Vegan Chili sin carne (Easy Recipe) (2024)

This easy vegan chili sin carne recipe is a delicious meal prep dish that you can serve with rice or other side dishes you love. Use your favorite meat alternative to make this nutrient-rich and healthy plant-based chili to serve for a quick lunch or dinner – It is spicy, meat-less, flavorful, and super simple!

The Best Vegan Chili Sin Carne

Chili is one of those Mexican dishes that can always lift your mood after a busy day or when the weather is cold. I really love this recipe because it’s so quick and easy to make with simple pantry ingredients. But the best thing is that it not only tastes incredibly delicious, but it will also nourish your body and soul!

Aside from that, it is also a great recipe to use up leftovers! If you have leftover veggies or side dishes from the previous day like rice, pasta, or potatoes, you can always serve those with this flavorful vegan chili sauce. I highly recommend preparing the chili ahead so you can save some time on a busy day and don’t need to worry about what to cook. However, if you already have my cookbook “Vegan Foodpoorn” at home, then you may already know this recipe 🙂 .

Chili con Carne vs Chili sin Carne

Unlike traditional chili con carne, my chili sin carne is meat-less as it contains no meat or other dairy ingredients. That makes it even healthier than the non-vegan versions, however, the taste is at least as amazing as the classic chili recipes.

This chili dish contains a lot of fiber and plant-based protein from the beans and the meat substitute. Since the spices are completely adjustable, you can spice it up to your liking – whether very spicy, mild or even slightly sour with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice – that’s your choice!

What vegan meat substitute can I use?

I use dry sunflower granules as a meat alternative here because it’s soy-free, gluten-free and I love the texture. However, you can use any ground meat alternative you like such as soy granules or packaged vegan ground beef. Also, regular firm tofu will do. Simply squeeze it out and then crumble it with your hands into small chunks. For detailed instructions on how to prepare tofu, check out my recipe for vegan tofu nuggets.

If you don’t want to use any of those meat substitutes, you can simply leave it out and add more beans or vegetables instead. Here are some healthy natural ingredients that you can add to your chili sin carne for more nutrients and proteins:

• Chickpeas: Legumes are always perfect for your vegan diet!
• Beans: such as kidney beans, black beans, or white beans.
• Peas: green or yellow ones.
• Lentils: whether red, brown, green, or black lentils – any will do! However, please note that they have different cooking times.
• Mushrooms: are also a great meat alternative because of their meaty texture! I recommend chopping and sautéing them beforehand.
• Quinoa: This gluten-free grain contains plenty of protein and gives your chili sin carne a thick textured consistency.

How to make Vegan Chili sin Carne

As always I recommend checking out the recipe video and these step-by-step photos first. Then you’ll find the full recipe with exact measurements in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Prepare the ingredients

First, peel and chop the garlic, onions, and carrots. Also, soak the sunflower or soy granules in the vegetable broth for about 5 minutes. Then squeeze it out well but reserve the excess broth. (If using tofu or another ready-made meat alternative, you can skip this step).

Step 2: Cook your chili

First, sauté the diced onion and carrots along with the vegan mince in a pan with a little oil for a few minutes. Then add the garlic, chili, paprika powder, and tomato paste and continue sautéing it for another minute. Next, add the tomatoes, reserved broth, kidney beans, corn, some salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.

Now let it simmer over low heat for about 20-25 minutes so the flavors can develop. While your chili is simmering, cook the rice according to package instructions, so both components will be ready at the same time. Lastly, taste your chili sin carne again and adjust seasonings as needed.

How can I serve my chili?

I love to serve my delicious vegan chili with rice. Then I garnish my dish with chili flakes, black and regular sesame seeds, fresh parsley, and lime wedges on the side – It’s so good! However, there are countless side dishes you can serve your chili sin carne with. The most popular ones are probably the versions with rice, potatoes or even pasta. Other great ideas are couscous, bulgur, or buckwheat, as well as mashed potatoes and millet. If you want to keep it simpler, you can also just dip some tortillas, fresh baguette, or bread in it. Sometimes I even enjoy it with vegan naanor aloo paratha. If you like, you can also add a spoonful of cashew ricotta or vegan aioli on top of your dish.

Anyway, it doesn’t really matter what veggies or grains you choose – just serve it whatever you have on hand!

Can I make chili sin carne ahead?

This recipe is great for meal prep because you can make a big batch ahead for later meals! If 3-4 servings aren’t enough for you, simply double the recipe and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The finished chili can also be frozen in portions! Then you can reheat your desired portion in a pot whenever you want. That way you’re all set for the next busy days so there’s no need to worry about what to eat!

*Note: Be sure to store or freeze your chili sin carne separately from the side dish to prevent it from getting mushy.

This Vegan Chili sin Carne Recipe is:

• Dairy-free (lactose-free)
• Plant-based
• Gluten-free
• Egg-free
• Quick and easy to prepare
• Hearty and savory
• Spicy
• Versatile
• Healthy
• Loaded with protein
• Great for Meal-Prepping
• The perfect vegan lunch or dinner!

More Mexican Recipes to Try:

• Homemade Tortillas
• Pico de Gallo
• Breakfast Burritos
• Mexican Stuffed Peppers
• Sweet Potato Quesadillas
• Mexican Tortilla Casserole
• Mexican Pasta Salad with Chipotle Sauce
• Burrito Samosas with Guacamole
• Crunchwrap Supreme
• Vegan Burrito Bowl
• Mexican One-Pot Taco Pasta
• Mexican Sweet Potato Skins

Recipe Video

If you try this vegan chili sin carne, please leave me a comment and a rating because I’d love to hear your feedback on the recipe! And if you take a photo of your yummy chili dish and share it on Instagram, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka to make sure I won’t miss your post! Have fun cooking!

IF YOU HAVE PINTEREST, YOU CAN FIND ME HERE AND PIN THE FOLLOWING PICTURE, IF YOU LIKE! 🙂