Just made this for the first time. Absolutely delicious and satisfying. Thanks for such an amazing recipe. Will be making this on a regular basis.
Wonderful! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Heidi!
How long does it take the tofu to thaw?
I'd say about 3 hours at room temperature, but if you'd like to speed it up you can either microwave the tofu or submerge it in some hot water.
Made it. No ancho chili powder or beer. Extra cayenne because i like spicy. Used celery instead of corn because I grow it and dont particularly care for corn. Portioned into 200 calories servings. Also did not freeze tofu, just dried it out real good before crumbling and cooking. This is delicious and I ain't gonna argue with it. A couple of my family members that claim to hate tofu didn't even know until they were done scarfing it down. Yummy, filling, vegan. Hell to the yes ladies and gents.
That's awesome!! I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks so much Kira!
I am cooking this for my son's chili cook-off today at elementary school! I will let you know how people like it (we sure do!)
Awesome! Good luck and I hope it's a hit!
I never had tofu until I tried this recipe. Now I love it and, though I'm not a vegan, it has become one of my favorites. I cut the tofu inso small cubes instead of crumbling it, and it has such a soft velvet chiii taste. Thanks for a healthy recipe.
I made this chili for my mom who is never a fan of my meatless meals. She LOVED it - every time i come home she asks for it and it always goes quickly. I will need to start doubling it so she has leftovers. We are going to try adding some hot sauces next time for a little more of a kick. Thanks for the receipe!
Freezing the tofu is a game-changer. thank you for this great recipe!
This turned out really well! I added in celery and carrots bc I like to use a true mirepoix base. Didn’t have beer so used a low sodium veggie broth. Since I added the extra veggies, I did 2 cups of broth & added a little extra chili powder at the end.
Thanks for sharing this recipe, perfect for a rainy October evening :)
I make this chili every several weeks and have been using this recipe for my meal prep for about a year now, everyone who’s tried it agrees that its amazing and doesn’t even know its tofu until I tell them its not turkey haha thank you for posting this!
Have made this numerous times and it always comes out delicious. I tweak it to my taste preferences (and my annoying non-spicy food eating kiddos;) by using a green, yellow and red pepper, black, pinto, and kidney beans, and upping the chili powder amount. I like to serve it topped with homemade corn tortilla chips, a sprinkle of cheese, and some cilantro. Even my carnivore husband likes the meatiness of the tofu. You won't be disappointed with this recipe!
I am out of beer but have some brewers yeast..... wondering if it would work to add a tbsp or so of this mixed in some broth to sub for beer?
I'm really not sure, as I haven't tried. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you do!
FREAKING FANTASTIC!
Everyone raved....It's a keeper!
Tasty, filling, satisfying. Perfect for winter. I had baby spinach so I mixed some in at the end. I will definitely make this again. Thank you for the recipe!
Does this chili freeze well?
It does!
This was the first time using tofu in chili. I wanted to get away from processed crumbles and this was delicious. My non-vegan husband loved it as well and he ate 3 bowls! Thanks for this amazing recipe!
I froze the leftovers. I hope that is OK?
I'm so glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing. It freezes well!