Hearty Tempeh Chili
Hearty Tempeh Chili is loaded with protein, fiber, and flavor! My favorite tempeh chili is made with a secret ingredient—vegan beer—for the ultimate chili! It includes stovetop and slow cooker methods.
I have wanted to make tempeh chili for a while now, and with temperatures steadily declining, it’s the perfect time of year to add it to my expanding collection of vegan chili recipes.
Why You’ll Love This Tempeh Chili
Tempeh is a fantastic addition to chili, adding a hearty, chewy texture and a big boost of plant-based protein and fiber. With roughly 20 grams of protein per 100 grams, plus protein-rich beans, you’ve got yourself a satisfying high-protein chili that hits your protein goals with ease.
Full of bold flavor and incredibly easy to make, this one-pot Tempeh Chili is customizable and can be prepared on the stovetop or in your slow cooker. It’s truly the ultimate hearty vegan chili for meal prep or cozy weeknight dinners!
Secret Ingredient: Beer
For an extra layer of rich, savory depth, I add a bottle of dark beer to this chili. It rounds out the flavors beautifully and makes the chili taste even more complex and satisfying.
I especially love using Negra Modelo, but any dark beer or chocolate stout (like Boatswain Chocolate Stout) works great — just make sure it’s vegan-friendly. You can also substitute with vegetable broth if you prefer to skip the beer.
A few tips:
- The total liquid in the recipe should add up to about 2 cups.
- Most of the alcohol cooks off during the long simmer, leaving behind just the rich, malty flavor.
- If you’re sensitive to alcohol, you can simmer the chili a bit longer to reduce the alcohol content further.
If you’ve never tried chili with beer before, I highly recommend giving it a try at least once — it really takes the flavor to the next level!
How To Make Tempeh Chili
Making tempeh chili is super easy and requires just a few simple steps, whether you use the stovetop or a slow cooker. All you need to chop is the onion and garlic, and the rest is as easy as can be!
- Stovetop: Heat oil in a large Dutch oven, then sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients (shown above), bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour (shown below). The chili will thicken upon standing.
- Slow Cooker: Add the ingredients to the bowl of your slow cooker, ending with the liquids. Cook on LOW for 6 – 8 hours or HIGH for 3 – 4 hours. The chili will thicken as it cools.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with sliced green onions and a dollop of vegan sour cream. You can also top with a small handful of shredded vegan cheese. It pairs perfectly with Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins or Sweet Chia Cornbread!
Storage & Freezing
Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. Re-warm on the stovetop or the microwave. It makes a great meal prep for the week with vegan cornbread or jalapeno cornbread muffins on the side.
Freezing
It freezes wonderfully for 2–3 months. My favorite way to freeze chili is to portion it into individual servings in freezer-safe containers (affiliate link). When ready to cozy up with a bowl of warm chili, I just pull it out of the freezer and reheat it. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags or containers.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
- Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Vegan Minestrone Soup
- Cajun Red Beans and Rice
- Sweet Potato & Quinoa Chili
- West African Peanut Stew
- Easy Vegetable Chili
If you try this tempeh chili recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love hearing what you think or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
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Hearty Tempeh Chili
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 generously 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegan
Description
This hearty vegan tempeh chili is packed with protein, beans, tomatoes, spices, and bold flavor. Easy one-pot recipe that’s gluten-free, oil-free, adaptable, and perfect for meal prep, weeknight dinners, or cozy winter meals.
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz.) package tempeh, crumbled
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or 1/4 cup water, for sauteing
- 1 can (15 oz.) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (28 oz.) diced fire-roasted tomatoes and juices or 3 cups fresh diced tomatoes
- 1 can (14oz.) sweet corn, drained, optional
- 1 can (4 oz.) diced mild green chilies or 1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, optional
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 bottle (8oz.) dark beer (Negra Modelo 1 bottle = 1 1/2 cups) plus 1/2 cup additional water or 2 cups water
Optional garnish:
- sliced scallions
- Vegan Cashew Sour Cream
Instructions
Stovetop: In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil/water over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, spices, and tempeh and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add beans, tomatoes, green chili, and dark beer/water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Chili will thicken upon cooling.
Slow Cooker: Add the ingredients to the bowl of your slow cooker, ending with the liquids. Cook on LOW for 6 – 8 hours or HIGH for 3 – 4 hours. Chili will thicken as it cools.
Serve with optional garnish. Also, pairs perfectly with Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins or Sweet Chia Cornbread!
Serves 4 – 6
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. To store longer, place them in freezer-safe containers and freeze for 2-3 months.
Mix the beans up however you like, using all of one type or your favorite combination. If you would rather use only 2 cans of beans, that’s great too! I like adding more ingredients as it makes the chili go further. If using your own cooked beans, you’ll need about 4 1/2 cups.
Feel free to use 2 packages of tempeh instead of just 1. At times, I like the extra protein the tempeh adds and will double the amount, making for an extra-hearty chili. It’s just so good!
For those who do not care for tempeh’s taste, I recommend making this a day ahead so the flavors really meld into the tempeh, masking its natural flavor. You can also try using the three-grain tempeh, as its flavor is less intense.
If you find that you added too much heat from the chipotle, try adding a teaspoon or so of cocoa/cacao powder or organic sugar.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmer, Slow-Cooker
- Cuisine: American
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Fantastic recipe! I added some mushroom and spinach! Everyone LOVED the meal, it was filling, hearty and delicious and even the meat eaters in my family loved it.
Wonderful! I love your additions, they sound so good. Thank you for the inspiration and feedback. Happy Holidays! :)
I’m so happy you loved this recipe! I love your idea of more tempeh, chipotle and letting it simmer a little longer if you can! I also love the idea of adding corn, that little bit of sweetness will be so good with the chipotle and other spice flavors…oh my, I must try it soon. It’s just too hot for chili right now here in So Cal. lol
Thank you so much for sharing. Cheers :)
czech beer too strong for this, it ruined it :(
So sorry to hear to that, but good to know. Hope you try again with a lighter beer and perfect results. :)
Really, really enjoyed this. Followed the recipe, only substituting the mild green chilis with the Adobo peppers I had on hand instead. I did use the beer. Will be making this in the future!
Yay! So glad you loved this Kelly! I love the idea of using adobe peppers…love my heat and will have to try it out soon. Yummy. Cheers :)
I LOVE corn! That and the cacao powder along with everything else was so good I can imagine! Great sub ins!
Oops, forgot to say I added corn as well.
It has been in the -30's where I live and having this Tempeh Chili to eat all week was delicious and just what I was craving. I will be making more this weekend to see me through the week. I used a GF beer and it was great! Thank you so much!
That is mighty cold! I'm so glad this chili has helped keep you feeling warm and good! A GF beer is perfect…I'll have to look into that myself! Enjoy the chili and stay warm. Cheers :)
Love the beer addition here. Can't wait to try this!
I love it here! It adds such nice notes and flavor. Hope you love it too!
This looks delish- although I will be leaving out the beer. I often add a little cocoa powder to chillis- do you think that would work here?
Oh yes, cocoa powder will be great here!
I will be making this very soon! Yum!
Would love to know what you think! Cheers :)