Hearty Tofu Chili is the ultimate comforting meal on chilly nights. Meaty and packed with plant protein and fiber!
All the meaty meatless thangs there ever were are right here in this very chili.
It's that time of year where we put everything in a pot and say "oh hi, here's dinner." And breakfast. And lunch. Everything becomes a one-pot-meal.
Because no one wants to do dishes when it's thirty degrees outside. We want to sip coffee with cinnamon and chow down on sweet gingerbread nothings while things cook in one pot. While dishes don't pile up. While the counters clean themselves.
I'm a huge tofu fan but never have I ever put the 'fu in chili. Why, you ask?
I have no answer for you there. Tofu is magical in the way that it takes on the flavor of pretty much anything. It's basically an edible sponge. A high-protein, tasteless sponge. How appetizing does that sound right now? Raise your hand if you're thrilled to whip up a batch of meatless tasteless sponge chili.
Meeee!
But seriously. The combination of tofu and mushrooms and beans galore makes this chili one for the chili books. It's meaty without trying to be meaty. It's savory, umami, bold. It would be insanely delish atop cornbread. Or like jalapeño cornbread studded with roasted corn slathered in something...buttery.
In order for tofu to not take on the stereotype of being a white mushy monster, you must press it. My go-to vehicle for pressing tofu is the EZ Tofu Press. It's been the best-selling tofu press on Amazon for the past three years, which is about how long I've been using it.
Essentially the press efficiently removes the water from the tofu in 15 minutes or less, leaving that nice firm tofu that's ready to absorb all the flavors and take on the world! If you've ever tried pressing tofu using millions of paper towels or heavy cans and books which then proceed to fall on your toes, you'll appreciate this press even more. It costs $19.99 on Amazon, is easy to clean, and is also dishwasher safe. Dreamy!
Tofu Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
HeartyTofu Chili is the ultimate comforting meal on chilly nights. Super meaty and packed with 15 grams of plant protein!
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8oz mushrooms, chopped
- 2 bell peppers, chopped
- 2 ½ tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cacao powder
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 2-15oz cans beans (I used red and white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
- 2-15oz cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
Instructions
- Drain and press tofu for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot/Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and peppers and sauté for another 5 minutes.e
- Crumble tofu and add to pot with spices. Sauté for another 7-10 minutes.
- Add beans and tomatoes, stirring to combine. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low and simmer (covered) for about an hour, or until flavors have melded together.
Keywords: vegan tofu chili
Fiona says
Sounds amazing and looking forward to cooking it. Can it be frozen or stored in fridge for a few days?
Alexis Joseph says
Yes, either works great!
Zohra says
This is one of my favorite recipes! Even people who claim they “hate” mushrooms end up loving it! We love seasoning so most of the time I double the seasoning and add an extra can of of beans (whatever I have in the cupboard). Would give 6 stars if I could! ❤️
★★★★★
Marie Burris says
A tofu press?!?!?! Who knew?? There goes another million dollar idea I missed out on inventing. LOL I have printed off the tofu mushroom chili recipe and plan to venture into the tofu chili waters next week. BTW, I've recently made your "Yummiest Vegetable Soup" recipe and I have to agree. It truly was absolutely yummy. I've never tasted a vegetable soup so flavorful, and I've tried so many. Thank you for all you do and thanks for your website! It's a lifesaver!
S Baxley says
I just purchased the EZ Tofu Press on Amazon. I will be making the Vegan Mushroom Tofu Chili.
★★★★★
Kathleen says
I made this for dinner and it was delicious! Thanks for the great recipe!
★★★★★
Alexis says
YAY so happy you loved it! Keep cookin' 🙂
Kathleen says
Made this for dinner and it was delicious! Thanks for the great recipe
★★★★★