Wednesday, February 4, 2026

3-Bean Wholesome Chili Recipe – A Couple Cooks

This wholesome chili recipe is stuffed with good-for-you substances and massive taste, that includes a trio of beans, quinoa, and plenty of hearty spices.

3-Bean Healthy Chili Recipe

One among my favourite methods to eat wholesome in fall and winter is soups: and on the high of the record is that this insanely-tasty wholesome chili recipe! It’s received a savory, hearty taste regardless that it’s meatless.

I can’t inform you what number of occasions I’ve made this recipe: everybody at all times loves it! It’s a easy dinner stuffed with good-for-you substances, like a trio of protein-packed beans, quinoa, and a great deal of spices.

Pouring beans and tomatoes into a pot

Why This Is a Wholesome Chili

If you happen to search the web for wholesome chili recipes, you give you quite a lot of turkey chilis. However what about making it even more healthy by going meatless? To me, a wholesome chili is loaded with greens as a substitute of the standard meat. It’s additionally stuffed with good-for-you substances which can be stuffed with beneficial vitamins, and never a great deal of added sodium like canned chili. Listed below are a number of the heavy hitting substances:

  • Beans: pinto, kidney, and black beans
  • Quinoa: filled with plant-based protein
  • Tomatoes, onions, and corn
  • Flax seed: Optionally available, but it surely provides protein and omega 3’s!

This recipe works as a household dinner recipe for a weeknight. When entertaining, pair it with our smash hit Greatest Selfmade Cornbread, Cornbread Muffins, Straightforward Vegan Cornbread or any of those greatest sides to go along with chili.

Healthy chili ingredients

The Taste Secrets and techniques

It may be tough to load taste right into a vegetarian chili as a result of, effectively, meat tastes actually good. So I’ve had to make use of a number of secrets and techniques to creating the flavour scrumptious and satisfying. Listed below are a number of of our methods to this wholesome chili recipe:

  • Ketchup: Ketchup brings in a little bit sweetness and tang to this chili. We like to make use of natural ketchup as a result of it normally tastes higher and is free from excessive fructose corn syrup.
  • A healthy dose of chili powder: Utilizing fairly a little bit of chili powder helps to deliver massive taste. Some chili powders could be spicier than others, so be sure you’re utilizing a model that matches your spice tolerance.
  • Cumin, oregano, recent garlic, and garlic powder: These spices spherical out the chili and convey a depth of taste.
Stirring chili

Toppings for a Wholesome Chili

Loading up chili is the most effective half, proper? However should you’re enthusiastic about wholesome chili, the toppings could be a place the place energy can add up. One tip we’d say is so as to add simply sufficient toppings so as to add taste, however not a lot that somebody would possibly say, “Need some chili with that bitter cream?”

With that in thoughts, listed below are my favourite toppings to load up that chili:

  • Roasted and salted pepitas (pumpkin seeds): Not solely are they cozy, they add a pleasant crunch and a little bit of plant-based protein
  • Plain Greek yogurt, bitter cream, Vegan Bitter Cream or Cashew Cream (for vegan chili)
  • Shredded cheese — simply take pleasure in it sparsely (or omit for vegan chili)
  • Thinly sliced inexperienced onions or chives
  • Tortilla strips — these baked tortilla strips add a crunch!
  • Scorching sauce

What different chili toppings do you want? Do you do saltine crackers (is {that a} regional factor)? Would you strive our Pickled Jalapeños for a spicy kick?

Healthy chili
Pepitas make an incredible chili topping!

Storage and Make-Forward Suggestions

This wholesome chili is nice for meal prep. I typically make it on Sunday and portion it into containers for fast lunches all through the week.

Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, you possibly can freeze parts in freezer-safe containers for as much as 3 months.

To reheat, heat gently on the stovetop over medium warmth, including a splash of water if it’s too thick. The microwave works too!

Dietary Notes

Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free (with vegan toppings).


Print

3-Bean Wholesome Chili Recipe

Healthy chili recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4 from 2 evaluations

This wholesome chili recipe is stuffed with good-for-you substances and massive taste, that includes a trio of beans, quinoa, and plenty of hearty spices.

  • Creator: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook dinner Time: 35 minutes
  • Whole Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Class: Principal Dish
  • Technique: Stovetop
  • Delicacies: American
  • ¾ cup dry quinoa
  • 2 small or 1 medium yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup natural ketchup
  • ¼ cup chili powder*
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 15-ounce cans beans (1 can every black, pinto and kidney), drained
  • 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, vegan if desired
  • 2 tablespoons floor flax seed (optionally available)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • Optionally available: 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from a can of chipotle chilis)**
  • To garnish: Bitter cream or Greek yogurt (or Vegan Bitter Cream or Cashew Cream for vegan), Mexican mix shredded cheese, and pepitas

  1. Cook dinner the quinoa: Place the quinoa in a saucepan with 1 ½ cups water. Deliver to a boil, then cut back the warmth to very low. Cowl the pot, and simmer the place the water is simply effervescent for about 15 to twenty minutes, till the water has been utterly absorbed. (Examine by pulling again the quinoa with a fork to see if water stays.) Flip off the warmth and let sit coated to steam for five minutes.
  2. Cube the onions. Mince the garlic.
  3. In a big pot or Dutch oven, warmth the olive oil over medium warmth. Add the onions and saute for five to 7 minutes, till tender. Add the garlic and prepare dinner for two minutes till flippantly browned. Add the ketchup and spices and prepare dinner for 1 minute till aromatic.
  4. Add all different substances, and throw within the quinoa each time it’s cooked. Simmer for 25 minutes. Serve instantly with toppings. Retailer leftovers refrigerated for as much as 3 days, or frozen for 3 months.

Notes

*Be certain that to make use of a chili powder mix that’s delicate; most manufacturers marked merely “chili powder” aren’t too spicy. Don’t use a scorching chili powder like chipotle powder. 

**Completely optionally available, however stirring in adobo sauce provides one other degree of complexity. Chipotles in adobo sauce can be found in a small can; the chilis are filled with adobo sauce, a purée of tomato, vinegar, garlic, and another spices. You’ll simply add the sauce.

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