This slow-cooker vegan chili is packed with plant-based protein and perfect for game day, parties, or just a cozy meal! The slow cooker makes this chili easy to prepare and lets the flavors meld all day!

A crockpot filled with vegan chili being scooped up with a wooden ladle.

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Why make this recipe

Your friends and family won’t believe this traditional, hearty chili is both vegan and gluten-free! If you want a perfect, cozy meal that is sure to be a crowd pleaser, this is the recipe you have been looking for.

You can make this chili on the stovetop by simmering it for 1-2 hours, but it’s nice to be able to throw everything into the crockpot in the morning and not think about it until dinnertime.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Vegan Beef Crumbles – You can use a bag of frozen vegan beef crumbles, a 12-oz package of Impossible meat, or 4 vegan burgers, broken up in the pan as you cook. You can also use my vegan ground beef recipe, which uses TVP.
  • Olive Oil – for sauteing the onions and peppers. You can substitute this with any oil you prefer or use vegetable broth for an oil-free option.
  • Onions and Garlic – for flavor. Use yellow onions, white onions, or red onions.
  • Bell peppers – Any color of bell pepper tastes delicious. Green, yellow, red, or orange!
  • Jalapeno peppers – The jalapenos add a lot of flavor to the chili, and the spice mellows significantly after the soup simmers. However, you can adjust the amount to suit a mild or spicier chili. If you don’t have fresh jalapenos, you can use canned jalapenos instead.
  • Tomato juice – You will need a large can. You can also use V8 juice as an alternative.
  • Tomato Sauce – you will need a jar of pasta sauce (like the kind you would use for spaghetti). This adds a lot of flavor to the chili as well.
  • Canned Diced Tomatoes – you can also use 1 1/2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes if you don’t have canned tomatoes.
  • Beans – I like the taste of kidney beans and pinto beans, but you can also use white beans, black beans, and even chickpeas.
  • Corn – Frozen or canned corn works well. For more flavor, you can use roasted corn.
  • Spices – Chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. I also love to add some Chipotle chili powder for some smokiness.
  • Favorite toppings – Garnish with shredded vegan cheddar cheese, dairy-free sour cream, pickled onions, cilantro, lime wedges, chopped red onion, cilantro garlic sauce, or crushed corn chips.
A top view of a bowl of vegan chili with a piece of cornbread on the side.

Helpful tools

  • A large frying pan – for cooking the onions, peppers, and faux meat before adding them to the slow cooker.
  • Slow Cooker, also known as a Crock-Pot or Instant Pot, in slow cooker mode.

How to make vegan chili in the slow cooker

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Step 1 – In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, and jalapeño peppers. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes).

Step 2 – Add the faux ground beef, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until cooked through.

Vegan meat and veggies at the bottom of a slow cooker.
Add the sauteed onions, peppers, and beef crumbles to the slow cooker.
Tomato juice being added to vegan chili in a slow cooker.
Add the remaining ingredients.

Step 3 – Sprinkle the veggies and vegan meat with the spices (chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper). Stir until combined.

Step 4 – Transfer the vegan beef to a slow cooker. Then add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn, and stir until well combined.

Step 5 – Cover the slow cooker with a lid and set it to high for 4 hours or to low for 7-8 hours.

A top view of all of the vegan chili ingredients added to a slow cooker before cooking.
Add everything to your slow cooker, cover and turn on.
Vegan slow cooker chili after it has cooked for 8 hours on low in a slow cooker.
Garnish with parsley or cilantro after cooking and serve hot.

Step 6 – Serve with vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, chopped jalapenos, avocado, and fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley. It’s also delicious served with my vegan cheese sauce, garlic cilantro sauce, and/or Mexican pickled red onions.

For a complete meal, make vegan cornbread, vegan jalapeño cornbread, focaccia, or vegan drop biscuits to serve with the plant-based chili.

Pro Tips

  • For a soupier chili, add 1/2 cup of water to it along with the tomato juice.
  • For a thicker chili, take the lid off the slow cooker for the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
  • You can leave the sugar out of the recipe if you wish, but it helps mellow the tomatoes’ acidity and adds a lot of flavor.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate: Leftover vegan chili will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Freeze: The chili also freezes well and can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat a bowl of slow cooker chili in the microwave for about 3 minutes or add a few tablespoons of water and reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

A bowl of vegan chili on a plate with a slice of corn bread and jalapenos.

If you love slow cooker recipes, be sure to check out my slow cooker potato soup, vegan split pea soup, and my slow cooker pot pie.

More southwest-style meals

Slow cooker vegan chili recipe

A large slow cooker filled with vegan chili being scooped up with a wooden ladle.
Diet
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5 from 1 rating

Slow Cooker Vegan Chili

Yield: 12
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
Hearty vegan chili made with faux vegan beef and beans in a slow cooker
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 (12 oz) package vegan beef crumbles, or 4 vegan burgers crumbled up
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/4 cup parsley , finely chopped
  • 2 medium jalapeño peppers , finely chopped (optional)
  • 3 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoon cumin
  • 2 tablespoons vegan sugar
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 (46 oz) can tomato juice
  • 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 2 (15.5 oz) cans kidney beans , drained and rinsed
  • 2 (15.5 oz) cans pinto beans , drained and rinsed
  • 2 cups corn

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet, add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley, and jalapeño peppers and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes).
  • Add the faux ground beef, break it up with a wooden spoon, and cook for an additional 5 minutes until it has cooked through.
  • Sprinkle the veggies and vegan meat with the spices (chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper). Stir until combined.
  • Transfer the vegan beef to a slow cooker. Then add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn, and stir until well combined.
  • Cover with a lid and set the slow cooker to high for 4 hours or to low for 8 hours.
  • Serve with vegan sour cream, vegan cheese, chopped jalapenos, and fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley. It's also delicious served with my vegan cheese sauce, garlic cilantro sauce, and/or Mexican pickled red onions.

Notes

  • For a soupier chili, add 1/2 cup of water to it along with the tomato juice.
  • For a thicker chili, take the lid off the slow cooker for the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
  • You can leave the sugar out of the recipe if you wish, but it helps mellow the tomatoes’ acidity and adds a lot of flavor.
Serving: 1bowl, Calories: 280kcal, Carbohydrates: 36g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 3mg, Sodium: 583mg, Potassium: 881mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 1389IU, Vitamin C: 42mg, Calcium: 144mg, Iron: 5mg
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