We tested 8 brands of canned vegetarian chili: here are our favorites

Chili is comforting and versatile. In the fall and winter, a big bowl of chili, served with cornbread and whipped honey butter, is a frequent dinner in my house. I make different versions depending on what I have on hand: If I have beef chuck in the freezer, I’ll take the time to make a Texan-style chili con carne. If I have chicken, I’ll go with chile verde or white chile. If I have bags of dried beans from my Rancho Gordo subscription to use, I’ll make a hearty vegetarian chili. Although making chili isn’t difficult, it can be time-consuming. And if you’ve ever wanted it but don’t have the time or energy to prepare it, you’ve probably opted for canned products.

As a follow-up to our canned meat chili taste test, we decided to taste canned vegetarian chilis to find out which brand is worth buying. Our editors sampled eight brands you’re likely to find at your local grocery store or online. We heated each pepper according to the package directions, then sampled them in random order without knowing which was which. After many, many spoonfuls of chili, we tabulated the results and crowned an overall winner, as well as a worthy contender who we’d be happy to reach in a pinch.

The criteria

Vegetarian chili should be hearty, with a deep, well-balanced chili flavor that includes spicy, smoky and fruity notes. It should be filled with well-seasoned beans that are tender but not mushy. As former Serious Eats editor Kenji wrote in his recipe for the best vegetarian bean chili, a “big, balanced bowl of chili” should have a “complex flavor profile that hits notes both high and low, sweet and tangy.” Maybe it’s too much to expect from a canned chili, but…we can dream, right?

Overall winner

Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetarian Chili

Most of our editors agreed that this chili had a lot of potential, even if it needed a little help to overcome its muted (some said “bland”) flavor profile. “You can top it with cilantro, sour cream and hot sauce,” noted our associate food editor, Laila. Likewise, our editorial director, Daniel, wrote: “It takes salt, but you can add it. Overall, not bad.” Our deputy editorial director, Megan, found it “decent, quite mild, but tastes like chili” and found the pieces of fake meat “very convincing, both pleasant and disconcerting.” Our Assistant Director of Visuals, Amanda, praised its balanced flavor profile.

Finalist

Heyday Pinto mole chili and black beans

Our former Social Media Editor, Kelli, was a big fan of this chili. “This one has a deep, rich flavor, like real dried chili peppers,” she wrote. Almost all tasters noted the sweetness and chocolate notes of the pepper. “I like sweetness, even if it’s borderline too sweet,” Amanda said. Daniel and Laila found the chocolate overwhelming. “Some spices don’t seem Chilean,” Megan wrote. “That said, the flavor is good.” Although our editors had different opinions on the flavor of this chili, they all agreed that they liked the chili’s thick texture.

The suitors

• Amy’s Vegan Medium Chili
• Gardein Herbal Chili and Beans
• Heyday Bean Chili Mole
• Hormel Vegetarian Chili with Beans
• Pacific Foods Organic Harvest Black Bean Chili
• PlantStrong Organic Engine 2 Firehouse Chili
• Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetarian Chili
• Meatless Chili with Beans

Key Takeaways and Conclusion

Most canned vegetarian chilis are made with similar ingredients: cooked beans; some form of textured vegetable protein (TVP, a common meat substitute); onions; water or vegetable broth; spices and seasonings like smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder and oregano; and tomatoes. Many also contain thickeners or stabilizers, usually cornstarch, tapioca starch, and/or xanthan gum, as well as yeast extract, caramel coloring, and citric acid. Yeast extract is often used to give products a more complex and flavorful depth; caramel coloring is used to color well; and citric acid gives acidity and can help preserve color.

Of all the canned chili peppers we sampled, our winner, Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetarian Chili, has the shortest ingredient list. It contains no sugar, yeast extract, caramel coloring, citric acid or xanthan gum. On the other hand, our runner-up, Heyday Bean Mole Chili, includes both yeast extract and citric acid. The sweetness detected by our tasters likely comes from a combination of coconut sugar, prune puree, and prune powder, ingredients not typically found in chili. Another unexpected ingredient? Tahini, which may have been incorporated to give the chili a rich, nutty, deep flavor.

Canned vegetarian chili is undeniably convenient, and we’d choose either brand in a pinch. But for a chili with real complexity and depth, it’s best to make your own.

Our testing methodology

All taste tests are carried out with completely hidden brands and without discussion. Tasters taste samples in random order. For example, taster A may taste sample 1 first, while taster B will taste sample 6 first. This is to prevent palate fatigue from unfairly giving an advantage to one sample. Tasters are invited to fill out tasting sheets, classifying the samples according to different criteria. All data is tabulated and results are calculated without editorial input to provide the most unbiased representation of actual results possible.