This quick and easy Three Bean Chili recipe is warm, cozy and ready in 30 minutes. It’s a hearty vegan chili and perfect for a healthy lunch, dinner or meal prep idea!
I love a good chili, a few of my favorites include this Quinoa Chili Verde, Butternut Squash Chili, Easy Vegetable Chili and this hearty Ultimate Tempeh Chili.
A good chili recipe is a must and this vegan Three Bean Chili is loaded with flavor, protein and fiber. Plus, it’s easy to put together and ready in about 30 minutes!
When the chilly weather sets in, cozy up with a bowl of this flavorful and hearty chili!
Table of Contentsshow
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this recipe we’ll simmer together onion, garlic, jalapeno, 3 types of beans, tomatoes, chili powder, chipotle powder and a bit of cocoa creating a delicious, warm and hearty lunch or dinner.
The Beans. This chili recipe calls for a mix of kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans, but of course use your preferred combination of beans or whatever you have on hand.
Aromatics. You’ll start the chili with onion and garlic, and jalapeno for a little heat.
The Spices. This 3-Bean Chili is loaded with spices. I find it’s pretty much a perfect combination of chili powder and chipotle powder. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your taste.
Liquids. Use either water or vegetable broth. For the most flavor, use veggie broth.
My Favorite Secret Ingredient.Adding a little bit of cocoa gives depth. Do use the darkest chocolate you can, 70% and above. It’s super delicious and I always try to add a bit to all of my chili recipes.
Saute: In large pot heat olive oil over medium heat, saute onion for 5 – 7 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili and chipotle powder, cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Simmer: Add the beans, tomatoes, chocolate, and liquids, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover askew, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed. Taste for flavor, season with salt and pepper, and add anything else you feel it needs.
Now all you have to do is enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
It’s great served with a sliced green onions, a dollop of vegan sour cream, a squeeze of lime.
I love pairing my chili with this vegan Sweet Chia Cornbread or Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins. Break up the cornbread and add to the chili, it’s the perfect compliment of spicy chili with sweet cornbread. There’s just something about this combination that takes chili over the top, making it a perfect meal!
How Long Will Leftovers Keep?
Leftovers will keep for 5 – 6 days in the refrigerator, stored in a covered container. Re-warm on the stovetop or the microwave. It makes a great meal prep for the week with vegan cornbread on the side.
Can You Freeze Chili?
Yes, it freezes wonderfully for up to 2 – 3 months! My favorite ways to freeze chili is in individual portion sizes using freezer safe containers. Then when I want to cozy up with a bowl of warm chili I can just pull it from the freezer and warm it up. You can also freeze larger portions in large ziplock bags or containers.
More Recipes You’ll Love!
Sweet Potato + Black Bean Chili
Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Vegan Minestrone Soup
Cajun Red Beans and Rice
West African Peanut Stew
Easy Vegetable Chili
The Ultimate Tempeh Chili
If you try this easy vegan chili recipe, please let me know!Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
This quick and easy 3 bean chili is perfect when you want a cozy warm vegan chili in 30 minutes or less! Healthy, hearty and perfect for lunch, dinner or meal prep ideas.
Author:Julie | The Simple Veganista
Prep Time:5 min
Cook Time:25 min
Total Time:30 minutes
Yield:Serves 4
Category:Entree, Chili
Method:Simmer
Cuisine:Vegan, American
Ingredients
Scale
1 tablespoonolive oil or 1/4 cup water (for water saute)
2jalapenos, seeds removed and diced (a few seeds ok for extra heat)
3 tablespoonschili powder
1 teaspoonchipotle powder
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes, with juices
1 tablespooncocoa powder or small piece of dark chocolate (about 1/2 oz.), optional
1 1/2 cupswater or vegetable broth, + more if needed
mineral salt & pepper, to taste
To garnish
green onions, sliced
cashew sour cream
lime wedges
Instructions
Saute: In large pot heat olive oil over medium heat, saute onion for 7 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, chili and chipotle powder, cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Simmer: Add the beans, tomatoes, chocolate, and liquids, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover askew, and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. Add more water as needed. Taste for flavor, season with salt and pepper, and add anything else you feel it needs.
Serve with the sliced green onions, cashew sour cream and vegan sweet chia cornbreador jalapeno cornbread muffins.
Serves 4
Store: Leftovers can be kept, covered, in the refrigerator for 5 – 6 days. To keep longer, freeze in freezer safe containers for up to 2 – 3 months.
Notes
Mix and match your beans to whatever you like or have on hand.
Add veggies if you like such as chopped celery, carrots, bell peppers, corn, etc…delicious! Adding more vegetables will make this go further giving about 5 servings.
UPDATED: This 3 Bean Chili was originally posted in August 2012, and has been updated with new photos and helpful tips in September 2019.
The good news is there are lots of easy ways to thicken up your chili with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry— flour, cornmeal, pureed beans, cornstarch, or even crushed tortilla chips will help do the job, along with some good old extra simmering time.
The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.
Ideally, chili should simmer low and slow. This allows some of the liquid to evaporate and results in a thicker consistency and deeper, more complex flavor as the aromatics and spices release their superpowers.
Cornmeal: Add a tablespoon of cornmeal or masa harina while stirring continuously. Mashed Beans: Mash a portion of the beans and stir them into the chili to thicken it. Crushed Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips can also be added as a thickening agent.
Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.
Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.
Many folks out there love a solid dollop of sour cream to finish off each serving of chili, but this add-on can easily add way too many calories and grams of fat to your meal. If you love some extra creaminess on top of this dish, don't assume you can't find a good substitute for sour cream.
If using masa harina to thicken chili, simply swap in cornmeal for a similar texture instead. It won't have that same unique flavor but it works in a pinch.
Our traditional chili has all the classic ingredients and relies on tomato paste as a thickener. Simmer longer for a thick, hearty meal. If you're cooking for a crowd, make a big-batch recipe that cooks all day in the slow cooker.
All-purpose flour and cornstarch are useful for thickening chili, as well as sauces, soups, and stews. However, you'll want to avoid adding these ingredients directly to your recipe, as this will result in clumps. Instead, create a slurry and add it slowly to help the thickener fully incorporate.
Sweet onions are great for caramelizing due to their higher sugar content. You can cook them into your chili, serve them raw over top, or even elevate your chili with a sophisticated caramelized onion topping! Some of my favorite sweet onions are Walla, Walla, Maui, and Vidalia Onions.
A low and slow cook time—at least an hour total—is key for drawing out the most flavor in a pot of chili. Yes, a quick chili is most welcome on weeknights, but it won't have quite the same results. A slow cooker works wonders, but if you're short on time, try a pressure cooker.
In this case, the question was, “What peppers go best in a chili recipe made with beef?” In the end, I decided on three: red and green bell peppers, both for sweetness and their perfect colour combination, and a jalapeño to raise the heat a tiny bit more.
If you're looking for a white cornmeal substitute, then white corn grits are the best. But if you want to add that orangey, yellow colour, then use yellow grits.
Sprinkling in a tablespoon or so of cornmeal or polenta is a great way to thicken Southwestern-inspired chilis. Adding either of these to a hot pot of chili means that it'll absorb and help thicken the liquid after simmering for about 10 additional minutes.
The beef will release a lot of fat and liquid — do not drain it; you'll skim the fat off at the end. Add the ancho chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon (if using). Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until well combined and fragrant.
For quicker-cooking chili like this recipe, don't cover the pot. You want the liquid in the chili to reduce, and leaving the lid off is crucial. If you're simmering the chili for a longer time, partially cover the pot to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly.
Added to the chili near the end of cooking, masa harina thickens the liquid slightly, giving it body, and imparts a subtle corn flavor. Grind the meat yourself or ask the butcher to grind it fresh for chili, using the large holes of a meat grinder to give it a coarse texture.
Chocolate might not be the first thing you think of when you're making a batch of chili but it pairs perfectly with peppers. Adding just a teaspoon or two of unsweetened cocoa powder like we do in our Instant Pot Chili (pictured above) will make your go-to recipe rich and flavorful.
Chili recipes need time for flavors to meld and come together, and collagen-rich meat (like chuck roast or ground beef) needs 90 minutes to two hours to fully break down and become tender. If you don't have time for a long simmer, try using a slow cooker or making it the day before.
'" Further east in Ohio, Cincinnati-style chili has many of the same ingredients as traditional red chili, such as cayenne, cumin and paprika. But it also skews sweeter with the addition of warm baking spices like allspice, nutmeg — and cinnamon.
Make Your Own Chili Powder. Okay, if you're using a store-bought shaker of “chili powder” please get up from your computer, walk to your pantry, and throw it away. ...
Use Beans from a Bag, Not from a Can. ...
Roast your Chiles. ...
Vary your Meat. ...
A Hoppy Bottle of Beer Brings it all Together. ...
Cinnamon is a fairly common addition to chili, but you can also use small amount of nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and other sweet spices to make it more aromatic. Even a bit of star anise can enhance the beefy, spicy flavor of chili without being too licorice-forward (add too much, though, and it may taste more like pho).
“If there's one thing you have to do with any canned chili, it would be adding fresh chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeños. Maybe even some pickled jalapeños. And be sure to dice it all up finely.” As for presentation? “Serve the chili out of a nice pot next to all the fresh toppings on display.
It's not always about what spices you use, but rather how you use them. Adding salt and chili spices at the end won't infuse the dish with true depth of flavor. Instead, bring out the flavor of the spices by adding them when you brown the meat or soften the onions.
Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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