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 chili that you've been missing.
I can almost hear all the tofu haters out there scoffing at this one. But you know what? One day, waaaaaaay back, I was a tofu hater myself. And tofu chili is definitely one of the top dishes that made me love it. Stay with me, and I think you will too.
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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, like in a tofu stir-fry, 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.
This works in tofu tacos, tofu burritos, tofu pasta, and perhaps best of all, in this tofu chili. Think about it: chili is all about the flavorful, spicy sauce. It was practically made for crumbled tofu!
Ingredients You'll Need
Below you'll find a list of ingredients in this recipe, with notes and substitutions. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe, including the amount of each ingredient.
- Vegetable oil. Any high-heat oil you like to cook with will work. Olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, and avocado oil are all good options.
- Onion.
- Red bell pepper. Feel free to substitute a green, yellow, or orange pepper. The flavor will be a bit different.
- Tofu. I like extra-firm tofu best for this type of recipe, but firm or super-firm will also work.
- Garlic.
- Spices. You'll need chili powder, cumin, paprika, ancho chile powder, and optionally cayenne pepper.
- Tomato paste.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes. Plain old diced tomatoes can be substituted, but you'll be losing some smoky flavor.
- Beans. We're using one can of black beans and one of red kidney beans. Got a can of something else on hand? Most canned beans will work. Chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans, navy beans, and cannellini beans are all great options.
- Ale. I love the savory, slightly bitter flavor that beer gives my chili. That said, feel free to use broth if it's not your thing. If you do use the beer, run your brand through Barnivore before buying, to ensure it's vegan.
- Frozen corn.
- Salt and pepper.
How It's Made
Below is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
Step 1: Cook onion and pepper. Heat your oil in a pot, then add diced onion and bell pepper. Cook the mixture for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies start softening.
Step 2: Cook the tofu. Crumble it into the pot and cook it with the veggies for a few minutes. It'll just start to dry out.
Step 3: Add spices and tomato paste. Stir in minced garlic, all of your spices, and the tomato paste. Cook the mixture for a couple of minutes, stirring the entire time to prevent anything from burning.
Step 4 and 5: Simmer. Stir in your tomatoes, beans, and beer. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes.
Tip: Feel free to let your chili simmer for up to an hour. The flavors will meld and the veggies and beans will continue to soften. Just make sure to add water if the chili gets too thick.
Steps 6 & 7: Finish. Your corn goes in last, and just let it simmer for about 2 minutes after adding it. Take the pot off of heat and season the chili with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 8: Serve. Your tofu chili is ready to enjoy! Ladle it into bowls and pile on the toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be! Just make sure to use gluten-free beer or vegetable broth. All other ingredients in the recipe are gluten-free.
It can be. The heat level really depends on how much cayenne pepper you use. Feel free to skip it for a mild chili, or use a generous amount for lots of heat. You can also season the chili with some hot sauce.
Leftover tofu chili will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
📖 Recipe
Spicy Tofu Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 (14 ounce/397 gram) package extra-firm tofu, blotted dry (optionally frozen and thawed, see Note 1)
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
- Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 (14.5 ounce/411 gram) cans fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce/425 gram) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce/425 gram) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup vegan ale (or vegetable broth)
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Toppings (optional)
- Vegan sour cream or cashew cream
- Hot sauce
- Chopped scallions or chives
- Avocado slices
Instructions
- Coat the bottom of a large pot with the oil and place it over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onion and pepper. Cook the mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Crumble the tofu into the pot. Cook the tofu for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it dries up a bit.
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, ancho chile powder, cayenne pepper (if using), and tomato paste. Cook the mixture for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste darkens slightly and the mixture becomes very fragrant.
- Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, and ale or broth. Raise the heat and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a bit of water if it becomes too thick during cooking.
- Stir in the corn and allow the chili to continue simmering for about 2 minutes, until heated throughout.
- Remove the pot from heat and taste the chili. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and top with toppings of choice. Serve.
Notes
- Freezing will enhance the crumbly texture of your tofu. You can freeze the tofu right in the package. No need to drain or press first. Just stick it in the freezer until it's frozen solid, then thaw completely before using.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on ingredients, brands, portion sizes, and preparation methods.
Delicious! I don't do onions, so I added a diced potato instead. I like spicy, so I increased the garlic, spices, and threw in some chipotle powder for good measure. It was just what I needed (and served along your vegan cornbread) for the stormy Southern California weather this weekend. Thank you!!!
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!
Does this chili freeze well?
It does!
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!
FREAKING FANTASTIC!
Everyone raved....It's a keeper!
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!
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 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!
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 :)
Freezing the tofu is a game-changer. thank you for this great 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!
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 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!
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!
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.
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!
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!
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 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 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 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 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'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.
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!
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. :)
Whay can I use instead of ale?
You could use another type of beer or vegetable broth! :)
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!!
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.