3 Bean Vegan Chili Recipe
Looking for a hearty, yet vegan chili recipe? Look no further than this three-bean chili! Perfect for a winter night (or any time of year), this favorite chili recipe is packed with flavor and will leave you feeling satisfied.
Trust us, meat-eaters and vegans alike will love this bean soup. And you'll get tons of healthy plant-based nutrition, including fiber and protein.
Best Chili Recipe for Vegan Eating and the Daniel Fast
Put vegan cuisine on the backburner no more. With this vegan chili recipe, you'll get an absolutely delicious vegan-friendly dish packed with flavor.
All three kinds of beans used in our vegan chili recipe provide a great source of plant-based protein, fiber, and other nutrients to support your health needs.
Plus, this vegan chili fits perfectly into a Daniel Fast meal plan as it is a vegan dish that focuses on whole foods comprising fruits and vegetables.
If you're looking for an easy vegan dish, then our 3 bean vegan chili recipe is the one for you.
In this post, you'll find:
Vegan chili recipe
Ingredients and instructions for making chili
How to make vegan chili in the Instant Pot
How to make vegan chili in the slow cooker
How to store and freeze chili
The health benefits of beans
The difference between regular chili, vegetarian chili, vegan chili, and eating chili on the Daniel Fast
Daniel Fast Journey 3 Bean Vegan Chili Recipe
From the Daniel Fast Journey book
Serves approx 6-8
1–2 tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 bell peppers (red, yellow, or orange), chopped
1–2 jalapeño peppers, chopped (depending on desired heat) •3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp salt
28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbs. chili powder
15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can corn
Cilantro
Green onion/scallions
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add onion, bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and salt, and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, broth, and chili powder. Stir in all beans and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes, then stir in corn and cook for 5 additional minutes.
Top with cilantro and green onions, and serve
You can serve this chili over rice or quinoa.
Other Daniel Fast recipes you might enjoy:
How to Make this Vegan Chili Recipe
Here's a quick overview of how to make this recipe. First, let's make some notes about the ingredients you'll use.
Check out a quick view of how to make it on tiktok.com/@fitnowstephanie
Chili Ingredients
Most people have developed their personal best chili recipe over time, so you can simply take out the meat and add some extra beans instead.
You can also adjust the following.
Vegetables
Start with a base of onion, pepper, and garlic. You'll saute these ingredients in a large pot to bring out the flavor. To add color, you can use green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and even yellow and orange.
You can also add a spicier pepper like jalapeno at this stage.
For the diced tomatoes, you may find that fire-roasted tomatoes add a little more flavor to your chili.
Beans
For a good chili, you can use dried beans and soak them overnight or use canned beans. Canned beans are typically the most convenient. Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the pot.
The types of beans people most like to use are usually:
pinto beans
red kidney beans
black beans
Of course, you can use other beans you like as well.
Spices
Chili powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika (or smoked paprika) are the most popular seasonings for chili. You can adjust the amount of each spice to your desired taste.
You can also add chipotle paste, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or chipotle peppers for an extra kick. Just be sure to add a small amount and taste test.
Corn
Corn is a great addition to your vegan chili recipe. It helps turn this dish into a full meal as it adds more heartiness and texture.
Toppings
While you can't have the typical sour cream and cheese on a vegan diet or Daniel Fast, you can serve vegan chili with some delicious toppings.
For example, add any or all of the following to your bowl of vegan chili:
cilantro
chopped red onion or green onion
sliced black olives
avocado
maybe even some pumpkin seeds or pepitas
Steps for Making Vegan Chili
Making the ultimate vegan chili could not be easier! The most time-intensive step is gathering and preparing your ingredients. For example, washing and chopping your bell peppers.
So to make this easy vegan chili, you'll first want to gather all supplies and chili ingredients.
chop your vegetables
wash and drain your beans
gather your spices
First, take your large pot vegan chili and saute the onion, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook vegetables until soft, stirring occasionally.
Then you'll add the spices, including chili powder, cumin, salt, etc., and continue to cook, stirring frequently.
Cooking in layers helps to develop great flavor.
Next, you'll add in the tomatoes, vegetable broth, and beans. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and simmer for 40 minutes for this one-pot vegan chili.
Tip: stir periodically and taste to see if you need to add more spices or broth.
Finally, you'll add your frozen corn in the last five minutes and heat through.
There you go - this is such an easy vegan chili recipe to make!
Instant Pot Vegan Chili
Curious about how to turn this into an instant pot vegan chili recipe? That's pretty simple to do.
Turn to the "Saute" setting and cook the onion, bell peppers, and garlic.
Add the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot vegan chili and stir well.
Close the lid with the steam release valve set to "Sealing"
Turn on your pressure cooker setting and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
When the cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Then, you can move the valve to "Venting" to release any remaining pressure.
After the floating valve drops, remove the lid and stir the instant pot vegan chili.
Although there may not initially appear to be much liquid in the pot, you will find that the tomatoes and vegetables add to the consistency as you let your instant pot vegan chili cook and set.
Slow Cooker Vegan Chili
To make this dish in a slow cooker, follow the same basic steps as above.
First, saute the onion, garlic, and bell peppers in a pan until soft. Add spices and cook for another minute or two. Then transfer these ingredients to your slow cooker crock pot.
Next, add the canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, and beans to your slow cooker.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Add frozen corn and stir in the last 20 minutes of cooking time. Add more liquid at this time if needed (water or broth).
Allow it to cool slightly, then serve vegan chili with your favorite toppings.
Storing and Freezing Easy Vegan Chili
If you're working on some meal prep, this go-to chili recipe is one of the best choices out there. You can easily make a double batch and eat this ultimate vegan chili for weeks (even months) to come.
Storage Tips
Let your chili cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
For easier reheating, you can store the chili in single-serving containers. Then, just grab and go for a quick lunch.
Freezing Tips
If you're freezing vegan chili, let it cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe bag or container. Label and date the bag or container before freezing. Your vegan chili will keep well frozen for three months.
To defrost, place your chili in the refrigerator overnight or let it sit at room temperature for an hour before reheating and serving.
Reheating slowly on the stovetop over medium heat, and stirring frequently, is usually the best way to warm up your chili.
Vegan Chili, Vegetarian Chili, and Daniel Fast - What's the Difference?
Chili recipes are a classic favorite for their delicious and comforting flavors, but did you know there are many different kinds of chili depending on dietary preferences and lifestyles?
Plant-based eating is great for everyone. You don't have to be a committed vegan to enjoy experimenting with these soup recipes. Eating less meat and animal-based products, and increasing whole, plant-based foods, is good for your body and the environment.
Regular Chili Recipe
Regular chili is usually made with meat such as ground beef, turkey, and pork. Then, toppings often include cheese, sour cream, and chopped onions or pickled jalapenos.
You'll also see chili served with corn bread, tortilla chips, and Fritos.
Vegetarian Chili Recipe
Vegetarian chili recipes replace meat with beans and vegetables. However, vegetarians typically don't eat meat but may still include some animal products. So, you may still see a bowl of vegetarian chili topped with sour cream and cheese.
Vegan Chili Recipe
Finally, vegan chili recipes are made without any animal products at all. This means no meat, dairy, or other animal products are used in the recipe or dish.
Vegans do have plant-based dairy substitutes for products like cheese or sour cream. They are made with nuts, oils, and other plant-based ingredients.
You might also see additions of tofu and quinoa in a vegan chili.
Daniel Fast Chili
The Daniel Fast is a plant-based partial fast that focuses on whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. This fast is based on the book of Daniel in the Bible and is ultimately a spiritual endeavor, not a diet plan or intermittent fasting protocol.
This type of plant-based fasting is even stricter than the typical vegan diet as certain things (such as processed or packaged food, sugars, and leavened bread) are not allowed within the Daniel Fast.
Our 3 Bean Vegan Chili is perfect for this type of plant-based fasting as it only includes whole foods and is free from any animal products.
So no matter what your preference is - someone who follows a vegan diet or is looking to dip their toe into trying something new - there’s a deliciously hearty option waiting for you in every delicious spoonful!
What Are the Health Benefits of Beans?
Everyone knows beans are good for your heart. Even die-hard meat eaters should consider adding more beans to their diet because of their amazing health benefits.
Beans can:
help regulate and lower cholesterol levels
prevent diabetes
promote reflux prevention
aid with digestion (thanks to the high fiber content!)
help with weight loss (hello, ~just~ one cup of beans contains about half of our daily recommended value for fiber!)
provide a quality source of plant-based protein
Not to mention beans can easily be incorporated into delicious vegan recipes like this vegan chili.
Let's talk about beans and weight loss briefly.
Beans are a great source of protein, as well as dietary fiber. Eating beans can help you feel fuller for longer because the fiber and protein content helps to slow down digestion. Therefore, it may reduce overeating and thus lead to weight loss in the long run.
Here's a specific example. Black beans have the following nutrition facts in 1/4 cup:
114 calories
0 grams fat
8 grams protein
20 grams carbohydrates
7 grams fiber
0 grams sugar
And that's just 1/4 cup; imagine if you double that serving size! Although the nutrition facts of beans may vary by type, they will be very close to those listed above.
Be sure to explore other vegan recipes that incorporate beans in creative ways - like adding them to salads, soups or stews, or even making your own delicious homemade hummus. Beans are not only a great source of nutrition but also incredibly cost-effective and good for your body and the environment. So, why not add them to your diet as much as possible?
You will be sure to reap the benefits from all their unique health advantages!
How this chili recipe fits into a Daniel Fast meal plan
This flavor-packed vegan chili is perfect for anyone following a Daniel Fast meal plan.
Daniel Fast participants focus on specific types of food - fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes - as sources of nourishment during the fast.
This vegan chili recipe easily fits Daniel Fast guidelines by using nutrient-rich beans to provide protein and fiber.
The colorful bell peppers, onion, and garlic in this recipe add delicious flavors without breaking any Daniel Fast rules.
However, you do need to be careful when it comes to toppings. No sour cream or cheese at this time. You'll also be avoiding cornbread, tortilla chips, and Fritos.
If you want this dish to be even more filling, you can serve it over rice or cooked quinoa.
Try this vegan chili tonight and get all the benefits of a Daniel Fast meal plan while enjoying all the comforting flavors your best vegan chili recipe can provide!
In Conclusion
Now that you know all about vegan chili, vegetarian chili, and the Daniel Fast, it's time to get cooking!
This delicious 3 bean vegan chili recipe with wholesome ingredients is easy to make and perfect for a healthy meal.
Whether you're following the Daniel Fast or just looking for a good vegetarian recipe, this one will surely please those who love chili.
Thank you so much for reading. We think you'll absolutely love this delicious easy vegan chili recipe.