Tempeh has the perfect crumbly texture and savory flavor for cooking up a delicious batch of vegan chili! This tempeh chili also includes hearty pinto and black beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and lots of smoky and spicy seasonings. It's a flavor bomb that's super satisfying and packed with protein.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 1 (8 ounce/226 gram) package tempeh, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 (14 once/400 gram) cans fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (15 ounce/439 gram) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce/439 gram) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
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Coat the bottom of a large pot the with oil and place it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, bell pepper, and carrot. Sweat the vegetables for about 10 minutes, until they start to soften.
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Stir in the crumbled tempeh and cook it with the vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until you just start to see some browning in the tempeh.
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Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper (if using) and garlic. Sauté the mixture for about 1 minute, until it becomes very fragrant.
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Stir in the tomatoes, pinto beans, and black beans. Raise heat and bring the mixture a boil. Lower the heat and allow the chili to simmer until it's nicely thickened up and the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes. (see Note)
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Remove the pot from heat and season the chili with salt and pepper. Adjust any seasonings to your liking.
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Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings of choice.
You can let the chili simmer a bit longer (up to 60 minutes total) if you'd like the flavors to meld even more, adding more water if it becomes too thick.