Slow-Cooked Three-Bean Chili

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-18 · Updated 2026-04-18

A hearty vegetarian chili simmered with three types of beans and aromatic vegetables, perfect for cozy evenings. This american-inspired vegetarian (vegetarian) ready in about 110 minutes pairs dried kidney beans, dried black beans, dried pinto beans for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup dried kidney beans
• 1 cup dried black beans
• 1 cup dried pinto beans
• 1 large, finely chopped onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1, diced red bell pepper
• 1, diced green bell pepper
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• for garnish fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Drain and rinse 1 cup dried kidney beans, 1 cup dried black beans, and 1 cup dried pinto beans. Place them in a large pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour until beans are tender.
2. Step 2: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 large chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and 1 diced red bell pepper and 1 diced green bell pepper, and cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the skillet. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Step 4: After the beans are tender, add the bean cooking liquid and the tomato mixture to the pot. Stir in 4 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Step 5: Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro.