If you want a meaty vegan chili, TVP (soy granules) is the way to go! This TVP Chili convinces even the most stubborn meat-eaters! It's perfect for parties because it can be prepared ahead and it's a real crowd-pleaser, or make a big batch for meal prepping.
Autumn is the perfect season for making a big bowl of comforting chili. It's the perfect recipe for meal prepping because you can make a big batch easily, or if you have lots of people over.
You can reheat it and it will get better each time. And you can even freeze leftovers without it losing its deliciousness.
For my 'Meaty' Vegan Chili, I'm using TVP soy granules as the meat substitute. I have an extra recipe if you're looking for a chili sin carne.
My favorite way to serve this Vegan TVP Chili is with tortilla chips, but it would also be delicious with bread, dumplings, or rösti.
This chili has a secret ingredient, and it is: Cocoa powder! Don't judge it before you've tried it! Just a bit of Dutch-processed cocoa powder adds richness that is just perfect for this chili.
What is TVP / Soy Granules?
TVP is short for Textured Vegetable Protein. It comes in different shapes: curls, cubes, slices, steaks, or granules. The latter we're using for this Chili.
The key to making a 'meaty' vegan chili is using soy granules or TVP. Not only does it give the Chili lots of protein, but it adds that typical meaty consistency that you can't get with tofu, lentils, or bulgur. I'm sure of it, most meat-eaters won't notice that it's a vegan Chili.
I'm a big fan of TVP because it's the perfect substitute for meaty components in dishes and it stores forever because it's hydrated. It's rich in protein and not expensive. It can soak up lots of flavor (it works wonders with liquid smoke!).
How to make Meaty Vegan TVP Chili
As always you will find the whole recipe with measurements in the box below but I want to give you an overview of the key ingredients, variations, and the process with step-by-step photos first.
The ingredients
For this chili you'll need:
- soy granules
- onion
- garlic
- canned kidney beans
- canned corn
- tomato puree
- water
- oil
- spices & seasonings:
- soy sauce
- liquid smoke
- smoked paprika powder
- sweet paprika powder
- ground caraway
- salt
- chili powder
- cocoa powder (I know, I know, but you have to trust me on this. It adds a lovely richness to the chili!)
The basic steps
More Vegan Stew Recipes
- Vegan Chili Sin Carne
- Pumpkin Goulash with Bread Dumplings
- Vegan Goulash with Homemade Sausages
- Vegan Goulash with Smoked Tofu & Potatoes
Love it? Rate it!
I hope you enjoy this 'Meaty' Vegan TVP Chili as much as I do! Let me know if you give it a try!
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Cheers, Bianca
'Meaty' Vegan TVP Chili
Ingredients
Meaty TVP
- 1 cup soy granule
- 1 cup water divided
- 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
- 3 teaspoons soy sauce
Onion + Garlic
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
Canned Ingredients
- 15 oz canned corn
- 15 oz canned kidney beans
Tomato Puree + Spices
- 2 cups tomato purée*
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika powder
- 2 teaspoons ground caraway
- ½ teaspoon salt + more to taste
- ½ teaspoon chili powder + more to taste
- ½ teaspoon cocoa powder (trust me on this one)
Instructions
- In a big pot add the soy granules, 1 cup of water, soy sauce, and the liquid smoke. Give it a quick mix. Cook on medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until the soy granules have soaked up all the water.
- Make some space in the pot and pour in a teaspoon of canola oil, add in the chopped onions and garlic. Let them cook for about 4 minutes until they're soft.
- Add the corn and kidney beans. And stir everything together. Let it cook a bit.
- Add the tomato puree, water, and spices: smoked and sweet paprika powder, cocoa powder, ground caraway, chili powder, and salt. Bring it to high heat and let it cook for about 20 minutes with the lid on. Then remove the lid and let it cook further until it thickens enough to reach the desired consistency. Add more salt, chili powder, or other spices to taste.
- Then it's ready to serve e.g. with tortilla chips!
Miss Polkadot says
Chili is the bestestest [yes!] food around - and the one dish I think I could eat every single day without getting tired of it. Or not much. But really, there are countless variations so why not try ;) ?! Yours sounds really good and comforting, too.
bianca says
Haha! So True! Thank you so much. I could eat stews like goulash and chili all winter long.
Oliviaaa says
Hey, how long does this take to make?
Looks delicious!!
Bianca says
Thank you! I'd say it takes about 40 minutes, but the thing with chili is, the longer you cook it, the more delicious it will be. Also, chili is amazing if re-heated! :)
Courtney Mirabella says
Made this and absolutely loved it! I had all day since it was pouring and let it hang out in the crockpot! Thanks :)
Bianca says
Yeay, so glad to hear that you liked it, Courtney! :)
Janne says
This recipe looks terrific and I plan to make it today (substituting the brown rice syrup with molasses). However, the instructions do not adjust ingredient amounts to correspond to the ingredient amounts listed for various portions. This is an oversight that could have caused problems if I had not recognized that 3/4 cups of water is nowhere near enough to hydrate 2 cups of TVP. Just sayin'... In any event I do look forward to trying this.
Ashley says
I would like to make the recipe but have never cooked with TVP before. Is the 2cups of water added at the beginning where it says 3/4 cups, or do I add the rest later in the process?
Bianca says
Hi Ashley, only add 3/4 cups in the beginning. The rest is added later in step 4.
Maribee says
Really delicious! I made it exactly by the recipe, just adding a bit more water because I like a lot of yummy spicy broth. The cacao and cinnamon really a wink to Mexican mole... I will definitely make again.
sarah says
My family said this was winning chili cook off material!!
I added diced carrots, serrano pepper, extra chili powder, a can of roasted diced tomatoes for acidity, and a can of refried beans for creaminess
Wasn't sure about if the chili would come together but absolutely did!!! definetely pair with cornbread!!!
Bianca says
awesome! So glad everyone was happy with it :)
Jamie says
This chili was so good! Not your traditional tasting chili. Super quick and easy to make, definitely a new go to!
Fat Glenn says
1/2 teaspoon chili powder!? That's like nothing.
Steven Cohen says
Can’t believe this is almost exactly like my “go to” recipient for chili, except that I use a larger amount of the same spices. Also cumin gives it a depth of flavour. I like mine spicy to say the least, and it freezes great.