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bowl of vegan bean chili with avocado, tortilla chips, and cilantro
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4.95 from 74 votes

Vegan Bean Chili [Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, Stove]

This vegan chili slow cooker recipe is the easiest four bean chili I make, full of bold flavor from inexpensive pantry ingredients. It has Instant Pot and stovetop directions too, and it’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, oil-free, and vegan.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 30 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 280kcal
Author: Toni Okamoto

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 small yellow or red onion diced
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 small green or red bell pepper diced
  • 1 small zucchini grated
  • 2 (15-ounce / 425 g) cans black beans drained
  • 1 (15-ounce / 425 g) can pinto beans drained
  • 1 (15-ounce / 425 g) can kidney beans drained
  • 1 (15-ounce / 425 g) can garbanzo beans drained
  • 1 (15-ounce / 425 g) can diced tomatoes with their juices
  • ½ cup (120 ml) frozen corn kernels
  • 1 (6-ounce / 170 g) can tomato paste
  • 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) cumin
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) chili powder
  • ½ cup (120 ml) water
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini to the slow cooker.
    ingredients for Vegan Bean Chili [Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, Stove] measured out against a white surface
  • Add the black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, and garbanzo beans.
    process of pouring ingredients into a pot
  • Add the diced tomatoes with their juices, corn, tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and water.
    process of mixing ingredients together in a pot
  • Stir until everything is well mixed.
    process of mixing ingredients together in a pot
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 1 to 2 hours, stirring every hour or so. Add more water if the chili gets too thick.
    process of mixing ingredients together in a pot
  • Season with salt to taste and serve with your favorite toppings.
    completed Vegan Bean Chili plated in a bowl against a light background

Instant Pot

  • Add all the ingredients except the salt to the Instant Pot and stir.
  • Cook on HIGH pressure for 5 minutes, then use a quick release. Season with salt to taste.
    process of mixing ingredients together in a pot

Notes

  • Cut the vegetables evenly so they cook evenly.
  • For a creamier chili, blend some of it right in the slow cooker with an immersion blender, or blend a scoop of the beans in a blender and stir them back in.
  • Add more water or low-sodium vegetable broth if you like a thinner chili.
  • No slow cooker? Use the slow cook setting on your Instant Pot with the lid on and follow the same steps.
  • Stovetop: sauté the onion, garlic, and bell pepper for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion is translucent, add the spices for 1 minute, then add everything else and simmer with the lid on for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 652mg | Potassium: 1236mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1089IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 7mg
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