This is a very unique and flavorful Vegetarian Chili recipe with lots of great flavor.
Chili doesn’t always have to have meat. You can create a good chili without adding ground beef or turkey, steak, chicken or lamb. There are plenty of other things that you can add to chili to bulk it up and make it a delicious, meatless meal. This Vegetarian Chili has plenty of spices added in, as well as beans, fresh herbs and lemon juice.
How to make Vegetarian Chili:
The recipe begins by sautéing zucchini, onions, bell pepper and garlic. Tomato and spices are added in, along with beans and fresh herbs. There are two interesting flavors added to this chili that make it different: chopped fresh dill and freshly squeezed lemon juice. They add a neat flavor component that you don’t see in a typical chili recipe. It’s a delicious deviation from the norm!
Suggested garnishes for chili:
- sour cream
- shredded cheese
- chopped fresh cilantro
- chopped green onions
- Fritos
If I’m serving this at a party, I like to set out a variety of toppings and then everyone can choose what they want to add on top. Label it as “vegetarian” at your party, so it will be appealing to those who avoid eating meat. Enjoy!
How to make this chili Weight Watchers friendly:
It already is WW friendly! Vegetarian chili is a great option for a filling meal if you’re following Weight Watchers. Things like beans and vegetables are all free on most parts of the program, so that makes this recipe have low point value (see the recipe for WW point details). Any toppings you add to the chili should be counted as extra points.
The Best Chili Recipes:
- Kick Off Chili
- Fiery Chicken Chili
- Three Bean and Beef Chili
- Dr. Pepper Chili
- Texas Chili
- Spicy Turkey Chili
- White Chicken Chili
- All American Chili
Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 medium zucchini, diced
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 large red bell peppers, diced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, with juice
- 2 medium vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- One 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- One 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and chopped green onions, for serving (as desired)
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and sauté until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the zucchini to a large pot.
- Heat an additional tablespoon of oil in the skillet over low heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and garlic. Sauté just until wilted (about 10 minutes). Transfer the mixture to the large pot.
- Place a large pot over low heat. Add the tomatoes, parsley, chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano, fennel seed, pepper and salt. Cook, uncovered, stirring often, for 30 minutes. Stir in the beans, dill and lemon juice, and cook for another 15 minutes. Stir well and add additional seasoning as needed, to taste.
- Serve in mugs or bowls, and garnish with sour cream, cheese and green onions (as desired).
Notes
- If preparing this recipe as GLUTEN-FREE, just be sure that the brand of beans you're using is known to be GF.
- If preparing this recipe as DAIRY-FREE or VEGAN, leave off the sour cream and cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m looking forward to trying this one out. It sounds very unique.
I’ve had a lot of success adding Tiger Sauce hot sauce (cheating, I know) and a can of crushed pineapple. It’s sweet, but not overly so, and plays well with chipotle.
This sounds amazing with no modifications needed! Thank you!