Kansas City Chili (Vegetarian)
A vegetarian chili recipe with bold, smoky, slightly sweet notes inspired by Kansas City barbecue flavors. This Kansas City Chili is great for game days, weeknight dinners, or when you want chili with a little more depth and character.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper ribs and seeds removed, minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- ¼ cup vegetarian BBQ sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar optional
- 3 15-ounce cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Add olive oil, then the diced onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, and jalapeño. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Add minced garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring to avoid burning.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add smoked paprika, cumin, chili flakes, salt, black pepper, and chili powder. Stir to coat the vegetables and toast the spices for 1 minute. Add tomato paste and stir until well combined.
- Pour in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, vegetable stock, BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar (if using). Stir to combine, then add in beans.
- Add in the beans, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens and the flavor deepens.
- Taste and adjust salt, sweetness, or heat as needed. If you want more smoky BBQ character, stir in a little extra BBQ sauce before serving.
- Serve topped with chopped scallions, sour cream, shredded cheese, or pickled jalapeño peppers, as desired.
Notes
- Using a smoky Kansas City-style BBQ sauce adds layer and helps bridge the gap between chili and that signature sweet, vinegar barbecue flavor. The brown sugar is optional, depending on what type of barbecue sauce you choose.
- If you prefer to use dry beans, soak beans overnight. You'll need between 1½ to 2 cups of dry beans. Cook the beans, then drain and add to the chili. Also add an extra ½ cup of vegetable stock to the chili, as beans cooked from dry tend to soak up more liquid.