This quick and easy 3-bean chili recipe comes together fast. It’s a hearty chili perfect for a healthy lunch, dinner, or gathering!
One of my favorite ways to spend a cold, wintery day is with family and friends, gathered in the kitchen with good food, conversations, and laughter.
Soups are often my go-to, but there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a delicious bowl of chili. The simmering combination of spicy, smoky, and sweet flavors somehow always sets the mood.
My chili never tastes quite the same, as I can’t ever resist trying a little bit of this or that. However, this and my one-pot easy vegan chili are favorites we always come back to.
Don’t let the list of ingredients intimidate you; this chili comes together quickly, especially if you’re using canned beans rather than homemade.
When everything is running smooth, I premake the beans during weekly vegan meal prep. They store well and are nearly effortless in an Instant Pot. If you'd like to learn more about meal prep, check out my beginners guide to vegan meal prep.
This 3 bean chili recipe is adaptable and versatile. You can make it as simple or elaborate as you like. I like to make a big pot for easy meal prep and to make these sweet potato loaded fries. So good!
Tips for the best 3-Bean Chili
- For a creamier/thicker version, use an immersion blender to blend some of the veggies and beans to your liking
- This recipe works great in the crockpot or an instant pot, but add the last three ingredients once it’s finished cooking with either method
- Like most soups and foods like this, it takes time for flavors to come together; give it some time to rest
- Experiment: try a bit of chocolate, cinnamon, turmeric, coffee, or amber beer for that extra bit of depth and flavor
Jump to:
Serving suggestions
- Baked potatoes, creamy vegan mashed potatoes, air-fried potato wedges, air-fried sweet potato wedges
- Rice, quinoa, bulgur, lentils
- Cornbread, biscuits, French bread
- Corn/flour tortillas, tortilla chips
Top with optional toppings:
- Diced avocado
- Diced onion/scallions
- Diced tomatoes
- Vegan nacho cheese sauce
- Quick pickled jalapeños
- A dollop of easy homemade hummus, vegan sour cream, or vegan lime crema.
- A heaping spoonful of creamy vegan chipotle sauce
📖 Recipe
3-Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 large diced onion
- 6 stalks of diced celery, stems removed
- 1 diced green or red pepper
- 1 diced carrot
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1 diced jalapeño, remove seeds for less heat
- 2 vegan bouillon cubes, if using water
- 2 tablespoon chili powder, ancho is a favorite
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- ½ teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 25 turns pepper, or ½ tsp
- 2 teaspoon maple syrup
- (6) 15-ounce cans of beans, (kidney, black, pinto)
- (1) 30-ounce can hominy
- (1) 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- (1) 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 6 cups water, or vegetable stock and omit vegan bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon of salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoon corn flour masa
- 2 cups frozen corn
Instructions
- Dice and chop the first six ingredients: onion, celery, green or red pepper, carrot, garlic cloves, and jalapeño.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot to medium-high and place the diced vegetables inside. Add 1–2 tablespoons of water, stirring to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Add the bouillon if using and add a tablespoon or two of water/stock as needed so the vegetables don’t become dry. Stir frequently and cook until the onions become translucent. This usually takes about 10 minutes.
- While you’re waiting, open the canned beans. Strain and rinse them. Open the crushed tomatoes and paste. Set aside.
- Once the vegetables are finished, add the following to the stockpot: chili powder, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic and onion powder, paprika, cayenne, Mexican oregano, pepper, and maple syrup.
- Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly for roughly a minute.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water or stock. Combine.
- Add in the beans and hominy. Stir gently.
- Turn to medium-high heat, cover partially, and bring to a boil.
- Once the chili comes to a boil, reduce the heat to keep it at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Keep partially covered, stirring every 10 minutes or so.
- Turn off the heat.
- Add in corn flour masa, corn, and salt.
- Adjust seasonings to your liking.
Nutrition
Julie Gaeta is a plant-based recipe creator, certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (INHC) with advanced training in hormone health, trained yoga instructor, former restaurant owner, and mom of nine who’s been plant-based for over 20 years. She’s cooked approximately 4,382 pots of beans and reinvented comfort food more times than she can count. She’s completed multiple half marathons and a Tough Mudder because she can’t resist a new adventure — and apparently, she can’t vacation without cooking either, since her juicer (beets and greens, too) and pasta pot always come along. Julie’s work has been featured in HuffPost, Yahoo, YourTango, Mamamia, MSN, Redfin, Better Humans, and The Good Men Project. Through her blog, coaching, and weekly newsletter, she helps others simplify wellness, build lasting habits, and feel good again — one grounded, delicious choice at a time.
Julie Gaeta says
This vegan 3-bean chili is a fall favorite. And since it tastes even better the next day, I always make a big batch for leftovers. Perfect over sweet potato wedges!