Best Vegetarian Bean Recipes

This Red Bean Stew is an easy one-pot meal that’s got lots of flavors and is simple to make. Mix kidney beans along with potatoes, Middle Eastern-inspired spices, and tomatoes for a flavorful stew that is comforting and satisfying. A healthy and hearty vegetarian or vegan 35-minute dinner to make for a busy weeknight!

I love one-pot dishes where you just add simple, everyday ingredients and it turns into something pretty special. This Red Bean Stew is one such dish.

I make this stew for my family multiple times a year because it takes no time to make and produces a stew that is filling and satisfying with plenty of fiber and protein!

Vegetarian White Bean Chili

My twist on kidney bean stew is vegetarian or vegan, with the smoky flavors of cumin and smoked paprika for a dish of comfort everyone will enjoy.

This was inspired by my Fesenjan - Persian Walnut Stew on this site, and pairs well with this Rocca Salad and some fluffy rolls.

This recipe uses canned kidney beans to save yourself some time in the kitchen. But you can use dried and prepare them beforehand. See this guide for how to cook beans.

Best Bean Recipes For Every Occasion

Wondering how to make this Middle Eastern-inspired kidney bean stew recipe? It's easy! Just follow this step-by-step photo tutorial. Then, scroll down for the recipe card for the full ingredients list and recipe method.

Cook the onion: Heat the oil in a large pan, then add the onion and fry for 7 minutes or until softened.

Add the beans and vegetables and cook: Stir in the carrots, potatoes, stock, water, kidney beans, and canned tomatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes.

The Best Great Northern Beans Recipe (vegan And Vegetarian Options)

Serve the kidney bean stew. To serve, add the pumpkin seeds to a dry frying pan over medium heat and cook, stirring often for a few minutes until toasted and fragrant. Serve the stew topped with toasted pumpkin seeds, coriander, a drizzle of yogurt, and a wedge of lemon.

Freezing: Pour cooled kidney bean stew into an airtight container or freezer-safe bag and release as much air as possible. If using a bag, lay flat. Freeze for up to 4 months before defrosting in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving.

This Red Bean Stew is an easy one-pot meal with kidney beans, potatoes, spices, and tomatoes for a tasty 35-minute stew. Vegan or vegetarian.

Minute Vegan White Bean Recipe (lemon & Spinach)

Calories: 226 kcal Carbohydrates: 34 g Protein: 11 g Fat: 7 g Saturated Fat: 1 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2 g Monounsaturated Fat: 4 g Trans Fat: 1 g Sodium: 940 mg Potassium: 951 mg Fiber: 11 g Sugar: 10 g Vitamin A: 8283 IU Vitamin C: 22 mg Calcium: 125 mg Iron: 5 mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors, so is not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietician for special diet advice.No exaggeration, this is the best vegan or vegetarian chili you will ever try. Thanks to a few key techniques, this baby has layers of complex flavors and an incredible velvety texture. 

Most vegan chili recipes have you take so many shortcuts that you end up with a bowl of bean soup dressed up with some chili powder. But if you’re willing to follow the steps in this recipe, you’ll be rewarded with an authentic bean chili unlike any other.

One Pot Red Kidney Beans

You might be tempted to use store-bought chili powder when making chili, but here’s why that’s a mistake (except in limited circumstances…more on that below!). Whole dried chile peppers, which are used to make homemade chili powder, add so much complexity in taste, the kind you can never achieve with store-bought chili powder.

And when you layer homemade chili powder with fresh jalapeños and canned chipotle peppers, you get layer upon layer of complementary warming flavors: smoky, fruity, grassy, all in one bowl of chili.

“A bowl of chili starts with chiles.”Texas-born chef Ben Berryhill for Fine Cooking “The best thing you can do to up your chili game is to leave those jars of pre-ground chili powder on the shelf. Starting your chili with real, honest-to-goodness whole dried chilies will save you money, while adding layer upon layer of complex flavor that you never thought was possible.” J. Kenji López-Alt for Serious Eats “I think a lot of people really aren’t aware of how much natural sugar exists in [dried chile] peppers…it’s almost like having dried fruit in your dishes. So definitely [using dried chile peppers] is a much better way to make this dish than with chili powder ’cause you won’t get that sweetness in a chili powder.”Rick Martinez for Bon Appetit

Seriously The Best Vegan Chili

Plus, it only takes about 10-15 minutes to make chili powder, and it will stay fresh for 6 months. Which means you can make a killer chili whenever the mood strikes.

Note: Instructions for my homemade chili powder are in the second recipe card at the bottom of this post. While I think it’s worth making your own chili powder, I have tested

If using pre-made chili powder, I recommend ancho chili powder (made from just ground ancho chile peppers). It’s more flavorful than the standard chili powder, which is a blend of seasonings.

Best Vegetarian Baked Beans Recipe

First, many spices are bitter when uncooked (taste a pinch of ground cumin or oregano, and you’ll know what I mean). As a result, your final dish ends up with bitter notes.

Two, when you toast spices first (in a bit of oil, usually after or along with the aromatics), you draw out their essential oils. This heightens the spice’s true flavor, so that you actually taste a hint of cumin or oregano in your final dish.

Takeaway: Always toast your ground spices (e.g., chili powder, cumin, oregano) before adding the liquid (e.g., vegetable broth) to draw out their flavor. The toasting will happen quickly, in about 30 seconds.

Quick And Easy Seasoned Vegan Black Beans

Traditional chili has a ton of natural rich savory flavor from the meat. To add savory notes to vegetarian chili, it’s necessary to add in a little extra umami. In this chili, I do that in three ways.

First, cook tomato paste for a few minutes. This caramelizes it and unleashes the natural umami found in tomatoes, especially a concentrated form of tomato.

Third, use whole peeled canned tomatoes and crush them by hand (they have more pure tomato flavor and no additives, compared to pre-diced or pre-crushed tomatoes).

Vegan Bean & Legume Recipes

Classic chili recipes are very rich, but many of the vegetarian chili recipes I tried online were more loose, like soup. To ensure my chili is very rich, I rely on a few ingredients.

First, red wine, which intensifies all the aromatics, spices, and chili peppers in a way that vegetable broth alone cannot. Also, it adds to the rich body of the chili (you’ll notice as the wine deglazes, the mixture becomes SO jammy). While beer is more traditional in chili, every time I’ve made chili with beer, it ends up too bitter for my taste.

Second, cocoa powder. It sounds funky, but lots of chili recipes actually add a small amount of dark chocolate or cocoa powder. Chocolate not only adds depth of flavor but also accentuates the fruitiness of the dried chili peppers.

Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup

Third, instead of using only pinto beans, I add in one can of navy beans. Since they’re so small, they partially disintegrate during simmering, which naturally thickens the chili.

Finally, masa harina, AKA Mexican corn flour. When stirred in at the end, it thickens the chili even more, gives it a velvety texture, and a nice subtle corn flavor. This chili recipe is already quite thick, so I’d say this ingredient is optional.

Many chili recipes (including a few of my old recipes!) tell you to simmer for just 30 minutes. You can get a good chili this way (if the other tips are followed), but chili is designed to be a slow-simmered dish.

The Best Vegan Chili Recipe

This is because the flavors of chili always improve with a long, slow simmer. Slow simmering also contributes to a thicker, more unctuous consistency, so that every bite has the same flavor and texture (check out that velvety texture in the photo below!).

Takeaway: Gently simmer this chili for 1 1/2 hours (or up to 2 hours) for maximal flavor and the most luxurious texture.

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions with a pinch of salt. Cook until nicely golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Easy Veggie 3 Bean Chili

Add the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and Mexican oregano and stir vigorously for 30 seconds (for homemade chili powder, see the next section)

Add the vegetable broth, and scrape up any additional browned bits. Add the pinto beans, navy beans, chipotle peppers in adobo, bay leaves, salt & pepper, cocoa powder, maple syrup, and soy sauce. Crush the tomatoes and add in.

Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 10 minutes, until thick and velvety.

Best 35 Healthy Vegetarian Bean Recipes (#1 Is My Fave)

Add the cilantro, lime juice, and vinegar. Taste, adding more maple syrup or lime juice as needed. Season with salt and pepper.

I highly recommend making your own chili powder. It might seem daunting, but I promise it’s actually