Trader Joe's Vegetarian Chili
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This hearty Vegetarian Chili is the ultimate winter comfort bowl. Packed with fiber-rich beans and colorful veggies, it's not just delicious—it’s loaded with antioxidants to support glowing skin and overall health, especially for women over 50. Bonus? It’s super easy to make with pantry staples from Trader Joe’s! Top it off with melty cheddar, a dollop of Greek yogurt (or your fave plant-based sub), and a sprinkle of pickled red onions for that extra flavor punch. Perfect for warming up after a chilly day. Who’s ready to dive in?
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or Stockpot
- sharp chef's knife
- wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- Trader Joe's Mirepoix (fresh carrots, celery and onion blend) or use ½ med onion, diced; ½ cup celery, diced; ½ cup carrots, diced
- 1 tbsp salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ⅛ tsp chili flakes
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper diced
- 1 tbsp ground black pepper
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chile peppers drained
- 1 (12-oz) package beef veggie crumbles
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 (28-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (14-oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans drained
- 2 (15-oz) cans black beans drained
- 1 cup dried elbow macaroni or ½ cup quinoa for gluten-free option
Garnishes
- ¼ cup green onion thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cheddar cheese shredded
- plain Greek yogurt or plant-based yogurt
- ¼ cup Christine’s pickled red onion (click for recipe)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili flakes, cayenne pepper, salt, and bay leaf. Add the garlic, carrots, celery and onion. Cook until the vegetables are tender, then add green bell pepper, jalapeño. Stir in the canned green chile peppers and cook until heated through. Add a splash of water if the mixture is too thick.1 tbsp olive oil, 3 cloves garlic, Trader Joe's Mirepoix (fresh carrots, celery and onion blend), 1 tbsp salt, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp ground cumin, ⅛ tsp chili flakes, ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, 1 bay leaf, 1 green bell pepper, 1 jalapeño pepper, 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
- Add the vegetarian beef crumbles to the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes adding a splash of water if the mixture is too thick.1 (12-oz) package beef veggie crumbles
- Stir in the fire roasted tomatoes, season by adding the ¼ cup chili powder and black pepper. Add the kidney beans, black beans, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 45 minutes. As the chili cooks and thickens, stir in 2-3 cups of water as needed to reach desired consistency and thickness.1 tbsp ground black pepper, ¼ cup chili powder, 1 (28-oz) can fire roasted tomatoes, 2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans, 2 (15-oz) cans black beans, 1 (14-oz) can tomato sauce
- Cook elbow macaroni (or quinoa for a gluten-free option) according to package directions and set aside.1 cup dried elbow macaroni
- Serve with your desired amount of macaroni and garnishes of cheddar cheese, green onion, yogurt, and pickled red onion as desired.¼ cup green onion, ¼ cup cheddar cheese, plain Greek yogurt, ¼ cup Christine’s pickled red onion (click for recipe)
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More About This Recipe
Simple Cooking Tips
- Prepping Your Veggies: If you’re short on time, grab a pre-chopped mirepoix mix from Trader Joe’s. It’s a total time-saver, and you’ll still get all those wonderful flavors.
- Thicker Chili Hack: Want your chili extra thick? Mash some of the beans with a fork before adding them to the pot. It gives the chili a creamier texture without needing extra thickeners.
- Balancing the Spice: If you’re sensitive to heat, start with less cayenne and chili flakes, then adjust to taste. You can always add more spice, but you can’t take it out!
- Adding Depth of Flavor: A splash of soy sauce or tamari adds a subtle umami boost that takes this chili to the next level.
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
- Large Dutch Oven or Stockpot: Perfect for cooking up big batches of chili.
- Sharp Chef’s Knife: If you’re chopping your own veggies, a good knife makes the process so much easier.
- Wooden Spoon: Great for stirring the chili without scratching your pot.
- Ladle: Because serving up that first steaming bowl of chili should feel special!
Nutrition
Serving: 2cupsCalories: 196.6kcalCarbohydrates: 33.9gProtein: 10.7gFat: 2.7gFiber: 8.1gSugar: 4.8g
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