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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Recipes

    Three Bean Chili (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

    Published: Jan 10, 2021 · Modified: May 12, 2023 by Dianne · This post may contain affiliate links

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    chili over sweet potato with text overlay
    two bowls of chili with text overlay
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    Three Bean Chili is the perfect comfort food for cold winter's evenings. Loaded with vegetables, this is the best vegan chili out there! Enjoy it for lunch or dinner. This easy recipe is vegan and gluten-free.

    two bowls of chili with text overlay

    Three Bean Chili

    I rarely cook the same dish twice but this Three Bean Chili is one that I make a few times a year during the cold months. I like to use canned beans and tomatoes, making it an easy dish to cook with items that I already have in my pantry. My 3 beans of choice when making chili are black, kidney, and pinto.

    two bowls of Three Bean Chili with peppers and avocado

    The recipe makes a whole lotta chili, so invite some friends over and chow down! I’ve made it for potlucks, casual gatherings with friends, and movie nights. I even made it for a chili cook off at the office once, and several of my omnivore coworkers told me that they preferred it to the meaty versions others brought in.

    beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash, garlic, and onion

    How to Make Three Bean Chili

    This recipe is super easy to make!

    • First you sautéed the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, until it softens.
    • Then you add the peppers, zucchini, and squash and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until they soften.
    • Next you add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, and spices.
    • You bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about half an hour.
    • Serve your chili topped with diced avocado, sliced scallions, and chopped cilantro. You can also add vegan sour cream and non-dairy cheese shreds, if you like.
    making chili collage

    Serving Your Three Bean Chili

    I like to serve my chili in a big bowl, topped with avocado, scallions, and cilantro, and sometimes a dollop of non-dairy sour cream, if I happen to have it on hand. Sometimes I'll serve it over a baked potato or a baked sweet potato. You can top a vegan smudge or tofu pup with a few spoonfuls, too.

    chili over sweet potato

    Slow Cooker Chili

    This recipe can cook up easily in a slow cooker, if you want, so that dinner is ready when you are. Just place all of the ingredients in your crockpot in the morning and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.

    One bowl of Three Bean Chili

    Using Dried Beans

    If you prefer to cook dry beans and use fresh tomatoes, the recipe will work just as well. You'll need about 6 or 8 diced fresh tomatoes, depending on their size. And you'll need 1¾ cup of each type of bean: black, pinto, and kidney.

    one bowl of chili close up

    How to Customize Your Chili

    It's easy to customize this recipe and make it your own.

    • If you don't like summer squash or zucchini, you can substitute them with other vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes.
    • Instead of bell peppers, you can use poblano or anaheim.
    • You can change the beans buy using white beans or even chickpeas.
    • If you'd like to add a little meatiness to your chili, you can add crumbled tempeh or veggie burger crumbles.
    chili over sweet potato

    Freezing Your Chili

    Since this recipe does make so much chili, I like to freeze some of it so that I have dinner ready to go on busy days. It will last for about 3 or 4 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer. When you're ready to eat it, just thaw it in the fridge or at room temperature and reheat it in a pot on the stove until hot and bubbly.

    two bowls of Three Bean Chili overhead shot
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    Three Bean Chili with avocado, parsley, lime, and garlic square

    Three Bean Chili

    Dianne
    Three Bean Chili is the perfect comfort food for cold winter's evenings. Loaded with vegetables, this is the best vegan chili out there!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 231 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    • 1 red onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 1 red bell pepper chopped
    • 1 green bell pepper chopped
    • 1 or 2 small chili peppers such as habanaro or jalapeno, chopped
    • 1 zucchini, diced
    • 1 yellow summer squash, diced
    • 1 14-ounce can kidney beans
    • 1 14-ounce can pinto beans
    • 1 14-ounce can black beans
    • 1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
    • 1 28-ounce can plain tomato sauce
    • 1 cup vegetable stock
    • 2 teaspoons chili powder
    • 2 teaspoons cumin
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon sea salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
    • 1 avocado chopped, for serving, optional
    • 2 scallions sliced, for serving, optional

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onions in the oil for about 5 minutes, until they become soft and translucent. Add the garlic, peppers, zucchini, and squash and cook for about 10 minutes, until they soften.
    • Add the tomatoes, sauce, beans, stock, and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Let simmer for half an hour or longer.
    • Serve hot, garnished with chopped avocado and scallions
    Calories: 231kcal
    Tried this recipe?Tag @diannewenz on Instagram!
    Three Bean Chili with avocado, parsley, lime, and garlic square

    Other Chili Recipes You Might Enjoy Include:

    • Black Eyed Pea Chili from The Plant-Based Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson
    • Pumpkin White Bean Chili
    • White Bean Chili
    close up of vegan white bean chili in bowl
    « Tips for Going Vegan
    Totally Loaded Vegan Nachos »

    About Dianne

    Dianne Wenz is a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Vegan Lifestyle Coach, Plant-Based Diet Nutrition Specialist, and Plant-Based Chef, as well as the author of Truly Healthy Vegan Cookbook.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer

      January 10, 2013 at 8:53 am

      This looks great!

    2. Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma)

      January 16, 2013 at 10:16 pm

      Beautiful picture! I love avocado with chili.  The color contrast of the avo is so pretty!  Your recipe sounds yummy!  Perfect weather for chili!

      Thanks for linking up at our Gluten Free Fridays party! I have tweeted and pinned your entry to our Gluten Free Fridays board on Pinterest! 🙂

      On the Gluten Free Fridays tab we have new badges for you to display on your blog.  There are a few different choices for you. There are varying sizes as well.  If you've had a featured recipe in the past, feel free to grab one of those badges as well! They are free for the taking; use as you wish!  Thanks for supporting our GF community and spreading the word!

      Thanks for linking back to the Gluten Free Fridays post!

      See you at the link up this week!

      Cindy from vegetarianmamma.com

       

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    Hi! I'm Dianne Wenz, a Board-Certified Health Vegan Health and Lifestyle Coach. I empower my clients to build new habits so they can reach their healthy living goals. I love to show others how easy it is to live a vegan lifestyle as well as how to cook deliciously easy plant-based meals. Contact me today to learn more and to schedule a complimentary breakthrough session!

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