A gluten free chili that's also vegetarian! Packed with two kinds of beans, smoky spices, and crushed tomatoes plus other veggies, this easy recipe will quickly become a go-to.
A piping hot bowl of gluten free chili hits the spot most nights of the year, and it's always welcome no matter the season! Flavorful, filling, and ready in about 45 minutes, this is an easy recipe that I turn to often. Serve chili with gluten free cornbread or pumpkin cornbread, or a warm batch of gluten-free sweet potato biscuits and salted butter. And don't forget all those great chili toppings like sour cream and cheese!
Jump to:
Gluten Free Chili is Hearty and Delicious!
An easy weeknight meal is always chili, and a bonus is that it usually creates enough leftovers for a lunch or two later in the week. I love that meat eaters and vegetarians alike gobble it up, and you'll never notice anything lacking. Use fire-roasted tomatoes to really up the flavor, and adjust the spices included as needed.
- Kid-friendly. Even my kids will happily spoon up this chili! I make it on the milder side to suit their palates, and you can do that as well, or make it more spicy depending on what you like.
- Make it ahead. Chili actually tastes better the day after it's made (and its flavor deepens even more on day 2 or 3), making this recipe great for meal prep.
- Fits many dietary needs. This chili is gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan, so almost everyone can eat it! But even better, meat-eaters love it too.
- So filling. Three cans of beans in this chili means you will NOT be hungry after polishing off a bowl!
Ingredient Notes
Here's a look at the ingredients you'll need for this chili recipe. Don't forget to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Olive oil - I always use extra virgin olive oil.
- Onion - I used a yellow onion, but you can use any onion of your choice.
- Bell pepper - A red, yellow, or orange pepper works!
- Carrots
- Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt works great.
- Garlic - Feel free to add more garlic if you love garlic.
- Spices - Chili powder (note that you can look at the amount of chili powder as a suggestion and you can adjust it to your taste), ground cumin, smoked or regular paprika, dried oregano
- Canned tomatoes - I use diced or crushed tomatoes, "fire roasted" for more flavor.
- Beans - A combo of black beans and pinto beans.
- Water - Substitute vegetable broth for more depth of flavor.
- Lime - Optional, to add a little tartness.
Make it Meaty
I'm a vegetarian, so this is a recipe for gluten free, vegetarian chili. But, if you wish to make this into a gluten free chili with meat, add 1 pound of ground beef to the pan along with the garlic and spices, and cook it until browned before adding the rest of the ingredients. You may wish to cut down on the amount of beans by 1 can if you add meat.
How to Make Easy Chili
I like to use a Dutch oven to cook my chili because it's a wonderfully sturdy, heavy pot that holds a large quantity and keeps food nice and hot. You can certainly use a heavy-bottom pan instead.
- Cook vegetables: Warm the olive oil, then add the chopped onion, bell pepper, carrot, and some salt, and cook until tender.
- Add spices: Now add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano and cook for 1 minute.
- Mix in the remaining ingredients: Add the beans, tomatoes, and water. Stir to combine, then simmer for 30 minutes.
- Puree: Remove about 1 ½ cups of the chili and blend until smooth.
- Add back: Return the pureed chili to the pot, add lime juice, and serve.
Chili Tips
- Try other beans. Mix it up and do a combination of chickpeas, kidney beans, white beans, or even refried beans.
- Adjust the spice. I don't do a lot of spice, so you can definitely add more or less chili powder to suit your taste.
- More veggies. Throw in some sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, or chopped celery along with the onion and pepper.
- Add corn. I love a cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels stirred into the chili pot a few minutes before serving.
- Don't forget the lime. A little acidity balances the sweetness of the tomatoes in chili, so I recommend always squeezing in the juice of 1 lime (add more to taste and place a bowl of lime wedges on the table when serving). If you don't have lime juice, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- Mash it. Don't want to deal with a blender? Use a wooden spoon to stir and mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to create that chunky-smooth chili texture.
Serving Ideas
All the toppings are always a good idea for chili! I like it with chopped cilantro, avocado, and sour cream (shredded sharp cheddar is nice, too). You can also drizzle bowls with hot sauce for a spicy kick. If not keeping gluten-free, make a loaf of easy dutch oven bread and serve slices with butter or cheese. Or, make a batch of gluten free cornbread muffins and serve them alongside. I also love guacamole and corn chips with chili!
Proper Storage and Reheating Options
- Fridge - Cool the chili and transfer it to an airtight container, then store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Chili freezes well! Transfer the cooled chili to a freezer-safe, sealable bag or portion it out into individual bags, then flatten them and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the chili completely in the fridge before heating.
- To Reheat - Either heat the chili in a pot set over low heat on the stove or place it in a microwave-safe bowl and reheat in 1-minute increments, stirring between each minute, until heated through.
More Easy Vegetarian Recipes
If you try this gluten free chili recipe, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper , chopped
- 2 medium carrots chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt , divided
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder , or to taste
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika , or use regular paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 28 ounces diced or crushed tomatoes (if using diced tomatoes, use their juices)
- 2 15-ounce cans black beans , rinsed and drained
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans , rinsed and drained
- 2 cups water
- 1 lime , juiced, plus more for serving
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat (I used a Dutch oven), warm the olive oil. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, and carrot, plus ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is translucent, about 7 to 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika and oregano. Stir constantly so that the vegetables don't burn for about 1 minute.
- Add the canned tomatoes, the drained beans, and water. Stir to combine and let the mixture come to a simmer. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer, for 30 minutes.
- If you wish, remove about 1 ½ cups of the chili and, using a blender or hand blender, carefully blend it until smooth. Then return the blended chili to the pot of chili.
- Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime, and add salt to taste. Serve hot.
Notes
- Try other beans. Mix it up and do a combination of chickpeas, kidney beans, white beans, or even refried beans.
- Adjust the spice. I don't do a lot of spice, so you can definitely add more or less chili powder to suit your taste.
- More veggies. Throw in some sliced mushrooms, diced zucchini, or chopped celery along with the onion and pepper.
- Add corn. I love a cup of fresh or frozen corn kernels stirred into the chili pot a few minutes before serving.
- Don't forget the lime. A little acidity balances the sweetness of the tomatoes in chili, so I recommend always squeezing in the juice of 1 lime (add more to taste and place a bowl of lime wedges on the table when serving). If you don't have lime juice, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- Mash it. Don't want to deal with a blender? Use a wooden spoon to stir and mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to create that chunky-smooth chili texture.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.