Name: Hearty Slow Cooker Veggie Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 420 min
Ingredients: 1 cup chopped red or yellow onion (about ½ large onion); 1 cup diced carrot (about 1 large carrot); 1 medium red bell pepper (deseeded and diced small); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 cup frozen corn kernels; 14 ounces canned pinto beans (drained and rinsed); 14 ounces canned black beans (drained and rinsed); 1 cup green or brown dried lentils; 28 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes (or regular tomatoes); 4 cups vegetable broth; 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or to taste); 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder; 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika recommended, but regular will work fine too); ½ teaspoon cumin; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 tablespoon lime juice (about 1/2 a lime); ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for garnish (optional))

Servings servings

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time7 hrs

Jump to Recipe

5 from 8 votes

This Hearty Slow Cooker Veggie Chili is the perfect thing to curl up with at the end of the day! Meatless and veggie-loaded, this crockpot vegetarian chili is simple to make, packed with flavor, and is the perfect plant based dinner that is loved by all kinds of eaters! Vegan + gluten free too!

Slow cooker veggie chili in two white bowls, topped with diced avocado, sour cream and fresh cilantro. There are two spoons and a blue napkin on the table next to the bowls

I have said it before, but I will say it again…slow cooker meals are my (not so) secret weapon in the kitchen. Got a busy day ahead? Just dump everything into your handy dandy crockpot before you head out and come home to a perfectly cooked dinner ready to enjoy. My slow cooker has made healthy, homemade meals so much more doable as a busy family!

And this Slow Cooker Veggie Chili is our current crockpot obsession.

Made with black beans, pinto beans, and dry lentils, this vegetarian crockpot chili is hearty, high in plant protein, and flavorful. Plus, it is packed with oodles of veggies like onion, bell pepper, carrot, tomatoes, and corn. The perfect dump-and-go dinner recipe that is great to make for meal prep or to stock your freezer with, this chili is naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free too!

The ingredients for slow cooker veggie chili in a crockpot before cooking

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this vegan chili on my stove top? Absolutely! Just heat oil in a pot and saute the onion, carrots, pepper, and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients then simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.

Is it possible to make this vegetarian chili in my Instant Pot? Yes! To make this crockpot vegetarian chili in your pressure cooker, add all the ingredients to the pot. Set to Manual and cook on HIGH pressure for 12 minutes. Then allow to natural release for 15 minutes.

Can I use dry beans in this veggie chili? Unfortunately no. Dry beans require a lot more liquid to cook than this recipe calls for, so I don’t recommend using dry beans in this chili recipe.

I only have cooked or canned lentils on hand. Can I use those in this chili recipe? Sure! Cooked lentils are a bit more delicate than cooked beans, so I suggest adding cooked lentils after everything has cooked together. So add them when you add lime juice and cilantro. Stir everything together and let the lentils warm up in the hot chili before enjoying.

Cooked slow cooker veggie chili in the crock pot after cooking. Fresh cilantro is on top and a juicer is pressing lime juice into the chili.

How to Store Leftover Vegetarian Chili

One of my favorite things about this crockpot veggie chili is that the leftovers are almost BETTER than the fresh! So, if you find yourself with some leftovers after inhaling this amazing recipe for dinner, you are one lucky duck….but also, here is how to store it properly!

This easy slow cooker chili will store beautifully in the fridge for 4ish days when stored in an air tight container.
Freeze this veggie chili in freezer-safe containers and enjoy it for up to 3 months. To defrost, place it in your fridge to thaw overnight or zap it in your microwave for the perfect grab-and-go plant based meal.

If you love this recipe, you are sure to adore my Slow Cooker Vegan Lentil Tacos too!

Suggested Adaptations

Want extra veggies? You can add any kind of peppers, diced squash or sweet potato, or stir in some greens like chopped spinach or kale to this slow cooker veggie chili recipe.

Don’t have lentils? Feel free to replace them with an additional can of any kind of beans.

To make this on the stove-top, heat oil in a pot and saute the onion, carrots, pepper, and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients then simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

To make this in the Instant Pot, add all the ingredients to the pot then set to Manual high pressure for 12 minutes then allow to natural release for 15 minutes.

Other veggie-loaded slow cooker recipes to simplify dinner time!

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Slow Cooker veggie chili after cooking in the crockpot with a wooden spoon.

Print Recipe

5 from 8 votes

Hearty Slow Cooker Veggie Chili

This Hearty Slow Cooker Veggie Chili is the perfect thing to curl up with at the end of the day! Meatless and veggie-loaded, this crockpot vegetarian chili is simple to make, packed with flavor, and the perfect plant based dinner that is loved by all kinds of eaters!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time7 hrs

Course: Main Course

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: bell pepper, black beans, carrots, corn, lentils, onion, pinto beans, tomatoes

Servings: servings

Calories: 258kcal

Author: Taesha Butler

Ingredients

1 cup chopped red or yellow onion about ½ large onion
1 cup diced carrot about 1 large carrot
1 medium red bell pepper deseeded and diced small
3 cloves garlic minced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
14 ounces canned pinto beans drained and rinsed
14 ounces canned black beans drained and rinsed
1 cup green or brown dried lentils
28 ounces canned fire-roasted tomatoes or regular tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika smoked paprika recommended, but regular will work fine too
½ teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice about 1/2 a lime
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro plus more for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Add all ingredients, onion through olive oil, to a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on Low for 7 to 8 hours or High for 5 to 6 hours.
Once cook time is up and lentils and carrots are tender, stir in the lime juice and chopped cilantro, if using. Taste and add additional salt as needed.
Ladle chili into bowls then top with more cilantro and any other toppings of your choice.
Allow leftovers to cool and refrigerate for 4 to 5 days or froze for up to 3 months.

Notes

To make this on the stove-top, heat oil in a pot and saute the onion, carrots, pepper, and garlic for 3 to 4 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients then simmer until lentils and vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

To make this in the Instant Pot, add all the ingredients to the pot then set to Manual high pressure for 12 minutes then allow to natural release for 15 minutes.

Additional toppings of your choice: sour cream/Greek yogurt, diced avocado, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, hot sauce.

Nutrition

The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!