This smoky vegan three bean chili is the perfect recipe if you're in search of an easy and quick meal that's also packed with protein. Ready in just 30 minutes using either a stove top or an Instant Pot, this hearty and delicious chili is ideal for busy days or meal prep. Enjoy a comforting and healthy meal any day of the week with this one pot meal.
If you love chili recipes, check out this vegan chili con carne, that's easy to whip up in an instant pot in 20 minutes. Also check out this vegan Panera Bread black bean soup. And if you want to use homemade beans learn how to cook dried beans from scratch here.
Jump to:
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy to make, and all the ingredients are readily available.
- One-pot meal that requires minimal clean-up.
- It's customizable to your preference of spiciness.
- Easy to meal prep and can be stored for up to a week or frozen for longer.
- Smoky, hearty, and packed with plant-based protein.
- Perfect for a cold winter evening, or a rainy spring day.
🧂Ingredient notes
- Beans - We use a mix of red kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans. Beans are high in fiber and protein and are a great source of plant-based nutrition. They also add a hearty texture to the chili.
- Beer - this is optional but adds a nice flavor to the bean chili. I like to use a lager beer.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes: Canned diced tomatoes are a convenient ingredient to have on hand for recipes like this. They add acidity and depth of flavor to the chili. I also add tomato paste to thicken up the bean chili and add umami flavor.
- Vegetable broth: Vegetable broth provides a base of flavor for the chili. Look for low-sodium options if you're watching your salt intake.
- Onion and garlic - Onions add a savory sweetness to the chili. They're also a good source of vitamin C and fiber. Garlic adds a pungent flavor and aroma to the chili. It's also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties.
- Bell pepper: Bell peppers add a bright, sweet flavor to the chili. They're also high in vitamin C and antioxidants. You can add green peppers, yellow peppers or red bell pepper.
- Seasonings - I love the mixture of chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sea salt and pepper. I also add brown sugar to help balance out all of the tartness of the tomatoes.
- Cocoa powder - This helps give a nice and deep richness and balance out the flavors. I highly recommend some.
↩️ Substitutions
- You can use fresh corn instead of frozen corn.
- Feel free to interchange any of the beans with whatever types of beans you have on hand. Chickpeas, navy beans or cannellini beans would be good to add to this as well.
- You can substitute vegetable broth for water and bouillon cube.
👩🍳Expert tips
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients and prevent scratching the surface of the pressure cooker.
- You can add more or less spice depending on your preference. Add some red pepper flakes if you'd like more spice.
- For a thicker, creamier chili, use an immersion blender or a potato masher to blend the chili to your desired consistency.
- If you prefer a thicker chili, you can reduce the amount of water used in the recipe or let the chili simmer for longer to allow the liquid to evaporate.
🥄Stove top directions
Step one: Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add a splash of oil (olive oil or vegetable oil) to the pot. Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes until it becomes fragrant and starts to soften.
Step two: Add the seasonings and minced garlic to the pot. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices become fragrant.
Step three: Add the beer, veggie broth, beans, red bell pepper, diced tomatoes and beans to the pot and stir. Cover and bring to a simmer. Uncover and let it simmer until it thickens up. The longer the chili simmers, the more the flavors will meld together.
Step four: Once the vegan three bean chili is done cooking, add a little bit of apple cider vinegar to help balance the flavor. Taste and add more salt if needed.
❄️Storing and making ahead
- Fridge: Let it come to room temperature, then store the leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This tastes the best the next day after it's had time to sit.
- Freezer: Freeze the chili in an airtight container for up to three months.
- Making ahead: You can make the chili ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer. Just reheat before serving.
🥣 Serving suggestions
- Vegan three bean chili is delicious on its own, but you can also serve it with some toppings such as vegan sour cream, diced avocado, chopped red onion, fresh cilantro, or vegan cheddar cheese. It also goes well with cornbread or rice.
- Serve with tortilla chips or fresh homemade vegan bread or this vegan BLT sandwich made with tofu bacon.
- Pair with a fresh salad or roasted vegetables.
- Serve with a baked air fryer potato or air fryer sweet potato cubes.
❓Recipe FAQs
The level of spiciness can be adjusted according to your preference. If you like it spicy, add more chili powder, cumin, or even some cayenne pepper. If you prefer a milder chili, reduce the amount of chili powder or omit it altogether.
Make sure you add enough clear liquid to not get the "burn" signal on the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Then let it natural release.
The best beans to use for chili are pinto beans, red kidney beans, red beans and black beans.
Pinto beans, black beans or chickpeas are good substitutes for kidney beans in three bean chili.
🍝 Try these recipes next
If you loved this recipe, leave a 5 ⭐️ rating on the recipe card and comment below!
📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Three Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 diced onion
- 1 bell pepper (diced)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional if you don't like things spicy)
- 1 teaspoon chipotle powder (or smoked paprika)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 3 cloves of minced garlic
- 15 oz can black beans
- 15 oz can pinto beans
- 30 oz can kidney beans
- 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup lager style beer (or more vegetable broth)
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Instructions
Instant pot directions
- Turn your pressure cooker to sauté. Add oil. After the cooker heats up, sauté the onions for about 2 minutes.1 teaspoon oil, 1 diced onion
- Add the spices and garlic and sauté for 1 minute.3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Add in the rest of your ingredients. Put lid on, close the valve and set pressure cooker to high for 10 minutes. Let the pressure slow release.1 bell pepper, 15 oz can black beans, 15 oz can pinto beans, 30 oz can kidney beans, 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1½ cups vegetable broth, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup lager style beer
- After it's cooked, stir in the apple cider vinegar and let it cool down a little bit. Food always tastes better when it's cooled down a bit.1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Serve with vegan corn bread, vegan sour cream & cheese, or a fresh loaf of bread.
Stove top directions
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add a splash of oil (olive or vegetable oil) to the pot. Add the diced onion and garlic to the pot and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they become fragrant and start to soften.1 teaspoon oil, 1 diced onion
- Add the seasonings and garlic. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes until the spices become fragrant.3 tablespoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon chipotle powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3 cloves of minced garlic
- Add the can of fire roasted tomatoes, bell pepper, tomato paste, salt, vegetable broth and beer. Stir everything together.1 bell pepper, 15 oz can fire roasted tomatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup lager style beer, 1½ cups vegetable broth, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the beans and stir well. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer the chili simmers, the more the flavors will meld together. Add more liquid if needed.15 oz can black beans, 15 oz can pinto beans, 30 oz can kidney beans
- After 30-40 minutes, add in the apple cider vinegar and taste the chili and add salt to your preference. You can also adjust the seasoning at this point if necessary. To make this even more thick, mash up some of the beans in the pot with a potato masher or immersion blender.1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Top with vegan sour cream, cheese or chives.
Notes
-
- Fridge: Let it come to room temperature, then store the leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. This tastes the best the next day after it's had time to sit.
-
- Freezer: Freeze the chili in an airtight container for up to three months.
-
- Making ahead: You can make the chili ahead of time and store it in the fridge or freezer. Just reheat before serving.
- Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients and prevent scratching the surface of the pressure cooker.
- You can add more or less spice depending on your preference. Add some red pepper flakes if you'd like more spice.
- For a thicker, creamier chili, use an immersion blender or a potato masher to blend the chili to your desired consistency.
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Leave a Reply