Ingredients
Scale
- 1 medium onion (2 cups chopped)
- 1 red pepper (1 ½ cups chopped)
- 1 green pepper (1 ½ cups chopped)
- 1 jalapeño (¼ cup chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz. tempeh, crumbled
- 15 oz. can black beans
- 2 (15 oz.) cans diced tomato with garlic
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 tablespoon chopped dark chocolate (I used 72%)
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Toppings
- Vegan sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Chop all your vegetables – onion, red and green peppers, jalapeño, and garlic.
- Crumble the tempeh with your fingers into bite-sized pieces.
- Drain and rinse the can of black beans.
- Place all ingredients in a 4-quart slow cooker: vegetables, crumbled tempeh, black beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, and all the spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano).
- Add the chopped dark chocolate and chia seeds (if using).
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir everything together to combine.
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours, or on low for 8-9 hours. (Mine usually takes 4 hours on high.)
- Give it a good stir before serving.
- Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
- Don’t skip the chocolate! It adds depth and richness without making the chili taste sweet.
- If you prefer a thicker chili, leave the lid off for the last 30 minutes of cooking.
- For extra flavor, you can sauté the onions, peppers, and tempeh before adding them to the slow cooker.
- The spice level is medium with one jalapeño. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like your chili.
- Chia seeds add extra protein and help thicken the chili slightly, but the recipe works fine without them.
- This chili actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Slow cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 172 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 496 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.004 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Cholesterol: 0.1 mg