This Vegan Chocolate Chili recipe is rich and filling with layers of complex flavor from savory spices and cocoa powder. It’s protein-rich, oil-free, and tastes nothing short of decadent.

I’ve been fascinated with chocolate chili ever since I made my first mole poblano recipe years ago. Chocolate for dinner? I’m all in! Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce where chocolate is one of the many ingredients and is the inspiration for this recipe. Cocoa powder (chocolate) adds incredible depth of flavor and richness to the chili without it tasting like a sweet dessert.

And since today is Valentine’s Day, I feel it is totally appropriate to eat chocolate all day long!

You can make this delicious chili in about an hour

If you want a luxurious and slow simmered texture without hovering over the pot for hours, I’ve got an easy short cut for you. After simmering the chili for 30 minutes, scoop 1½ cups out of the pot, blend until smooth, and mix it back into the pot. I use this trick in my Creamy Vegan Corn Chowder recipe and it makes the perfect creamy/chunky texture we’ve all come to love. Yay!

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, most of which are spices. Once you get your ingredients gathered and prepped, making chili is similar to making soup. There are a few steps, but each one isn’t complicated.

Let’s look at the ingredients

Veggies:

Sauté the onions until golden for best flavor. With a little patience, you can achieve golden onions even when sautéing in water. Just add enough water so that the onions don’t dry out. Too much water will steam rather than sauté the onions.

Chop up your carrots nice and small. This helps them blend into the flavor base. The chunky texture will come from beans, yams, and tomatoes, so it’s okay if they’re small diced.

Beans:

I’ve chosen pinto and navy beans for this recipe for their mild taste and creaminess. These varieties break down during the simmering process and add to the overall thickness of the chili. I also like the bright pop of white beans against the chocolate color of the chili.

Spices:

Chili is all about the spices. We have 3 different types of chilies for depth of flavor and fire. Cumin and oregano add earthiness. Smoked paprika creates a subtle smokiness, and cinnamon compliments the cocoa. If you like chili that’s full of fire, feel free to bump up the ground chipotle pepper!

Toasting the spices for about 30 seconds brings out their flavor and tempers any bitterness. The spice mixture will look dry when mixed with the veggies and that’s totally okay! You’re going to deglaze the pan with veggie broth right after toasting the spices.

Cocoa is part of the spice mixture and is the star of the show in this recipe. I promise, the chili won’t taste like chocolate, and it adds incredible richness.

Tahini:

Fat is what helps carry the flavors throughout the chili and adds a luxurious richness. I love using tahini for a hint of nutty flavor.

Tomatoes and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato:

A chili recipe wouldn’t be complete without tomatoes. I use whole peeled canned tomatoes for pure tomato flavor. You can easily break up the whole pieces with a wooden spoon after adding them to the pot. I also add one medium peeled and diced orange-fleshed sweet potato for extra texture and natural sweetness.

Finishing flavors:

This is where the flavor of the chili comes alive. Adding a healthy splash of maple syrup (or date syrup or coconut sugar) balances the bitterness of the spices and tomatoes. Definitely do a taste test after adding the sweetener to see if more is needed. I promise it won’t taste sweet, just balanced.

An acid, like lime juice, gives the chili that all-important tanginess and zing. Just like with the sweetener, taste it to see if you need to add more. I’m a huge fan of cilantro and love the fresh and bright herbiness it brings to this dish, but if you’re not on the cilantro train, feel free to leave it out.

Toppings:

Avocado and dairy-free sour cream add a wonderful cooling effect to balance the spicy chilis and make the dish even more creamy and filling.

This Vegan Chocolate Chili Recipe is:

Incredibly flavorful
Rich and filling
The perfect creamy/chunky texture
Full of protein and veggies
Dairy-free, gluten-free, and oil-free

This is the perfect recipe for cold winter nights when snuggling up to a steaming bowl of chili seems better than just about anything else on earth. I hope you give it a try and fall in love with a whole new way to eat chocolate!

Here’s everything you need to make this recipe

Ingredients

Sauteed Veggies:

1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
2 teaspoons of kosher salt, divided
Water or oil for sautéing
6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
2 medium carrots, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Freshly ground black pepper

Spice Mix:

¼ cup (25g) of cocoa powder, unsweetened (Dutch-process)
2 tablespoons of chili powder, mild
1 tablespoon of cumin powder
1 tablespoon of oregano
2 teaspoons of ground ancho chili
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
½ teaspoon of ground chipotle chile (use 1 teaspoon for spicy or omit for a “no heat” version)

The Chili Base:

2 cups (480 mL) of vegetable broth
1 (28 oz./800g) can of whole peeled tomatoes with juices
1 medium orange-fleshed sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
1 (15 oz./425g) can of navy beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz./ 425g) can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons of tahini
3 tablespoons of maple syrup

Finishing Touches:

½ cup of chopped fresh cilantro
1½ tablespoons of freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings: Optional but highly recommended

Vegan sour cream
Sliced avocado
Lime wedge
Chopped cilantro

Makes 6 hearty servings of chili

How to make Vegan Chocolate Chili

Steps 1-2:

1. Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven (or heavy bottom pot) over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil (or 3 tablespoons of water for oil-free), your diced onions, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until soft, translucent, and slightly brown, 7-10 minutes. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the onions begin to dry out.
2. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1 minute more.

Step 3:

3. Add the carrots, other 1 teaspoon of salt, a few twists of freshly ground black pepper, and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, if the veggies begin to dry out.

Step 4:

4. Sprinkle the cocoa and all the spices over the veggies, stirring vigorously for 30 seconds until well blended. The mixture will look dry and that’s totally normal. We are toasting the spices to enhance their flavor and temper any bitterness.

Step 5:

5. Deglaze the pan with vegetable broth, scraping up any dried bits from the bottom of the pan.

Steps 6-7:

6. Pour in tomatoes and their juices, breaking up the whole tomatoes with your stirring spoon (or hand). Then add the beans, diced sweet potato, bay leaves, tahini, and maple syrup. Stir until all the ingredients are nicely mixed together.
7. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down enough so that the chili is at a gentle simmer and happily bubbling away. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, dragging a wooden spoon across the bottom now and then to prevent any sticking or burning. When the sweet potatoes are nice and tender, it’s done.

Step 8:

8. Remove the bay leaves and scoop 1½ cups of chili into a blender. Blend until smooth and add the blended chili back to the pot. Stir until well incorporated. You can also use an immersion blender to blend the chili in a separate bowl.

Step 9:

9. Sprinkle cilantro and lime juice over the chili and stir. Test to see if you need to add more lime juice for tanginess. Test for sweetness as well, adding up to 2 more tablespoons of maple syrup to balance any bitterness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 10:

10. Scoop into bowls and top with dairy-free sour cream and avocado slices. Garnish with a lime wedge and chopped cilantro, if you like, for a pop of color.

Enjoy served with Vegan Cornbread for a cozy and hearty meal.

How to store

Keeps well refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for 3 months. Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave. Vegan Chocolate Chili tastes even better the next day after all the spices have gotten to know each other!

Healthy Chocolate Recipes you’ll love!

Black Bean Brownies with Sweet Potato Frosting

Chocolate Peanut Butter Spread

Vegan Mini Chocolate Bundt Cakes

Vegan Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Vegan Chocolate Ganache Tart

Vegan Chocolate Chili

You can make this delicious chili in about an hour