The Best Vegan Chili Ever

Notes

Sam Turnbull's award-winning vegan chili — it took first place at a chili cook-off against meat recipes. The whole trick is baked tofu crumbles: extra-firm tofu mashed, seasoned with nutritional yeast and soy sauce, then dried out in the oven until chewy and browned. Stirred in at the end, they soak up the sauce and bring a properly meaty chew. Smoky, hearty, freezes beautifully. This is the chili base for the Vegan Chili Breakfast Smash.

Ingredients

For the Chili: - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1 yellow onion, chopped - 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed - 2 cans (28 oz each) diced tomatoes, with all their juices — do NOT drain (~6½ cups) - 1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked) - 1 can (19 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked) - 1 cup water, plus more as needed - 2 tbsp chili powder - 1 tbsp cumin - 1 tbsp brown sugar - 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste — bland chili usually just needs more salt) - 1 tsp smoked paprika - ¼–½ tsp cayenne (optional, for heat)

For the Meaty Tofu Crumbles: - 2 tbsp nutritional yeast - 1 tbsp soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free) - 1 tbsp olive oil - 1 block (12 oz) extra-firm tofu, drained (no need to press)

Instructions

1. Build the chili: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent and just starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Simmer: Add the tomatoes (with juices), both beans, water, and all the chili spices. Bring to a boil, then drop to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring now and then. If it gets too thick, add water to loosen.

3. Season the tofu: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet. In a large bowl, mix the nutritional yeast, soy sauce, and olive oil. Break the tofu into chunks, add to the bowl, and mash with a potato masher into crumbles. Stir until evenly coated. Leave some bigger chunks — they hold texture and won't shrink to pebbles.

4. Bake the crumbles: Spread evenly on the sheet and bake 40–45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and chewy. Smaller bits go darker — that variety is good. Watch the end so they don't burn.

5. Combine + serve: Stir the baked crumbles into the finished chili and cook another 5 minutes so they drink up the sauce. Serve hot with cornbread and toppings of choice.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: ~335
• Protein: 22g
• Fat: 9g
• Carbs: 50g

From the recipe source (chili only — the breakfast smash has its own card).

Variations & Adaptations

• Gluten-free: Swap soy sauce for tamari or another GF alternative.
• Oil-free: Water- or broth-sauté the aromatics; replace the crumble oil with equal veg broth or aquafaba.
• Crockpot: Sauté onion + garlic on sauté setting, add tomatoes/beans/water/spices, cook low 6–8 hrs or high 3–4 hrs, stir baked crumbles in at the end for 5–10 min.
• No nutritional yeast: Just omit it — crumbles lose a little savoury depth but still work.
• Bell pepper / heat: Add a chopped bell pepper with the tomatoes; fire-roasted tomatoes or a blended chipotle in adobo (in place of cayenne) both deepen it.

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