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vegan chilli con carne
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4.92 from 86 votes

Vegan Chilli Con Carne

Rich, spicy vegan chilli con carne with a subtle smoky kick. Easy and quick to make for a mid-week dinner or slow-cooker supper!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 381kcal
Author: Richard Makin

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed or minced
  • 400 g vegan mince store-bought, see recipe notes for substitutions
  • 1 red pepper de-stemmed, de-seeded and roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoon tomato puree
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle paste OR ½ teaspoon chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • Pinch cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon marmite
  • 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1 shot espresso OR 30ml strong coffee OR 1 heaped teaspoon instant espresso
  • 400 g peeled plum tomatoes from a can
  • 400 ml boiling water
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 400 g kidney beans from a can, drained
  • 20 g dark chocolate

For Serving

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

  • Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add the vegetable oil. Once hot, add the onion and fry for a few minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
    1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic
  • Add the vegan mince and break up with your spatula. Fry for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
    400 g vegan mince
  • Add all the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Break up the tomatoes with the spatula then bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat slightly. Leave to simmer for at least 35 minutes, ideally up to an hour, stirring occasionally, until the chilli is reduced and glossy. If the chilli appears to be getting dry at any point, add a splash of water and cover again with a lid.
    1 red pepper, 2 tablespoon tomato puree, 1 teaspoon chipotle paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon ground coriander, Pinch cinnamon, 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon marmite, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, 1 shot espresso, 400 g peeled plum tomatoes, 400 ml boiling water, 1 vegetable stock cube, 400 g kidney beans, 20 g dark chocolate
  • Serve the chilli con carne with cooked rice, topped with vegan sour cream and fresh coriander.
    Cooked long-grain rice, Vegan sour cream, Fresh coriander

Notes

This is an incredibly easy recipe. You just sort of chuck everything in but the key to keeping things meaty is to use a decent vegan mince.
This recipe uses vegan mince - also known as "ground", I think in the US. There are a whole bunch of amazing brands of vegan mince out there, my favourite is this one from Meatless Farm. You can also use frozen vegan mince like this one, or even TVP dehydrated mince - just make sure you rehydrate it in boiling water before use. If you're more into whole-foods, this recipe also works best with just a drained can of brown or green lentils. Grated tofu is also a great, high-protein option. 

Nutrition

Calories: 381kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 0.1mg | Sodium: 928mg | Potassium: 1026mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 11mg