Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili

Name: Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil; 1 large (about 11 oz) (300 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1 medium (25 g) jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (leave seeds in for more heat) (optional); 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced; 3 tbsp (24 g) chili powder; 2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin; 2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika; 1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper (optional); 2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste; 28 oz can (794 g) crushed tomatoes, one 28-oz (794 g) can, with juices; 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth; 15 oz can (425 g) canned dark red kidney beans, one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans); 15 oz can (425 g) canned black beans, one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans); 15 oz can (425 g) canned pinto beans, one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans); 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (from about ½ lime); ¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A thick, smoky, one-pot chili built on kidney, black and pinto beans, sweet bell peppers and toasted spices. It simmers in about 35 minutes and tastes even better the next day.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 1 hr 15 min
Makes: About 9 cups (6 generous servings)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
1 large (about 11 oz) (300 g) yellow onion, peeled and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1 medium (25 g) jalapeño, seeded and finely minced (leave seeds in for more heat) (optional)
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp (24 g) chili powder
2 tsp (4 g) ground cumin
2 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
1 tsp (1 g) dried oregano
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
2 tbsp (32 g) tomato paste
28 oz can (794 g) crushed tomatoes, one 28-oz (794 g) can, with juices
2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium vegetable broth
15 oz can (425 g) canned dark red kidney beans, one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans)
15 oz can (425 g) canned black beans, one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans)
15 oz can (425 g) canned pinto beans, one 15-oz (425 g) can, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups / 250 g beans)
1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
1 tbsp (15 ml) lime juice, freshly squeezed (from about ½ lime)
¼ cup (4 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for serving (optional)

Equipment (6)

5½- to 6-quart (5–6 L) heavy-bottomed pot or stockpot with lid
Large colander
Cutting board and chef's knife
Wooden spoon
Measuring cups and spoons
Can opener

Steps

Before you start

Open, drain and rinse all three cans of beans in a colander until the water runs mostly clear. This removes the canned taste and excess sodium.
Chop all the vegetables before you turn on the heat. The garlic and spices go in quickly and can burn if you're still chopping.
Use a heavy pot with a wide base so the chili reduces evenly and doesn't scorch. Chili powders vary in heat, so start with the amount given and adjust at the end.
Total time is about 75 minutes, including a 5-minute rest at the end. This is a stovetop recipe, so the oven is not needed.

1
Prep vegetables and beans
- Dice the onion and the red and green bell peppers into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces so they cook at the same rate.
- Mince the garlic and the jalapeño, if using.
- Drain the three cans of beans into a colander and rinse under cold water, shaking well.
- Measure the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and cayenne into a small bowl so they are ready to add all at once.
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Ready when: Everything is chopped, measured and within arm's reach of the stove.
Tip: Pat the rinsed beans lightly dry with a towel if they look very wet, so they don't dilute the chili.
2
Sauté onion and peppers
- Heat the olive oil in a 5½- to 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the onion, red pepper, green pepper and jalapeño with the 1 tsp salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute or so, for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: The onion is soft and translucent, the peppers have softened and the edges are just starting to turn golden.
Tip: Salting now draws moisture out of the vegetables and helps them soften without browning too hard.
3
Bloom garlic and spices
- Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, black pepper and cayenne (if using).
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly fragrant and looks like a thick, brick-red paste coating the vegetables.
Tip: Don't walk away. Ground spices and garlic scorch within seconds and turn bitter. If the pot looks dry, add 1 tbsp of the broth.
4
Toast the tomato paste
- Push the vegetables to the sides, add the tomato paste to the center of the pot and stir it into the vegetables.
- Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.
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Ready when: The paste darkens from bright red to a deeper rust color and smells sweet and concentrated.
Tip: Cooking the paste briefly removes its raw, tinny edge and deepens the chili's flavor.
5
Add tomatoes, broth, beans
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the vegetable broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
- Add the kidney, black and pinto beans and stir well.
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, about 4–5 minutes.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break across the whole surface of the chili.
Tip: Reduce the heat as soon as it boils so the tomatoes don't spatter and scorch.
6
Simmer until thick
- Reduce the heat to medium-low so the chili bubbles gently.
- Partially cover the pot with the lid, leaving a ½-inch gap.
- Simmer for 35 minutes, stirring every 8–10 minutes and scraping the bottom.
- In the last 10 minutes, remove the lid if the chili still looks thin.
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Ready when: The chili is thick enough that a spoon dragged across the bottom leaves a trail that fills in slowly, and the peppers are very tender.
Tip: For a thicker chili, mash about ½ cup of the beans against the side of the pot with the back of the spoon and stir them in.
7
Season and finish
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Stir in the lime juice.
- Taste and add more salt, a pinch at a time, until the flavors taste bright.
- Add more cayenne or chili powder if you want more heat.
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Ready when: The chili tastes balanced: smoky, slightly sweet and tangy, with no raw spice taste.
Tip: Always season at the end. Canned beans and tomatoes vary in saltiness, and the chili concentrates as it cooks.
8
Rest before serving
- Cover the pot and let the chili rest off the heat for 5 minutes so it thickens slightly and the flavors settle.
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Ready when: The surface stops bubbling and the chili looks glossy and thick.
9
Serve
- Ladle the chili into six warm bowls and scatter with chopped cilantro.
- Serve with rice, cornbread or tortilla chips, and your favorite toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream or sliced avocado.

Good to know

Tips

Don't skip toasting the spices and tomato paste. It's the quickest way to give a vegetarian chili deep, savory flavor.
Add the salt in two stages, some at the start and the rest at the end. Canned ingredients vary a lot, and the chili reduces as it simmers.
If the chili is too thick, stir in broth ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time. If it's too thin, simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes more.
For a smokier, hotter chili, add 1 minced chipotle pepper in adobo along with the garlic.

Make ahead

Chili tastes better after a night in the fridge. Cook through step 6, cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently, then finish with the lime juice and salt (step 7), adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: up to 4 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) of headspace. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until steaming hot, adding 2–4 tbsp water or broth if needed. Microwave single portions for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway.

Substitutions

crushed tomatoes → One 28-oz (794 g) can diced tomatoes with juices. The chili will be chunkier and slightly less thick. Simmer 5 minutes longer if it looks thin.
canned dark red kidney beans → Cannellini, navy or chickpeas (one 15-oz / 425 g can). Any canned bean works. Drain and rinse it the same way.
low-sodium vegetable broth → Water plus an extra ½ tsp salt. The flavor will be a little lighter. Add a splash of soy sauce for depth if you like.
lime juice → Apple cider vinegar (1 tbsp / 15 ml). It gives a similar brightness with a slightly sharper tang.