This hearty beet chili is made with roasted beets and beans. Quick, simple recipe for summer cookout. To keep it vegan, omit the Romano cheese

Have you tried beets in a chili recipe before?

Its the perfect dense texture that will fool the most ardent meat-eaters.

Overhead View of a White Bowl Filled with Vegetarian Beet Chili with Crumbled Romano Chili in the Middle of the Bowl. Bowl is on Top of a Light Green Plate. Top of a Silver Spoon is Visible on the Top Left Side of the Picture and It Is Under the Green Plate
Made with beets and 3 beans, it’s a very soul warming chili recipe.

Some of my meat eating friends always complained that vegetarian food doesn’t seem to feed the soul!

In my quest to show them some delicious vegetarian meals that are comforting too, I went on a quest for hearty ingredients.

That’s how I discovered that roasted beets are a great way to make any meal dense and hearty.

Then, this recipe was born and my friends had to concede that

It has ingredients that are not the norm in many chili recipes

For one, it has beets.  They give this vegetarian chili a very “meaty” texture.  To the point that you will not even notice that it doesn’t have any meat in it.

Closeup view the Vegetarian Beet Chili Showing the Cooked Cannellini Beans, Black Beans, Red Beans In a Tomato Gravy and Garnished with Chopped Red Onions. 3 Bean Chili Label appears at the Bottom of the Photo
Make this quick and easy beet chili recipe anytime.

Also included in this recipe is habanero peppers.  They are high on the scoville scale so they will make for a spicy meal. If used correctly, the habanero can add the perfect level of spiciness to any recipe.

I have tried this vegetarian beet chili recipe in the past without the beets and they just feel and taste like soup.  So, I make sure that I include beets in every one of my recipes.

The beans are also a star in this recipe.  I went with pinto beans, black beans and kidney beans.  I think that is enough beans, right?

All 3 beans contribute a delicious flavor to this recipe.

I have another 3 bean chili made with completely different beans and it’s made in the crock pot. Even leftover beet chili can be put into chili tacos.

For beet lovers, I have a super healthy and delicious beet salad, beet hummus, beet canape and beet tart recipe that you just can’t resist.

Do you love Beets?

beets in vegetarian chili

Vegetarian Chili Made With Beets

Rini
This hearty vegetarian chili is made with roasted beets and beans
Go Ahead, Rate it now!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Mexican
Servings 2 People
Calories 331 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 beets Fresh, thoroughly washed
  • 1 can dark red kidney beans drained and washed
  • 1 can black beans drained and washed
  • 1 can pinto beans drained and washed
  • 5 cherry tomatoes
  • ½ can tomato sauce (unsalted)
  • ½ red onion Finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic Finely chopped
  • 1 habanero chili or 2 jalapenos
  • 2 tsp Sunflower Oil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp sugar (optional)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 2 tsp Romano cheese or Cojita
  • 1 cup water

Instructions
 

How To Cook Beets

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wear plastic gloves when working with beets
  • Make shallow cuts in the beets and lightly oil them
  • Wrap them in aluminum foil
  • Cook them for about 25-30 Minutes or until a knife passes them easily
  • Remove them from the oven and let them cool while covered/
  • Remove foil and cut beets into small bite size pieces

To Cook the Chili

  • Split habanero into half and remove the seeds.  Wear plastic gloves
  • Finely chop habanero
  • In a pan, add the oil and warm it up
  • Add the onions, cumin seeds, garlic and habanero pepper
  • After 30 Seconds, add the beets and cherry tomato
  • Cook for 15 minutes on low heat or until the beets turn slightly crispy
  • Add the salt, fresh pepper, cayenne pepper and sugar
  • Add the cumin powder
  • Add the tomato sauce and all the beans
  • Add the water and cover
  • Allow the vegetarian beet chili to simmer for about 25 minutes on low heat
  • Add the lemon juice at the end and heat for 5 more minutes
  • Remove the vegetarian beet chili from heat and adjust taste if needed.

Serve the vegetarian beets chili in a bowl and top with cheese. Omit cheese to keep it vegan

    Nutrition

    Calories: 331kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 16gFat: 6gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 3310mgPotassium: 1478mgFiber: 16gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1395IUVitamin C: 37.9mgCalcium: 113mgIron: 6.8mg
    Keyword how to make vegan chili, meat substitute in chili
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    11 Comments

    1. Sounds delicious. My brother would love this so will try it when he comes for dinner. I’ve not read your blog before but really enjoyed the rambling style. I’m not keen on cliches either, and kick myself when I find myself doing them. What about when people do speech marks in the air? So annoying. Debated with myself about whether to put speech marks round kick myself too. Happy cooking.

    2. BEETS,BEETS Good for the HEART! Ha! I love beets so much, I eat them right out of the can taken right out of the cupboard. Imagine my squeals of delight when I found this! I use to have a huge garden and grew beets and turnips (love them too, great fried with an onion!) among tons of other delights! I am going to try this! Thanks for posting it!

      Oh, I almost forgot Your not, “One pickle short of a barrel!” LOL

      1. Thank you for your wonderful enthusiasm!!! I love hearing from fellow beet lovers. I can totally relate to eating beets. I like to roast beets and then eat them with a little salt and pepper. That is the best way to eat it. All the nutrients make them great vegetables. I have one more beet recipe coming this week. I hope you like it just as much. 🙂

    3. G’day! So healthy, delicious and colorful today!
      Shared some of your blog love today! YUM!
      Cheers! Joanne

    4. I’m sitting here trying to think of a funny cliche to make you laugh and my mind is blank. I guess I’m not used to speaking in cliches. I know a lot of people that do and I wonder how they remember so many cliches. I don’t get offended tho, I think they mean well and just don’t know how to express their feelings.

      I want to hear more about your career change. Too bad I can’t stop by for a chat over a bowl of your beet chili. I will try this one day when my husband’s out of town. LOL

      1. Thank you so much Sylvia! I truly appreciate your comments. I know people mean well with their cliche responses. I just think it is effective to use my own words as much as I can. You are in Tampa and only a stone throw away from me. Why don’t you come by someday and we will share a bowl of chili!