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No matter the time of year, I LOVE a good bowl of chili and this Tempeh Chili is my new favorite vegetarian chili right now! This recipe comes together in one pot and makes for AMAZING leftovers!

If you’re looking for more chili recipes, don’t forget to check out my classic Vegan Chili, Sweet Potato Chili, and this Crockpot Chili!

big bowl of chili with tempeh in it that's topped with corn, jalapeno and avocado
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I am a HUGE fan of tempeh. It’s been one of my favorite ways to replace meat in my diet and we eat it about once a week in our house. I have a roundup of all of my favorite tempeh recipes if you’re looking for some additional inspiration!

I figured that tempeh would be great to put in a chili as a replacement for the ground meat that is traditionally in chili. I LOVE love love how it turned out and can’t wait for you to try it out!

big bowl of chili with tempeh in it that's topped with corn, jalapeno and avocado

Main ingredients in this chili:

  • Tempeh
  • Beans- I used a can of black beans and dark kidney beans but really anything works!
  • Tomato sauce and diced tomatoes
  • Broth- I like using the better than bouillon vegetable base!
  • Veggies- bell pepper, onion, and garlic. I also love to put in some corn at the end!

That’s it for today’s post. I’m going to keep things simple and brief!

If you’re looking for a good recipe to serve WITH your chili, don’t forget about the VEGAN CORNBREAD that I posted last week! It’s SO GOOD!

See how to make the Tempeh Chili:

5 from 2 votes

Tempeh Chili

Prep: 8 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 43 minutes
Servings: 4 large servings
This tempeh chili is easy to make and so filling!
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Ingredients 

  • 1 package of tempeh, about 8 ounces
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped into small pieces
  • 4 cloves of garlic, pressed (or finely minced)
  • ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt, more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon of black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon of chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon of oregano
  • teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • 3 cups of vegetable broth
  • 1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce
  • 1 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 15 ounce can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon baking cocoa

Instructions 

  • Using your hands, crumble the tempeh into small pieces. I like to make the pieces about the width of a dime.* Set aside.
  • In a large pot over medium heat, add in the oil. Once the oil is warmed, add in the onion and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  • Add in the garlic and crumbled tempeh and cook for an additional 2 minutes, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn the garlic. Mix in the salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, and cayenne. Stir until combined and cook for an additional minute.
  • Mix in the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, and cocoa powder. Increase heat, and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for at least 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes.
  • Once ready to eat, take off of the heat and garnish with some vegan sour cream, green onion, avocado, etc. ENJOY!

Notes

*think about how big chunks of beef would be in chili and aim for that size
Tried this recipe?Mention @foodwithfeeling or tag #foodwithfeeling!

About Brita Britnell

Brita is the author of Food with Feeling which is a vegetarian based food blog. She creates easy and delicious recipes that encourage people to try more meat-free recipes!

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5 from 2 votes

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2 Comments

  1. Carla says:

    5 stars
    Great recipe, I really liked the texture of tempeh in the dish – I had used “ground round” before, but never tempeh – much better! And the cocoa, such an awesome secret weapon! Topped with vegan coconut yogurt and served with tortilla chips on the side. Thx!

  2. Dinesh says:

    5 stars
    Great Recipe, Thanks for sharing the post.

    Regards,
    BiharJobAlert.com