If you love Bloody Marys and chili, this quick and easy vegan Bloody Mary chili recipe is for you! Combine your favorite Bloody Mary mix with veggies and lentils for a delicious, unique vegan chili. Stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot!
Football and chili go together like peanut butter and jelly at my house in the Fall. And this weekend, I paired Bloody Marys with a quick and easy vegan Bloody Mary chili recipe. I love one-pot meals for convenience as well as clean-up. And our guests LOVED this quick and easy vegan chili.
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When I go to the gym, I often pass the time by watching the Food Network. Although The Pioneer Woman is anything but vegan, I often get recipe ideas while watching her and other Food Network stars, and today, Ree Drummond inspired me to make a vegan version of her Bloody Mary chili.
Bloody Mary Chili Ingredients
- Yellow Onion: Yellow onions, when cooked, get sweet and caramelized.
- Garlic: I prefer using fresh garlic cloves whenever possible.
- Celery: Celery adds a fresh, crunchy ingredient to the vegan chili recipe.
- Red Bell Pepper: Red bell pepper is a sweet and colorful addition to the chili.
- Chili Powder: Chili powder boasts a warm, earthy flavor with a mild to moderate heat level, making it a versatile spice in many dishes. Its aroma is rich and slightly smoky due to the blend of different ground chilies, cumin, oregano, and other spices.
- Salt/Pepper: A pinch of salt and pepper enhance the flavors of the chili.
- Celery Salt: Celery salt tastes a lot like normal salt at first, but its slight aroma of celery becomes more prominent on the tongue, thanks to the crushed celery seed that’s been mixed in. The seasoning has been described as having a mildly peppery bite, a green and grassy flavor, and as having a slightly bitter finish.
- Cumin: Cumin is rich and hearty, earthy and warm, with an edge of citrus,
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds a slight sweetness to the chili.
- Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: I like Wizard and Annie’s Worcestershire sauce.
- Crushed Tomatoes: I used crushed canned tomatoes.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste brings a lot of elements, such as a savory flavor known as umami, concentrated sweetness, mild acidity, and thickening quality. It’s often added to reinforce and add depth to the taste of tomato-based dishes like marinara or tomato soup.
- Bloody Mary Mix: I like Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix (choose spicy if you like it hot)!
- Dark Red Kidney Beans: Kidney beans have a slightly sweet flavor and a soft texture when cooked. They’re versatile and can be used in various dishes, including chili, refried beans, and cold salads. Unlike some brightly colored beans, kidney beans retain their dark red color with cooking.
- Pinto Beans: Like most beans, pinto beans have a mild flavor that is nutty and earthy—their mild flavor pairs well with various other spices like chili, garlic, cumin, and more. Once cooked, the inside has a soft, creamy texture while the skin remains slightly chewy.
- Black Lentils: Black lentils are deliciously rich and earthy, and can take on a wide range of flavors.
- Vodka (Optional): Bloody Mary chili isn’t bloody Mary chili without a shot of vodka. This ingredient, of course, is optional, but technically, vodka is made from potatoes….so why not?
Bloody Mary Chili Ingredient Substitutions
- White onions substitute yellow onions in recipes.
- Use ½ teaspoon of jarred minced garlic in place of each clove.
- Fennel is often used instead of celery; however, fennel has a slight licorice flavor.
- Instead of red bell pepper, green pepper is a common ingredient in chili recipes.
- Try using your favorite chili seasoning packet instead of the chili powder, salt, pepper, celery, and cumin.
- Date syrup substitutes maple syrup in recipes. Or try agave.
- When seeking a vegan substitute for vegan Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, tamarind paste, and miso are great choices.
- Diced tomatoes are a quick substitute for crushed tomatoes.
- Ketchup can be used for tomato paste.
- V8 juice is often substituted for Bloody Mary Mix.
- Choose any types of beans you prefer.
- Brown or green lentils work well in place of black lentils. Do not use red lentils, as they are softer than darker ones when cooked.
- Skip the optional vodka if you choose.
Chili Garnish
For a fun garnish for the vegan chili, I made cute skewers to serve on top of the chili. These skewers contain traditional bloody mary garnish ingredients.
- Tomatoes: I used grape tomatoes, which are bite-sized and sweet.
- Celery: I cut the celery into bite-sized pieces to add to the skewer.
- Olives Stuffed with Garlic: Garlic-stuffed green olives are found in a jar in teh grocery store.
- Limes: I cut the limes into bite-sized pieces to squeeze into the chili if desired.
- Tajin Seasoning: Tajin Seasoning balances salty, citrus, and mildly spicy flavors. It is like the flavors you get when you eat lime tortilla chips with roasted tomato salsa. Because it’s a blend of seasonings, those flavors are concentrated. As a result, you only need a little bit to add a big dose of flavor to your food.
Making the Skewers
- To make the skewers, rotate the ingredients and add them to each stick.
- Pour the Takin seasoning on to a plate.
- Roll each skewer in the seasoning, coating each skewer.
- Add to the top of each chili serving.
How to Make Bloody Mary Chili
Stove Top
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent.
- Add the diced celery and red bell pepper and stir for a minute until softened.
- Add the tomato paste, chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin.
- Stir the tomato paste into the onion, garlic, and celery mixture until the vegetables are coated.
- Add the Bloody Mary mix and stir to combine.
- Add the maple syrup, vegan Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, lentils, and kidney and pinto beans.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
- Cook for 30 minutes.
Slow Cooker/Crock Pot
- Add all the ingredients to a crockpot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Or, cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Instant Pot
- Heat Instant Pot to saute.
- Stir in onion, garlic, celery, and red bell pepper.
- Cook until onion is soft (3-4 minutes).
- Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Turn the Instant Pot to the Chili/Beans setting and place the lid on the pot.
- Lock the lid.
- Cook for 20 minutes.
- Release the pressure either manually or allow it to release naturally.
Serving Suggestions
- If you don’t like the idea of the Bloody Mary skewer, try adding a small amount of vegan sour cream, an olive cut into pieces, and a little cilantro.
- I also like serving Bloody Mary chili with a Bloody Mary cocktail on the side and a big green salad.
- If you don’t care for the vodka, have a virgin Bloody Mary.
- Vegan cornbread pairs perfectly with chili.
Recipe FAQs
Lentils, mushrooms, bulgar, seitan, and soy curls are just a few options.
Whisk some flour, cornmeal, or cornstarch into a small amount of water, making a paste, and add to the chili. It will thicken as it heats.
Chili should be thick and hearty. However, if you like it more like soup, add some vegetable broth or water for a thinner chili.
Tips
- If using a slow cooker, a quick and easy way to make chili for dinner on a busy weekday is to put all the ingredients in the slow cooker the night before and refrigerate. Then, place the crock on the base and start it on your way out to work.
- For those who have leftovers, this chii stores well in the refrigerator for a week or freezes for up to three months in the freezer.
- I like Souper Cubes for freezing, then thaw overnight, and reheat when thawed completely.
- Add additional vegetables if desired.
- Avoid using red lentils, which are softer than green, brown, or black ones.
- Choose a spicy version of Bloody Mary mix if you prefer a spicier chili. Or add jalapenos as another spicy option.
- Instead of eating in a bowl, consider adding this chili to the center of a baked potato.
- If you don’t like lentils, swap out the lentils for diced mushrooms or another can of beans.
Try this vegan Bloody Mary chili recipe this week for a fun, quick, and easy one-pot meal!
Quick and Easy Vegan Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Bloody Mary Chili
If you love Bloody Marys and chili, this quick and easy vegan Bloody Mary chili recipe is for you! Combine your favorite Bloody Mary mix with veggies and lentils for a delicious, unique vegan chili.
Instructions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent.
Add the diced celery and stir for a minute until softened.
Add the tomato paste, chili powder, salt, pepper and cumin.
Stir the tomato paste into the onion, garlic, and celery mixture until the vegetables are coated.
Add the Bloody Mary mix and stir to combine.
Add the maple syrup, vegan Worcestershire sauce, tomatoes, lentils, and kidney and pinto beans.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
Cook for 30 minutes.
Slow Cooker Option
Add all the ingredients to a crockpot.
Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Or, cook on high for 3-4 hours.
Instant Pot Option
Heat Instant Pot to saute.
Stir in onion, garlic, celery, and red bell pepper.
Cook until onion is soft (3-4 minutes).
Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Turn the Instant Pot to the Chili/Beans setting and place the lid on the pot.
Lock the lid.
Cook for 20 minutes.
Release the pressure either manually or allow it to release naturally.
Garnish
Using wooden toothpicks or skewers, add the vegetables, rotating until the skewers are full.
Pout the Tajin seasoning on a plate and roll each skewer in the seasoning.
Add to the top of each bowl of chili.
Or add vegan sour cream, a few cut olives, and sprinkle with Tajin seasoning (as an alternative garnish)
Notes
- If using a slow cooker, a quick and easy way to make chili for dinner on a busy weekday is to put all the ingredients in the slow cooker the night before and refrigerate. Then, place the crock on the base and start it on your way out to work.
- For those who have leftovers, this chii stores well in the refrigerator for a week or freezes for up to three months in the freezer.
- I like Souper Cubes for freezing, thaw overnight, and reheat when thawed completely.
- Add additional vegetables if desired.
- Avoid using red lentils, which are softer than green, brown, or black ones.
- Choose a spicy version of bloody mary mix if you prefer a spicier chili. Or add jalapenos as another spicy option.
- Instead of eating in a bowl, consider adding this chili to the center of a baked potato.
- If you don’t like lentils, swap out the lentils for diced mushrooms or another can of beans.
Nutrition
Calories: 169kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 10gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 469mgPotassium: 411mgFiber: 10gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2209IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 4mg
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂
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