Food + Drink

You’re making chili this weekend, right?

vegan chili

Every two years, right when the weather starts to tip into I-wish-I’d-worn-my-heavier-coat-today temperatures, I like to repost my chili recipe. It’s old news for those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, but I think it’s nice to have a reminder every now and then anyway! And if you’ve never tried my chili recipe before, well…you really don’t know what you’re missing. It seriously is the best chili ever.

As always, I’d love to hear what kinds of modifications and variations you’ve made to this recipe, since it is really flexible. I’ve subbed chickpeas and edamame in place of kidney beans plenty of times, and I often use farro instead of bulgur wheat depending on what I have in the house. I’m really partial to Muir Glen’s fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, and using ancho chili powder in place of regular changes the flavor of the whole thing completely. Sometimes I sprinkle a little Daiya on top if I have it, but it’s definitely not essential.

This chili freezes really nicely, by the way. One pot will yield six very generous portions, so after you’ve gobbled down dinner, you can divvy up the rest into containers to heat up for lunches during the week.

UPDATE, JANUARY 2021: In the 13+ years since I first published this recipe, it’s come to be known as “Door Sixteen Chili.” Countless readers have sent me their own variations, tales of winning chili cook-offs, and alerts when they make the first pot of the season on a chilly day. To make things easier for those who may be stumbling across this recipe for the first time, I’ve finally decided to take advantage of technology and convert the recipe into a “card” format that can easily be pinned or printed. Enjoy!

Yield: 6 large bowls

The Best Vegan Chili Ever

vegan chili

Over the years, this tried-and-true recipe has come to be known as "Door Sixteen Chili." It's vegetarian, it's vegan, it's hearty, it's "meaty," it's super-satisfying, and it's unbelievably delicious!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds removed, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chili powder*
  • 28 oz can crushed tomatoes with basil
  • 14 oz can black beans (with liquid)**
  • 14 oz can kidney beans (with liquid)**
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions, carrots and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add yellow pepper, jalapeños, celery and chili powder; cook another 10 minutes.
  3. Add tomatoes, beans (with liquid), corn, salt and spices. Bring to a boil. Cover, lower heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
  4. Stir in bulgur wheat. Cover and simmer at least 30 minutes (I usually let everything simmer for a couple of hours to let the flavors really develop, but it's okay to take it off when the veggies and bulgur are soft), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  5. Just as you're taking the chili off the heat, stir in the balsamic vinegar. I know it might seem weird to put it in, but trust me—it really does make the chili taste extra amazing.

Notes

*What we call “chili powder” in the US is actually a blend of several spices. Please don’t use 2tbsp of straight cayenne pepper! If blended chili powder is not available in your part of the world, you can add an extra tbsp of cumin, and then just add your cayenne a pinch at a time to taste.

**I take the easy route and use canned beans and tomatoes. You can soak dried beans and use fresh tomatoes if you prefer, of course, but you will want to add water to make up for the liquid in the cans.

Previous Post Next Post

Other Stuff You Might Be Into

93 Comments

  • Reply Bethany Aldecoa November 18, 2011 at 5:49 pm

    This is now an standby in our house. Yum.
    Thank you for creating this.

  • Reply Monica November 18, 2011 at 6:01 pm

    I have said it before and I will say it again “Thank You!” for coming up with this. Love it. Love. Sometimes I get all crazy and add a dash of smoked Tabasco and I really love it with rice.

  • Reply Alana November 18, 2011 at 6:02 pm

    Love, love this recipe. I like to throw toasted sunflower/pumpkin/sesame seeds on top for crunch.
    (p.s. Thanks so much for recommending Appetite for Reduction. My copy just arrived, and it’s perfect – especially the little section on bowls near the back)

    • Alana November 18, 2011 at 6:04 pm

      … also I’ve had to go gluten-free so I swap the bulgar wheat for quinoa without a problem.

    • Bright November 21, 2011 at 12:02 pm

      Thanks for adding that! I was wondering if I could take the wheat out and add quinoa!

  • Reply Sam November 18, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    This looks so good – We recently started going Vegan (it’s a process) and your chili has so many more veggies in it than mine. It’s sure to frighten the kids, but I’ll give it a try.

  • Reply ilyana November 18, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    I think I might have to finally try it out

  • Reply belinda November 18, 2011 at 6:34 pm

    you know it’s my favourite!. yum. tonight i am making a coconut chickpea stew based on the coconut lentil soup we both like. if it’s good i shall let you know!. and yes, i shall be making the chili of love on sunday.

  • Reply Tania November 18, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    Thank you for posting, I’m definitely trying this (maybe even this weekend). But in a slow cooker (my kitchen appliance of choice). I love balsamic vinegar so am looking forward to that twist.

    We eat our chili with rice in Hawaii, I’ll probably throw a little shredded cheese on top too.

  • Reply Danielle P. November 18, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Well, maybe not this weekend, but next weekend for sure! Since I’ve run out of Daiya, I think I’ll top it with some cubed avocado.

  • Reply Rachel November 18, 2011 at 7:32 pm

    This recipe is stupid good. And it was a miracle of chance that I found it on your blog when you posted it before. I’d been searching for comic book storage ideas, trying to find an “elegant“ way to house our collection, and somehow ended up on your husband’s post about his comics (yes, it was a deep search). Anyway, glad to find you–the chili is a house fave!

  • Reply Nat November 18, 2011 at 7:49 pm

    Made this three times this fall already! Love it, better yet, hubby loves it. Thanks so much for sharing it again 🙂

  • Reply Laura November 18, 2011 at 7:58 pm

    Our favorite chili ever. We stick to the original recipe :).

  • Reply Emily November 18, 2011 at 8:19 pm

    I love this recipe – it’s the only chili i make and i’m making a double batch this weekend. I like to use quinoa instead of the bulgur wheat. it soaks up most of the liquid, but it’s really hearty!

    **also, i think you forgot the chili powder? could be wrong but i always add it to mine!

    • Anna @ D16 November 18, 2011 at 8:26 pm

      No, it’s there! Right after the celery and before the tomatoes. 🙂

  • Reply Dan @ Manhattan Nest November 18, 2011 at 9:18 pm

    Yep, Anna’s right! It’s the best chili ever!!!

  • Reply sassmac November 18, 2011 at 10:17 pm

    Oh Anna – you are truly culinary genius. I made this last weekend and used quinoa instead of wheat (was all that was in the pantry) and it was the most marvellous chilli ever. Thank you!

  • Reply robin November 18, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    OMG. i logged in just now to look for this recipe on your site and lo and behold, the chili appeared! I just made this recipe for my pre-trick-or-treat feast on Halloween. It was a big hit. I’ve been making it for a couple of years now and am serving it again on Wednesday when my family descends on my home for the Thanksgiving holiday. Love it.

  • Reply Katherine November 18, 2011 at 10:32 pm

    I make this chili all the time in the fall/winter. I’m so glad you shared again. Now it’s on tap for the weekend!

    I will occasionally add a little feta as a garnish and it adds awesome flavor and texture.

  • Reply katrina November 18, 2011 at 11:59 pm

    that looks sooooooooooo good. a nice hot bowl would be perfect right this very moment.

  • Reply Simone November 19, 2011 at 2:58 am

    I have a question: what is kosher salt? I don’t think we have it over here (the Netherlands)

    • Anna @ D16 November 19, 2011 at 7:52 am

      Kosher salt is large-grained and has no additives (like iodine). You don’t have to use Kosher salt for the chili, it’s just what I usually use when I’m cooking!

  • Reply Brenda November 19, 2011 at 8:30 am

    I have a similar recipe I’ve cobbled together from two different recipes (maybe Moosewood?). Anyway, mine doesn’t have the balsamic, so I’m trying that next time. Sometimes I use barley if I don’t have bulgur in the house and it still tastes great. Thanks for reminding me that it’s chili time.

  • Reply PhillyLass November 19, 2011 at 9:13 am

    This recipe is amazing!!! I leave out the jalepenos because I’m a wimp. But I can attest that it’s delicious even without them!!!! I’ve been serving it with a yummy, moist cornbread that I get at the Wegmans supermarket in my neck of the woods and it’s such a cold weather treat.

  • Reply Cortnie November 19, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Your vegan chili recipe is what brought me here – it is really quite possible it will be on the menu for this Thanksgiving!

    I’ll be visiting often! 😉

    xo
    cortnie

  • Reply Eliza November 19, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    oooh, thank you! i guess i haven’t been loitering here for two years yet.

    but i’ve got some bulgur wheat kicking around in the pantry that i haven’t had any specific plans for, so… perfect!

  • Reply Catherine November 19, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    I have seen this on your blog before, and have never made it….but this just gave me the push I need! looks delish! I am thinking of substituting the bulgur for quinoa, since i have it on hand… hopefully this wont turn into a culinary abomination, on my part.

  • Reply Michelle November 20, 2011 at 12:18 am

    i’ve been visiting your site since forever, even though i don’t comment all that often 🙂

    that balsamic vinegar really does make a world of difference! i’ve made this several times and it is delicious! only had one botched pot because the beans didn’t pop and thicken the chili like the other times. had to do a little manual blending, but the end result was still just as tasty. and this chili is great with a side of fresh bread! 🙂

  • Reply shashi November 20, 2011 at 10:34 am

    Hey Anna, Where did you get those fabulous containers for your chili? Are they glass?

    • Anna @ D16 November 20, 2011 at 1:03 pm

      Yes, they are glass with a plastic & rubber lid. The company is called Snapware, and these are the Glasslock containers. I think we bought ours at Bed Bath & Beyond, but you can buy them everywhere.

    • Erin February 5, 2012 at 8:37 pm

      Do you have any trouble with those leaking?? I just had a lentil soup incident with my favorite bag.

    • Anna @ D16 February 6, 2012 at 12:27 am

      No, never! Maybe the seal on yours has a split in it?

  • Reply Andrew November 20, 2011 at 12:05 pm

    I’m looking forward to the Swedish Christmas album post! It has been my favourite Christmas album since you first gave me this special gift a few years ago. And I never said thank you. Thank you.

    • Anna @ D16 November 20, 2011 at 1:12 pm

      You’re welcome. 🙂

  • Reply Lucy November 20, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    Had this recipe bookmarked for over a year and have finally got round to making it tonight 🙂 Loved it except it was super super HOT!! My boyfriend loves hot food and had his face blown off too! Has anyone else found this? I’m in UK so maybe chilli powder sold over here is stronger but I’d normally work with 2-3 tsp for a chilli not tbsp’s…anyway thanks for the recipe Anna, will defo make again (with slightly less chilli)!

    • Lucy November 20, 2011 at 6:37 pm

      D’oh, after a wee bit of googling maybe found my answer…UK chilli powder = pure ground chilli peppers where as US chili powder = blend of ground chili pepper + other spices!? At least I know for next time 🙂

    • Anna @ D16 November 20, 2011 at 10:08 pm

      Oh dear, Lucy! Yes, in the US “chili powder” is indeed a blend of spices specifically for making chili! My goodness…I cannot even image the level of spiciness if you used 2 tbsp of pure ground chilies! Yikes! Perhaps the rest can be salvaged just by adding more beans and tomatoes and some water?

  • Reply Jenny November 21, 2011 at 1:25 am

    In an unrelated comment…
    Have you seen this art print of lucha libre chihuahua?

    It’s a great site I just stumbled across!

  • Reply The Countess of Nassau County November 21, 2011 at 10:36 am

    I make this often but cut chili powder and jalepenos in half for sake of the kids. I also use a whole can of canned corn for the hell of it.

    I actually linked to this recipe today on my blog.

  • Reply Sarah C. November 21, 2011 at 11:37 am

    Love this recipe…I’ve been using it for a year now and everyone seems to love it.
    I usually omit the corn, though (just not a huge fan). I’ve also been playing around with various chili spice blends and also usually add Hungarian Smoked Paprika. Sometimes I throw in a little Blackstrap Molasses for that extra je nais sais quoi…

  • Reply Bright November 21, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    Making this for pre-dead and dead week, when all brain power is dedicated to other things.

    If you’re soaking the beans, about how much water should you add?

  • Reply Beth November 21, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    I am de-lurking to say thanks for this chili recipe, it is my favorite vegetarian chili ever! it is so hearty and flavorful and on standard rotation in my household. I’ve only made it the classic way but I like the idea of substituting quinoa for the bulgur wheat from the comments.

  • Reply Jenn November 21, 2011 at 12:26 pm

    Sometimes we like to mix vegan sour cream with canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and then drizzle it over our chili. It adds another layer of smoky spiciness. And we chop up tons of cilantro, too (we’re a cilantro-loving household)!

  • Reply Stephal12 November 21, 2011 at 4:51 pm

    Best chili, hands down!

  • Reply LifeLoveLuxe November 22, 2011 at 7:57 am

    I’m reading this in the morning and now want chili for breakfast. THAT’S how good that looks! Looks like I’ll have to make a shopping list. Thanks for the deliciousness!

  • Reply Wendy November 22, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    We made this last night for the first time and it was so incredibly good! We topped it with some grated sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives and served it with fresh bread. I actually did just have leftovers for breakfast, topped with a fried egg. Thank you so much for sharing!

  • Reply Livi November 22, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    Thanks for this recipe – since I read it last time it’s become a regular dish in my household. It’s great for my veggie husband and the meat eating kids love it too.

    I usually add more garlic, a LOT of cumin, and crushed red pepper flakes. Spinach leaves stirred in, are also good. I prefer it w/o the balsamic!

    Thanks again – love your site.

  • Reply redveges November 22, 2011 at 7:19 pm

    Thanks for the recipe Anna!

    I’ve just gone from meat eating to vegan at the start of this month and this recipe has come just at the right time. Will definitely give it a whirl this weekend!

    🙂

  • Reply Troy November 22, 2011 at 8:01 pm

    I can’t belive you just posted this again… this past Saturday I was thinking about your chili and went back through your blog to last year to find the recipe as I wanted to make for this coming weekend !!! So glad you posted it again in case anyone missed it before…..It is the BEST chili ever !!!!!

  • Reply Lisa Congdon November 22, 2011 at 8:45 pm

    Just catching up on my blog reading and this is making my mouth water… Going to make it next week!

  • Reply Marie November 23, 2011 at 6:25 am

    After reading these comments I feel like I’ve been missing out – this has gone to the top of the must make list : )

    Just wondering – would leaving out the peppers ruin it completely? I have an intolerance to bell peppers so they have to go – what would be a suitable replacement? ( Chilli peppers are fine – don’t know why!)

  • Reply Bobby November 23, 2011 at 12:25 pm

    Might have to try this soon – I love chili, and have only recently stopped eating meat

  • Reply Julie November 23, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    This looks so fantastic…I’ll definitely try this! Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply Morgan November 23, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    This is so tasty Anna! Thank you! I love that it is so basic, like something you could whip up anywhere, anytime without really needing the recipe with you. Those are my favourite kind of recipes.

    I recently made Moosewood’s chili, using bulgur cooked in tomato juice as a meat substitute and thought that was genius! I love that you use it here.

    We had our first big snowstorm today (in NB, Canada) so it was perfect timing for chili. We made it just like this, topped of course with avocado!

  • Reply Reva November 24, 2011 at 3:16 am

    Made it! It tasted great, especially the second day. Thanks for sharing it!

  • Reply Emma at The Marion House Book November 24, 2011 at 11:34 am

    It was this Vegan Chili recipe that first led me to your blog. A friend told me about it and said it was the best chili she had ever made. Of course, I spent the rest of the evening reading all your posts back to the very beginning (in one sitting, I believe!) Eternally grateful to that friend and you for such an inspiring blog.

  • Reply Angie November 25, 2011 at 1:51 am

    Thanks for the warning re the contents of US chilli powder Lucy! I have the chilli simmering away on the stove as I type this. Just out of interest for us Aussie and English cooks – what are the other ingredients in US chilli powder?

  • Reply bfish November 25, 2011 at 2:48 pm

    Angie, US chili powder usually contains ground chiles, ground cumin, ground oregano, and salt (in varying proportions).

    I like vinegar in chili too. Anna, I suggest trying hominy in place of or in addition to the corn. Hominy really absorbs the flavor of the seasonings and we always put it in chili since we tried it the first time.

    I recently experimented with using a homemade dried chile/tomatillo salsa (vegan) as the basis for the chili. This was a great success, and I’ll be doing it again, though it is much more time-consuming than relying solely on chili powder with some added spices.

  • Reply Tove November 26, 2011 at 6:56 am

    I put in just one tbsp of chilli powder as we have pure chilli powder in Australia too. Still pretty spicy, but very tasty! Might try the smoked paprika next time. I also couldn’t find black beans, so used chickpeas instead. I think this might become one of my vegetarian staples…

  • Reply Bright November 27, 2011 at 2:30 am

    So I made this today and it was really, really sweet. The only thing I changed was –corn, +quinoa. No matter though, I added three tbsp of cayenne pepper and now it tastes totally killer cold.

    • Anna @ D16 November 27, 2011 at 7:25 am

      Sweet? Hmm, that’s odd. It could be the type of vinegar you have, maybe? I’ve never made it with quinoa, but maybe that changes the density. Also, I’d add some water to make up for the missing corn.

      (THREE TABLESPOONS of pure cayenne pepper?!?!?!?!?! That sounds like it would be totally inedible! We must have very different palettes…)

    • Bright November 27, 2011 at 11:05 am

      Ha! I think there’s an alternate dimension in my kitchen because the jalapeno peppers did not add ANY kick. Before I added any cayenne pepper, it tasted like the kidney bean/ground turkey/tomato stuff my mom used to make as a kid. So I added the cayenne and tried it after each time. I’ll allow one to imagine that my cayenne isn’t of the highest of qualities and it is two years old, so maybe that’s why the chili can support it?

      I don’t know. I feel like I did it wrong but I just followed the directions. The jalapenos smelled hot but there was absolutely zero heat. I’m boggled. I’ll have to try again. It was completely filling yesterday.

    • Anna @ D16 November 27, 2011 at 11:36 am

      I’m not sure what to tell you! Did you wind up using soaked dry beans, or did you use canned? I’ve made this recipe many many times (as have lots of other people, as you can see!), and I’ve never had it come out tasting sweet or bland. Weird! (Honestly though, 3 tbsp of pure cayenne would be enough to kill a person in a pot of chili this size. I’m really confused! I’m going with your alternate dimension theory…)

    • Bright November 27, 2011 at 11:47 am

      I added two cans of beans, rinsing off the juice, but adding water because I had plans for the quinoa. I added a half a cup of quinoa. Zero corn. One of the cans were white kidney beans because Trader Joe’s were all out of the red. I have an irrational aversion to celery, so I skipped that. Three large carrots. A large onion.

      I may have made it sweet by pulsing the carrots in a food processor. I’m fairly lazy with carrot chopping, so I wanted to make sure they weren’t big chunks. I pulsed the jalapenos as well, just to save myself from washing my hands over and over to make sure it didn’t get in my eye by accident.

      I didn’t use measuring spoons for my cayenne because they were in the dish washer; I used my big spoon. Is that a lot different? :[ Don’t laugh! I tried my best! It wasn’t bland, it was just really sweet for some reason. I’m not complaining, I’m just boggled.

    • Anna @ D16 November 27, 2011 at 12:03 pm

      Sounds like you changed the recipe quite a bit!! All of the things you did here (rinsing the beans, using white beans, adding extra onion, omitting the corn and celery, using a food processor instead of chopping, using quinoa in place of bulgur…) are pretty big diversions that can really affect the taste of the final outcome quite a bit.

      I’d try it again and follow the recipe to a T! If you really don’t want celery, just add an extra half of a bell pepper (any color) for the texture.

    • Bright November 27, 2011 at 12:01 pm

      Okay, I just licked my finger and tested my cayenne pepper and it’s not very spicy. There’s a slight tingle to my tongue but that was after two dabs and I didn’t even bother getting a glass of water. I don’t know how other people would react to cayenne pepper on the tongue, but I’m leaning toward my cayenne pepper not being strong.

      Which is good to know! I don’t want to replace it and then continue this behavior in the future.

  • Reply Sanna November 27, 2011 at 9:47 am

    Thanks for sharing the recipe! I made it today and it was really yummy.

  • Reply chau November 27, 2011 at 11:08 am

    Thanks, Anna! I made it a few nights ago and had enough to give to our friends yesterday. Everyone loved it! I’ll definitely be making this ahead of time for those super busy weeks.

  • Reply Angelica November 27, 2011 at 11:11 am

    Is that an Ikea Norröra as a spoon rest? I have mine in the kitchen too, the smaller one as a spoon rest, and the larger one for sponges by the sink!

    • Anna @ D16 November 27, 2011 at 11:31 am

      No, it’s just a regular old generic spoon rest 🙂

    • Angelica November 27, 2011 at 4:46 pm

      Oh, I guess my eyes are just playing tricks on me… seeing Ikea everywhere yet again.

  • Reply Lucy November 28, 2011 at 12:14 am

    I love vegan chili. Time to make some more…I’ll use your recipe for inspiration 🙂

  • Reply bethany November 28, 2011 at 8:41 am

    made it this weekend and hot damn. it is the best chili i’ve ever had.
    my friend who owns a vegetarian cafe and won 2nd place in a chili cook-off this year had a hard time admitting it was really good (i think this recipe knocks hers outta the water!)
    thanks for sharing!!

  • Reply Rebekah November 28, 2011 at 1:23 pm

    I’ve been making this chili for a couple of years and it’s seriously the best recipe I’ve found. I made it a couple of weeks ago when I was visiting friends in Brooklyn and they were amazed. It even impresses friends who are completely against vegan/vegetarian chilis.

  • Reply Elena November 28, 2011 at 3:16 pm

    In other vegetarian news, Morrissey on a stamp? Thought you might find this interesting. :o)

    http://www.celebuzz.com/photos/peta-vegetarian-stamps/peta-vegetarian-stamps-4/

  • Reply Lisa November 30, 2011 at 2:27 am

    Next time I have chili I’ll try this- and the quinoa version. Yumyumyum.

    I often make a similarish chili- onion, garlic (lots of it!) chopped tomatoes, and at least three types of beans (baked, flagolet, black, kidney, aduki, soy for example).
    Cumin, salt, pepper, sometimes fresh chilies, but most often sambal oelek, a chilipaste I use in everything. Then maybe tabasco, paprika, cayenne or similar. AND cinnamon! It really adds to it.
    I put the peppers in last, so they are still a little crisp. I’m gonna try putting a little dark chocolate in, which I’ve heard is great. I have used soy mince in it, but it doesn’t need it.

    In Sweden tacos are extremely popular, so I eat this instead of mince with soft tortilla bread or nachos and a chioce of toppings like sweet corn, avocado, fresh tomatoes and cucumber, lettuce, creme fraiche, banana(!), peanuts, and cheese.

  • Reply Alicia November 30, 2011 at 8:22 pm

    Hopefully will be making this chili again in a few weeks. I always tell people I possess the “BEST CHILI RECIPE EVER.”

    Came here to tell you I made an amazing borscht tonight that I found on Epicurious from a 1997 Bon Apetit. I can’t remember if you like beets or not, though! The recipe originally calls for beef, which I omitted entirely, and you can substitute the beef stock and broth for vegetable easily. Lastly, I used canned beets (just a can of fancy medium whole beets, rinsed and diced) so it was a really quick prep process! And perhaps you have some kind of vegan sour cream substitute? It’s still great without it, though, and perhaps you could just puree it a little to make it thicker. Here’s the link: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hot-Beef-Borscht-with-Sour-Cream-3189. It makes even more servings than your chili does.

  • Reply Jenna December 1, 2011 at 11:41 am

    Have you tried making this in a slow cooker? I have an urge to use mine! Should I still saute/cook any of the ingredients before-hand, or do you think I could just throw it all in?

    P.S. I’ve been reading you blog for years and I LOVE it/you!

    • Anna @ D16 December 1, 2011 at 12:57 pm

      I don’t know anything about slow cookers, sorry!

    • Shannon January 23, 2013 at 4:39 pm

      I know this is an old post, but just for anyone else who may wonder:
      I’ve made it in the crock pot a couple times. I sautéed all the vegetables first and then transferred them to the slow cooker on low for 6-7 hours. On days I’m home I add the bulgur (or quinoa) halfway through, otherwise I put it in at the start.

      It turns out fine, but honestly it is just easier to do it all in one pot.
      And then you can eat it in an hour instead of thinking about it all day as I’m currently at work doing.

  • Reply Tania December 2, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    Just made this with farro and long expired chilli powder. Still amazing!! Thank you Anna!

  • Reply purejuice December 4, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    i think we’d all like to hear you write about this.
    (link)

    • Anna @ D16 December 4, 2011 at 2:13 pm

      I have, actually! If you look at the “books” category, you’ll see a couple of posts (and comments) on that subject. I discuss it often on Twitter, too. 🙂

  • Reply Karlee Hoffart December 4, 2011 at 9:59 pm

    Made it tonight, so good! Trying to slowly go vegetarian and this was a hit at my house, even with my carnivore of a husband and my 7 year old. Thanks for reposting! I would love posting of other recipes you enjoy….

  • Reply Paulette Beete December 5, 2011 at 8:08 pm

    Just made this with chipotle peppers in adobo instead of jalapenos. (I was a little overzealous and used 3 instead of 2 so it’s spicy. Thankfully I only used 1.5 T of chili power.) Just put a bunch in the freezer, which I hope is okay with bulgur, which I’ve never used before. And yes, the balsamic vinegar really does kick it up to the next level. Thanks so much for sharing this Anna!

    • Anna @ D16 December 5, 2011 at 10:11 pm

      Oooh nice, I’ve made it with the chipotles in adobo before, too. Really nice flavor! And yes, it freezes beautifully!

  • Reply Isabelle December 6, 2011 at 7:13 am

    Hi Anna, good to see you are alive. Was seriously wondering, if the chili had killed you. Wish you a nice “St. Nicolas” day.

  • Reply leaca December 6, 2011 at 11:27 am

    I will have to try this. It is only my husband and I so I think the freezing idea sounds perfect.

  • Reply Polly December 8, 2011 at 7:58 am

    I’m not normally good at sticking to the recipe but I did here cos I wanted to taste the proper Anna chilli – It’s delicious. I’m making another batch to feed my veggie friends this weekend, hope they love it too!

  • Reply michelle December 13, 2011 at 10:19 pm

    Best chili recipe!! It turned out great!!!

  • Reply Heejyk December 22, 2011 at 11:55 pm

    I’ve been looking for a vegetarian chili recipe and just tried yours – best one ever! Thank you for posting it. My friends and I have our go-to winter recipes that we refer to as our Hearth of Winter meals (HOW, it’s totally nonsensical). And this definitely fits the bill of a hearty and cozy meal.

  • Reply joy olivia January 31, 2012 at 2:05 pm

    I have a beloved chili recipe from my mom that I rely on too often when I get a craving, but I’m totally planning to give your recipe a go this weekend. The ample carrots and hearty bulgur wheat ingredients sold me on it. Thanks for sharing (and inspiring). 🙂

  • Leave a Comment

    Door Sixteen is a hate-free, drama-free, spam-free zone. Open dialogue is welcome, but comments designed to harm or deceive will be removed.

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Get D16 in your mailbox

    Sign up to receive weekly digests and (occasional) other updates from Door Sixteen! I promise to not bombard your inbox.
    Skip to Recipe