This vegan chili is bold, deeply spiced, and surprisingly protein-rich. Black beans, chickpeas, and crumbled tofu simmer together with coffee, cocoa, and warming spices to create a thick, satisfying chili that eats like a full meal, not a compromise.
Tofu crumbles provides the same chewy texture as meat with less saturated fat. Here’s a meat based version if you prefer.
Nutrition
Thanks to a wide variety of legumes and vegetables, this recipe has some impressive numbers – 31g complete protein, 15g fiber, 8g iron, 245mcg folate, and 125mg magnesium.
It also has a good dose of polyphenols from coffee, cocoa, chili spices, and lycopene from tomatoes.
| Nutrient | Amount | % RDA |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | ~510 kcal | 26% |
| Protein | ~31 g | 62% |
| Total Fat | ~23 g | 29% |
| – Saturated Fat | ~3 g | 15% |
| Carbohydrate | ~49 g | 18% |
| – Fiber | ~15 g | 54% |
| – Sugars | ~6 g | — |
| Sodium | ~450 mg | 20% |
| Vitamin A | ~330 mcg RAE | 37% |
| Vitamin C | ~32 mg | 36% |
| Vitamin K | ~33 mcg | 28% |
| Thiamin (B1) | ~0.55 mg | 46% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | ~0.35 mg | 27% |
| Niacin (B3) | ~4.5 mg | 28% |
| Vitamin B6 | ~0.6 mg | 46% |
| Folate (B9) | ~245 mcg DFE | 61% |
| Vitamin B12 | ~1 mcg | 40% |
| Calcium | ~290 mg | 22% |
| Iron | ~7.8 mg | 43% |
| Magnesium | ~125 mg | 30% |
| Phosphorus | ~430 mg | 61% |
| Potassium | ~1,350 mg | 29% |
| Zinc | ~3.8 mg | 35% |
| Copper | ~0.6 mg | 67% |
| Manganese | ~1.4 mg | 61% |
| Selenium | ~32 mcg | 58% |
Hearty Vegetarian Chili
Black beans, coffee, cocoa, and cinnamon make this vegan chili extra hearty and flavorful. Made with tofu crumbles, each serving delivers a whopping 15g fiber and 31g complete protein from whole foods per serving.
Servings: 6
Calories: 510kcal
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven or other large pot
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 can black beans 1⅓ cup dried
- 1 can garbanzo ⅔ cup dried
- 1 pound extra firm tofu
- 1 large onion
- 1 cup vegetable stock or more sodium free
- 1 14½ ounce can diced tomatoes low sodium
- ½ cup coffee
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar or equivalent sweetner
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce I recommend Aardvark
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ hot pepper serrano, habanero, or jalapeño
- 4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon oregano mexican preferred
- 2 teaspoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce low sodium
Instructions
- Brew coffee.
- Cook beans if using dried beans.Drain and rinse canned beans.
- Seed and finely chop pepper.Finely chop 1 large onion.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat. Add onions. Sauté until translucent.
- Add ½ hot pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 4 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.Sauté until fragrant (30 seconds)
- Stir in 1 cup stock, 1 can diced tomatoes, and coffee.
- Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 2 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, and ¼ teaspoon salt.Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour. Stirring occasionally and adding stock or water if it starts drying out.
Make Tofu Crumbles
- Preheat oven to 350℉
- While the chili is simmering, combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 2 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional) in a large mixing bowl.
- Drain 1 pound extra firm tofu and break into pieces and add to the bowl.
- Mash with a potato masher to the desired texture.Make sure the tofu and the sauce are mixed well.
- Spread the crumbles on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350℉ for 30-45 minutes until well browned, stirring occasionally.
Finish
- Stir the tofu crumbles into the chili.Simmer until the tofu absorbs the chili and gets chewy.
- Adjust seasoning and serve.
Notes
See Winter Chili for a version made with meat.