The Best Tofu Chili recipe with 35 grams of plant-based protein, is comforting, and loaded with the delicious flavors of a traditional chili. The secret to the best vegan chili is crispy crumbled tofu. It adds a meaty texture and more protein and gives the chili a rich umami taste. (Gluten-free with an oil-free option.)
Best Tofu Chili served with roasted sweet potatoes, crispy quinoa, and avocado crema.
This comforting vegan chili warms you up in the winter months, and keeps you cool in the summer! Did you know that spicy food helps the body cool down by sweating? Plus, it's meal-prep friendly and easy to freeze.
Vegan Tofu Chili is loaded with heart-healthy fats, fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals. It will keep you satisfied with a pleasing mix of textures from the crumbled tofu, beans, and veggies.
This recipe was inspired by my Easy Vegan Chili on this site, as well as this High-Protein Quinoa and Lentils recipe without oil.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Olive oil (optional)
- Red onion
- Poblano pepper
- Jalapeño
- Garlic
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Oregano
- Beans
- Extra-firm tofu
- Vegetable broth (optional)
- Cilantro
- Fresh lime juice
See the printable recipe card below for quantities.
🌶️ Substitutions
- Nonspicy - omit the jalapeño and reduce the chili powder for a less spicy chili
- Beans - use black beans, pinto beans, red kidney beans, or double the quantity of tofu and omit the beans entirely
- Tofu - Use 16 ounces of tempeh instead. Simmer the two 8-ounce blocks of tempeh for 5 minutes. Drain and cool. Then crumble the tempeh using your hands and follow the recipe as written. Or omit the tofu and double the quantity of beans.
- Poblano pepper - substitute with green bell pepper instead as needed
- Vegetable broth - instead of vegetable broth, use water as needed
- Diced tomatoes - use diced fire-roasted tomatoes for an even more flavorful tofu chili
🍠 Additions
- Roasted sweet potato - Chop two medium sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Transfer to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss them with olive oil, garlic powder, dried thyme, and salt. Roast them at 400ºF with the grated tofu for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Top the Tofu Chili with the roasted sweet potato to balance the spices.
- Crispy quinoa - add crispy quinoa to Tofu Chili for even more protein and texture.
- Avocado Crema - make this 5-minute Avocado Sauce to drizzle on the Tofu Chili
See this Tempeh Stew for a nonspicy, comforting meal using crumbled tempeh. Visit my Tofu Recipes page for more high-protein vegan recipes.
📖 How to Make Tofu Chili
This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.
Cook the aromatics in olive oil, or vegetable broth for oil-free. NOTE: The tofu crumbles can be baked until crispy, or cooked with the aromatics.
- Shred the tofu: Dry the block of tofu with a clean dish towel, gently squeezing any excess water out. Shred the tofu using the larger holes on a box grater.
- Optional: Transfer the shredded tofu to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss it with olive oil, chili powder, and salt. Bake at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
- Cook the aromatics: Heat oil or broth in a large saucepan. Transfer the onion, poblano pepper, jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, and cumin to the pot.
- Cook the aromatics and spices until the onion is just softened. Add the tofu crumbles at this time if not baking, and cook, stirring frequently.
- Mix: Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano.
- Add the black beans to the cooked aromatics and tomatoes.
- Add the baked shredded tofu, if baking. Simmer and stir to incorporate.
- Season the chili with fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper. Garnish with fresh cilantro for serving.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Cooking the tofu: The crumbles can be baked until crispy, or cooked with the aromatics. For the healthiest tofu, use a moist-heat cooking method.
- For baking the tofu: Dry the tofu well before grating, but you do not need to press it. For baking the crumble, use a large nonstick baking sheet and spread the tofu in a thin layer so it cooks evenly. Oil is optional but gets the tofu more crispy and brown.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining vegan Tofu Chili in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
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🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Large, green, and heart-shaped, poblano peppers are commonly used in Mexican cooking. As they mature, the poblano turns dark and red-brown. At this stage, they can be dried, and are referred to as ancho or mulato. They are only mildly spicy, earthy in flavor, and slightly sweet.
This Tofu Chili is freezer-friendly and perfect for batch cooking. Freeze it in single-serve portions to make it easier to thaw individual servings as needed. Souper Cube trays or similar portion-sized freezing trays are ideal. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, in the microwave, or simply add the frozen cubes to a saucepan and thaw on the stovetop over low heat.
Crumbling or grating tofu, seasoning it, and then baking it until browned and crispy transforms it into tasting extremely similar to chicken or pork. See my 'How to Cook Tofu' post for the best methods for freezing, marinating, cutting, and cooking tofu.
🍽 Related Recipes
Layer caramelized air-fryer sweet potatoes with Best Tofu Chili and top with crispy quinoa, and a creamy citrus-herb avocado sauce:
👩🏽🍳 Made this recipe?
Let me know your thoughts on High-ProteinTofu Chili by leaving a ⭐️ rating below or sharing it on Instagram.
📖 Recipe
Tofu Chili
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Ingredients
- 14 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu (see note)
- Drizzle of olive oil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons chili powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 large red onion finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 large poblano chili seeded and minced
- 1 small jalapeño seeded and minced
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes or diced fire-roasted tomatoes, canned, with juice
- ½ cup tomato sauce canned
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 15 ounces black beans canned, drained and rinsed
- Vegetable broth or water as needed
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Prepare the tofu: Dry the block of tofu with a clean dish towel, gently squeezing any excess water out. Shred the tofu using the larger holes on a box grater. Optional: Transfer the shredded tofu to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss it with a drizzle of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, and salt. Bake at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown, tossing halfway through.
- Meanwhile, cook the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, garlic, poblano, jalapeño, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and cumin, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is just softened. If not baking the tofu crumbles, add them to the saucepan at this time, and cook them with the aromatics, stirring frequently.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and oregano. Reduce the heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients: Stir in the black beans (and baked shredded tofu, if using). Stir to incorporate. Simmer for 10 minutes more, partially covered. Add vegetable broth or water as desired. Add lime juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with cilantro.
Notes
- For oil-free: Use vegetable broth in place of olive oil for cooking the aromatics. Bake the tofu without oil.
- To omit the tofu, use an additional can of black beans.
- NOTE: The tofu crumbles can either be baked until crispy, or cooked with the aromatics.
- Make a Tofu Chili Bowl with roasted sweet potato. Chop two medium sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Transfer to a large rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Toss them with olive oil, garlic powder, dried thyme, and salt. Roast them at 400ºF with the tofu for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Top the Tofu Chili with the roasted sweet potato to balance the spices. Add crispy quinoa and Avocado Crema.
- Storage: Refrigerate any remaining Tofu Chili in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Or freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
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.
Kathy says
This Tofu Chili is delicious! I served it with the Avacado Crema which is another recipe that is delicious. I will be doubling both recipes the net time I make them.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy you enjoyed this combination. Thank you for leaving a comment.
Kim says
This was delicious!Made exactly as recipe is written. Definitely will make this regularly.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to hear. Thank you.
Linda Hayes says
Wow, this is fantastic! Will definitely be my go to chili recipe. I grated and baked the tofu and sweet potato. There's such an amazing combination of flavor. My only problem is not eating the whole pot in one sitting 🙂 All of your recipes have been on point! Thank you!!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Truly so happy reading this. Thank you for sharing how much you enjoyed it and your tips. Nisha
Saranya Sampath says
Many thanks ❤️❤️❤️
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Enjoy:)
Annie says
This looks yummy 😋 can’t wait to make this!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Thank you! It's a fave!
Bree says
Another amazing recipe! So yummy and hearty with the addition of the tofu. Loving your delicious and clever recipes thank you Nisha!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
This is one of my faves! Thank you for giving this chili a try! Glad it worked out.
Rachee says
Love this recipe as always Nisha, Thank you 🙏
I do have 3 questions: 1) Could I just throw all the ingredients into an instant pot and pressure cook (I read a recent post of yours that suggested fast-pressure cooking retained nutrients better). 2) Could dried and pre-soaked black beans be used also instead of tinned ? If so could they be cooked in-situ. I'm thinking the pressure cooking would take care of the 'toxic' lectins ? .... 3 ) If a pressure cooker /instant pot were to be used what time and setting would you recommend ? (6mins and HI like your lentil and quinoa curry ?). Much gratitude, I'm a huge fan of ALL of your vegan goodness recipes 🙂 Nisha
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. Yes, you could certainly do it this way. You can try using soaked and rinsed beans. Add 1.5 cups additional water or broth and 0.5 cups dried beans and cook the whole thing on high for 25 minutes. Allow the Instant Pot to release pressure naturally.
Heather Fowler says
Really tasty! Thanks!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Shelley says
Love this filling chili! It’s an easy and great non-meat dish my whole family loves. I put out crushed tortilla chips, sour cream and shredded cheese for the crowd and everyone is happy.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So happy to read this! Thank you for sharing. Have a great rest of the week.
foodiefoodfood says
This is fantastic recipe that I make 2-3x per month. Easy to expand for a crowd and modify with extra veggies too. My (non-vegan) family and friends love it.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww so happy to hear Thank you. Have you tried he tofu bolognese?
Lorie Sorensen says
This is the best chili I have ever had! The textures with the crispy quinoa and roasted sweet potatoes are amazing! The crispy tofu is a game changer. This will be a keeper at my house.
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Awww it made my day to read this! Thank you for leaving a comment and I'm glad you appreciated the textures:)
Catherine says
This is the perfect combination for me! I love chili and never thought to add some spiced tofu to it. This is delicious. Thanks for the food inspiration!
Nisha Melvani says
It's a lot of protein with the tofu, which I love. Thanks so much for trying it. Have a fab day.