This easy 6-ingredient recipe for Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter uses nut butter for a creamy chili. It's high in iron and plant-based protein and tastes amazing. Pair this healthy chili with Plantain Fritters for a delicious vegan or vegetarian dinner.
An easy way to transform a chili into something creamy, rich, and spectacular is to add almond butter, peanut butter, or any nut butter. It also boosts the nutritional value of the chili, adding more protein and healthy fats.
Plus, replacing the canned diced tomatoes with fire-roasted tomatoes is a simple swap that boosts flavor. This dish is as affordable to make as it is delicious to eat, and takes less than 30 minutes to make with no chopping required!
This Easy Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter recipe was inspired by my Best Tofu Chili (35g protein), as well as my Bean Curry with Roasted Potatoes on this site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Black beans are loaded with protein and fiber. Beans are the foundation of a healthful plant-based diet. This recipe doubles down on them, requiring two cans of black beans for more plant-based protein.
- Canned diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes are rich in vitamin C. This helps our bodies absorb even more iron from the black beans.
- Bay leaves
- Dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne
- Use peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter. Almond butter is rich in heart healthy fats and protein, as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It adds a creamy texture to this dish and makes for a more satisfying meal.
- Garlic
🫛 Substitutes
- Black beans - use pinto, white beans, or kidney beans instead
- Peanut butter - use almond, cashew, or walnut butter
- Canned diced tomatoes - substitute with fire-roasted tomatoes for even more flavor
- Cayenne pepper - omit for nonspicy
- Frozen sweet corn - add 1 cup to the simmering tomatoes for a hint of sweetness
- Fresh lime juice - add for serving for a tang
For more easy, healthy vegan recipes, try these comforting bean recipes on my site.
📖 How to Make Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter
Step 1. Place the diced tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and ½ cup water into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to medium-low.
Step 2. Stir in the herbs and spices and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
Step 3. Add the black beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the almond butter until it is fully incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper.
Step 4. Garnish with coconut yogurt and chopped cilantro for serving.
💡 Expert Tips
- Simmer the tomatoes with the lid on to prevent the chili from becoming too thick. Add more water or vegetable broth as needed.
- Use vegetable broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave. Add water or broth as needed to thin until the desired consistency.
🍽 Related Recipes
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
It adds richness and complements the chili powder with its natural nutty sweetness. Plus, the healthy fats can help tame the chili flavor if it is too spicy.
Serve vegan chili with cornbread, rice, tortilla chips or corn chips, vegan sour cream, Avocado Crema, Plantain Fritters, shredded cheese, salsa, salad, Vegan Cabbage Slaw, or Crispy Roasted Potato Bites.
Red kidney beans, white beans, pinto beans, or a mixture of beans are good options for making vegetarian chili.
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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I would love it if you would rate this recipe and leave a comment. Thank you in advance.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter
Ingredients
For the chili:
- 14 ½ ounces diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes, canned, with juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 30 ounces black beans 2 (15-ounce) cans, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter or almond or cashew butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional for serving:
- Plantain Fritters
- Fresh lime juice to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook tomatoes: Place the diced tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and ½ cup water into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to medium-low.
- Season: Stir in the cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme. Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.
- Add beans: Add the black beans and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Add nut butter: Stir in the almond butter until it is fully dissolved and continue to cook unto warmed through.
- Season with salt and black pepper.
Notes
- Substitute diced tomatoes with fire-roasted tomatoes to pack in even more flavor.
- For a less spicy chili, omit the cayenne.
- Simmer the tomatoes with the lid on to prevent the chili from becoming too thick. Add more water or vegetable broth as needed.
- Use vegetable broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave. Add water or broth as needed to thin until the desired consistency.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Zach
I just made this tonight and it was so good! This was my first time cooking with plantains and I couldn't believe how easy it was. I am already thinking of ways to mix it up for future batches such as swapping the black beans for baked shredded tofu.
Nisha Melvani
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
Zara
Hi there
Is this two cans of black beans or 4?
Ie 800g or 1600g
Nisha Melvani
Hi, I just made it clearer in the recipe card. 1 can. 14.5 ounces in total. 1 (14.5-ounce) can. Hope this helps.
Dusanka
Oh my goodness! Its not easy to find plantains near me but it was worth the effort. The whole dish was super simple to make and very tasty!
Nisha Melvani
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. I'm so glad you were able to find plantains and enjoyed the recipe. Thank you.
Siobhan Haber
This was a hit - wasn't sure about how the almond butter would taste but recipe worked so well and deliciously addictive. The whole family loved them!!
cookingforpeanuts
I'm so happy it was a hit. Thank you.
Ashley
Great recipe! And so filling. It was easy to make. I didn’t make any modifications. Thanks for the great meal! Oh and the plantain fritters...I ate three as soon as they came out the pan ??
cookingforpeanuts
Thanks for letting me know Ashley. I'm so happy you enjoyed this meal. I love the plantain fritters too!
Ani
Awesome recipe. Everything loojs delicious! Congratulations on the blog. This makes it easy for me to look up your recipues.
cookingforpeanuts
Thanks for your kind comment. xxx