This Easy Vegetarian Tempeh Chili is packed with plant-based protein, tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapenos, and cumin. Ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for meal prep, yummy on its own or loaded with your favorite toppings!
Why Put Tempeh in Chili?
Tempeh is a great source of protein + calcium + iron + magnesium! Above all, it is very high in prebiotics. If you are not familiar with prebiotics, time to get familiar!!!!! Prebiotics are a type of fiber that promote the growth of good gut bacteria. YES! To simplify this, we need lots and lots of good gut bacteria for our overall heath, to reduce inflammation, and so many more reasons! One way we get these is by eating a large variety of plants. Another way we accomplish this is by eating fermented foods. Tempeh is a fermented food 🙌🏻. Tempeh is on regular rotation in the MVF kitchen as one of our main sources of clean, plant-based protein.
Tara’s Tips For Perfect + Easy Vegetarian Tempeh Chili:
- Boil the tempeh first!!!!! One of the main reasons people think they do not like tempeh is because it has a slightly bitter taste. Personally, I do not like tempeh in its original form, I always boil it. After boiling, the bitter taste is gone.
- No oil! Yep, you heard me correctly. You do not need any oil to sauté the onions or to make this chili yummy + awesome!
- Vegetarian Chili Toppings: Organic cheese and/or sour cream, vegan substitute if vegan, avocado, fire roasted corn, organic blue, yellow, or white corn tortilla chips. If you like it hot, increase the chili powder or add another diced jalapeno. I use 4 jalapenos in mine 🌶!
- Meal Prep Chili: Make a double batch and freeze the leftovers in single serving glass containers for lunch boxes or busy weeknights.
- Let’s talk beans: You can use a can of kidney beans or cook your dry beans first. One can of beans = 1 1/2 cups cooked beans. Don’t love kidney beans? You can easily substitute black beans, cannellini beans, or navy beans.
Love Tempeh? Try My Other Tempeh Recipes:
- Tempeh Taco Meat
- How To Air Fry Tempeh
- Air Fryer Buffalo Tempeh
- Sticky Sesame Tempeh Recipe
- Baked Sriracha Tempeh
- Tempeh BLT
How About One Of My Other Amazing Chili Recipes:
Easy Vegetarian Tempeh Chili
Tempeh, onions, tomatoes, spiced up with jalapenos and red chili pepper powder. Make ahead and freeze. Easy + healthy!
Ingredients
- 16 ounce package tempeh
- 1 diced onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 jalapeno peppers chopped small (to taste)
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 cups diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste + 1 cup water
- 1 can of kidney beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans
- 1/4-1 tsp red chili pepper powder (to taste)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- When ready to eat, top with optional vegan or dairy shredded cheddar, sour cream, organic yellow, white or blue corn chips, avocado, fire roasted corn.
Directions
- Step 1 Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium pot.
- Step 2 Break tempeh block up into small crumbles with your hands.
- Step 3 Add tempeh to boiling water and boil for 10 minutes.
- Step 4 After 10 minutes, pour into a colander and fully drain water from tempeh, set aside.
- Step 5 Heat diced onions in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle onions with 1 tsp salt to prevent burning, sauté for 5 minutes. Add water a tablespoon at a time if your onions stick to the skillet.
- Step 6 Add jalapeno peppers and garlic, reduce heat to medium, cook another 5 minutes. Stir frequently.
- Step 7 Add tomatoes, cover and cook 5 minutes. Frequently pressing the tomatoes down into the side of pan to smash them down, by doing this they will dissolve. Once they are smashed down, add tomato paste and water and stir until combined.
- Step 8 Add tempeh and kidney beans, cook for 3 minutes.
- Step 9 Fold in all dry spices, adjust to your taste and spice level.
- Step 10 Add in kidney beans, cook an additional 5 minutes with the cover on.
- Step 11 Serve or eat with your choice of toppings! Store leftovers in glass, airtight container for up to 5 days or portion out in individual glass containers and freeze for lunchbox or busy night.
⭐Did you make this Easy Vegetarian Tempeh Chili? Leave a rating below!⭐
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