Make the spice blend. In a small bowl, stir together the ancho chili powder, ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, oregano, cocoa powder, smoked paprika, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
Start the chili. Set a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the oil and swirl it around. Add the onion and chopped veggie sausages. Stir and cook this mixture until the onions are very soft and the veggie sausage bits are starting to brown, about 5 minutes. I recommend breaking up the pieces of veggie sausage with your spoon.
Once the sausages have stopped letting off liquid, add the spice blend and garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook it out, stirring constantly, for another full minute.
Add the kidney and black beans, and then season with salt and pepper. Add the fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Stir, scraping up all browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Bring this mixture to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Let the chili simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes.
To the chili, add the Tamari, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar, and stir. Give the chili a taste and adjust seasoning as necessary (more salt, pepper, Tamari, vinegar etc). Add more vegetable stock at this point if the chili is too thick for your liking.
Serve the chili hot with garnishes of your choice.
Recipe Notes
My favorite veggie sausages for this recipe: Beyond Meat or Gardein’s brats.
A homemade 8-spice blend, fire-roasted tomatoes, and a finishing hit of Tamari, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar give this vegan chili serious depth in just 30 minutes. Veggie sausage adds a meaty texture that makes it genuinely satisfying. One pot on the stove.