Crockpot Three Bean Chili (Stovetop Version, GF, V)

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This hearty and warming crockpot three bean chili is affordable, easily made from pantry staples, can be prepped-ahead, and is freezer friendly.

Suitable for Gluten Free and Vegan diets. Post includes Weight Watchers points and freezer instructions.

Slow cooker three bean chili in a bowl with toppings

Need a comforting, hearty, warming and filling meal that can be easily prepped-ahead with pantry staples. Then you can’t go wrong with this affordable Three Bean Chili.

Just think of a combination of three beans aka black-eyed beans, black beans and borlotti bean with additional veggies, herbs and spices simmered away till absolutely perfect.

The bonus is that the veggies combined together provide you with a complete protein packed meal without a single piece of meat. And you can make it in both the crockpot and stovetop.

Great for easy weeknight dinners, potlucks, game day, lunch boxes, veggie tacos, freezer meals and more. Also goes great with a side of Instant Pot Brown Rice or Crockpot Mashed Potatoes.

Slow cooker three bean chili in a bowl with toppings

Why You’ll ♡ Bean Chili

  • It is made from everyday pantry staples and super budget friendly.
  • Assemble ahead for a freezer-friendly meal.
  • It has plenty of protein and will keep you full for hours.
  • Feed a crowd by just doubling or tripling the recipe.
  • It is vegan and gluten free.

Tools Needed

KITCHEN TOOLS, UTENSILS & APPLIANCES  NEEDED

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, check out my disclosure.

Here are some of the items you will need to make this recipe.

How To Make 3 Bean Chili in the Crockpot

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and pepper for about 5 minutes till softened.
  2. Stir in the garlic paste, followed by the spices and herbs and cook for a further minute.
  3. Transfer mix into a slow cooker, add in the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, cover and cook on high for 4 hr (or 7-8 hours on low). Check after 3.5 hrs, and if the three bean chilli needs a bit more time then cook until done.

A steps to your easy vegan chilli. Serve with some rice or corn tortillas and extra topping and you have yourself a complete meal.

Make it on the Stovetop

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and pepper for about 5 minutes till softened.
  2. Stir in the garlic paste, followed by the spices and herbs and cook for a further minute.
  3. Add in the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, mix, bring to the boil. The reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 35 mins until thickened and done.
Slow cooker three bean chilli. | Recipes From A Pantry

Expert Recipe Tips

  • Feel free to use store bought chili bean mix instead of individual cans.
  • A tablespoon or two of grated dark chocolate adds an amazing depth of flavour to this vegan chili.
  • Remove and mash up a few beans and add them back in if you want a thicker chili.
  • Cooking times may vary depending on the size, make, and model of your slow cooker. Make sure to consult your manual as necessary. 

Delicious Variations

  • Swap the beans – Use beans you have in your store cupboard. Borlotti beans, Cannellini beans and chickpeas all work.
  • Substitute the veggies – Pumpkin or sweet potato can be substituted for butternut squash.
  • Add heat – Feel free to add extra heat via jalapeños, chipotle or red pepper flakes.

Storing

Feel free to make an extra batch or two of this Jamaican Braised Oxtail stew and freeze it to enjoy again later. And if you are a fan of #mealprep then making extra, or freezing any extra stew you have, helps make this a frugal recipe, which means you can easily stick to your meal prep budget.

  • Refrigerator: Let cool down completely before transferring it into an air tight container and storing in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • Freezer: Store in Ziploc bags, remove all the air, label them and freeze for up to 3 months.
  • Thaw: Take frozen bags of chili out of your freezer and allow to thaw in the refrigerator the night before.
  • Reheat : Warm in the microwave to desired temperature. Or you can reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.
Slow cooker three bean chili in a bowl with toppings

Can I Add Ground Beef?

You sure can. Cook the ground beef when you are cooking the onions and peppers. You will need to add extra diced tomatoes and even some beef broth to the chili.

Are Corn Tortillas Gluten-free?

A quick note about keeping this gluten-free chili, gluten-free. Please do serve it with some gluten-free corn tortillas. Corn tortillas today are made from a special type of finely ground corn flour called masa harina.

This is normally gluten-free, but some brands get cross-contaminated with gluten during processing and packaging.

So it is worth checking that your masa harina labelled “gluten-free ” if you are making this yourself, It is also worth checking the labelling of any shop bought tortillas to see if they are ‘gluten-free’ too.

Weight Watchers Points

If you replace the 2 tsp olive oil used for frying with a calorie-controlled cooking spray, there are:

  • 0 Blue Plan SmartPoints per serving
  • 5 PointsPlus points per serving
  • beans for chili, chili bean mix,

Thank you for reading my crockpot three bean chilli recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue dreaming up recipes, traditional African recipes, African fusion recipes, Sierra Leone recipes, travel plans and much more for you. Thanks for reading Recipes from a Pantry, UK food blog.

Get The 3 Bean Chili Recipe

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Slow cooker three bean chili in a bowl with toppings
Print Recipe
4.91 from 10 votes

Crockpot Three Bean Chili (Gluten-free, Vegan)

Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 10 minutes
Course: Main
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Servings: 8
Calories: 232kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 onion peeled and diced
  • 1 pepper bell, deseeded and diced
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or more to taste
  • Salt
  • 14 0z (400g) can black-eyed beans drained
  • 14 oz (400g) can kidney beans drained
  • 14 oz (400g) can pinto beans veggie ones, drained
  • 250 g (8.8oz) peeled and diced butternut squash
  • 7 0z (200g) frozen corn kernels thawed
  • 14 oz (400g) can diced tomato
  • 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth

Instructions

Make it in the Crockpot

  • Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and pepper for about 5 mins till softened, stir in the garlic paste, followed by the spices and herbs and cook for a further min.
  • Transfer mix into a slow cooker, add in the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, cover and cook on high for 4 hr. Check after 3.5 hrs, and if the three bean chilli needs a bit more time then cook until done.
  • Serve with some rice, corn tortilla and fresh coriander.

Make it on the Stovetop

  • Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and pepper for about 5 minutes till softened.
  • Stir in the garlic paste, followed by the spices and herbs and cook for a further minute.
  • Add in the rest of the ingredients, season with salt, mix, bring to the boil. The reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 35 mins until thickened and done. Add some broth if dries out during cooking. Adjust seasoning before serving.
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Notes

Weight Watchers Points in Slow Cooker Three Bean Chilli
If you replace the 2 tsp olive oil used for frying with a calorie-controlled cooking spray, there are:
  • 0 Freestyle points per serving
  • 5 PointsPlus points per serving

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 789mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3620IU | Vitamin C: 15.9mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 4.8mg

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4.91 from 10 votes

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Recipe Rating




23 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This was delicious! And it’s a great meal-prep freezer Crock-Pot meal! I didn’t leave myself enough time for the crock pot so I made it on the stove in a Dutch oven instead. I added just a half a cup more liquid and let it simmer for about half an hour until the squash was tender and all the flavors were well blended. I loved your suggestion of adding some grated dark chocolate so I did that, plus I added some cocoa chili powder in place of half the amount of cayenne. I’m so used to putting chili powder in chili that I put in 2 Tbsp and a cinnamon stick. My family loved it!

  2. 5 stars
    This sounds so delicious ! I love the sounds of three beans and I love Chilli. I bet this tasted yum.

  3. 5 stars
    Chili is such a versatile dish and having the benefit of being able to make it in the slow cooker is a big plus. Love your pictures so nice and colorful.

  4. 5 stars
    This is EXACTLY what I’m in the mood for, today. Beautiful photos and tasty sounding recipe!

  5. I am loving the sound of pajama fire days!! I need to start making those kinds of days a priority. 🙂 I am also loving the sound of this chili!

  6. Um yum! This three bean chili sounds delicious! I’m a big fan of meatless or less meat meals, so this is just perfect for me! I can’t wait to try this recipe, thanks!

  7. I’m always looking for new chili recipes to try! This one not only looks amazing, but I love that its meatless too! Thanks for sharing!

  8. 5 stars
    I do like a chilli bean dish; easy to make, wholesome and tasty. A fab any day supper meal.