Whether you need dinner on the table in the next hour or you’re looking for an easy meal prep recipe, this Vegan 3 Bean Chili has got you covered! Classic, hearty chili flavors with all the benefits of a good vegan meal, AND it’s ready in 30 minutes or less.
You'll Love This
- It’s vegan chili, but it’s so filling! If you have hearty eaters who are difficult to fill up on meatless meal nights, look no further. Three beans means your family is getting a full portion of protein, and everyone will leave the dinner table feeling satisfied.
- It’s quick and easy! There’s minimal prep work: just one onion to dice and a few garlic cloves to slice. The rest of this three bean chili recipe is about combining canned beans, tomatoes, and split red lentil with a few key spices. That also means you can get this chili on the table in 30 minutes or less.
- It’s a great meal prep chili recipe! If you like to prepare meals ahead of time, this recipe is for you! You can make a big batch over the weekend and have your lunches ready to go for the week. Plus, like most chili recipes, these flavors just continue to get better with time!
Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion along with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chiles in adobo, and oregano, and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pot, scraping the yummy bits off the bottom.
Stir in dark red kidney beans, light red kidney beans, and pinto beans.
Add lentils, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetable broth, and a couple of large pinches of salt and pepper.
Stir to combine and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the juice of 1 lime and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with Fritos, sour cream, and fresh chopped cilantro.
Tips
- You can switch up the beans and use your family's favorite or whatever you have on-hand! Black beans will work in place of any of the beans in this recipe. Or you can double up on the pinto beans in place of one of the cans of kidney beans. If you like to cook your own dried beans, those will work as well - just keep the ratio of cooked beans the same!
- You can also switch up the canned tomatoes depending on what you have in the cupboard. As long as you're using 56 oz. of canned tomatoes the flavors will stay just the same. Crushed tomatoes or tomato puree work best if you have picky eaters who don't like the big chunks of tomato. I'm a big fan of diced tomatoes so we've almost always got a few cans of those on hand!
- Feel free to increase the heat! If you like your chili more on the spicy side, add extra chiles in adobo or stir in a few pinches of cayenne or red pepper flakes. You can also just serve those spicy additions on the side for those heat seekers in your family to add into the vegan 3 bean chili themselves!
- Freeze leftovers for later! If you’re doing meal prep, or if you have leftovers, this vegan lentil chili freezes really well! Pop it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm on the stove in a saucepan until heated through!
Family Favorite Vegan Soups
- Vegan Curry Ramen Noodles
- Creamy Vegan Chickpea Gnocchi Soup
- Vegan Lentil Tortilla Soup
- Easy Vegan Black Bean Chili
- Vegan White Chickpea Chili
- Vegan White Bean & Kale Soup
Vegan Lentil 3 Bean Chili
Whether you need dinner on the table in the next hour or you’re looking for meal prep recipes, this Vegan 3 Bean Chili has got you covered! Classic, hearty chili flavors with all the benefits of a good vegan meal, AND it’s ready in 30 minutes or less.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 tablespoons chili powder
- 1.5 tablespoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon diced chiles in adobo
- 2 (15 oz.) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup uncooked split red lentils
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes
- 1 (28 oz.) can tomato sauce
- 1.5 cups vegetable broth
- juice of 1 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Garnish:
- Fritos
- vegan sour cream
- fresh chopped cilantro
- sliced jalapeno
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion along with a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chiles in adobo, and oregano, and cook for another minute, stirring frequently.
- Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pot, scraping the yummy bits off the bottom.
- Stir in kidney beans, pinto beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, lentils, vegetable broth, and a couple of large pinches of salt and pepper.
- Cover, turn heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat and simmer over medium-low for 15 minutes or until lentils are tender, stirring frequently.
- Stir in the juice of 1 lime and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with Fritos, sour cream, and fresh chopped cilantro.
Notes
You can switch up the beans and use your family's favorite or whatever you have on-hand! Black beans will work in place of any of the beans in this recipe. Or you can double up on the pinto beans in place of one of the cans of kidney beans. If you like to cook your own dried beans, those will work as well - just keep the ratio of cooked beans the same!
You can also switch up the canned tomatoes depending on what you have in the cupboard. As long as you're using 56 oz. of canned tomatoes the flavors will stay just the same. Crushed tomatoes or tomato puree work best if you have picky eaters who don't like the big chunks of tomato. I'm a big fan of diced tomatoes so we've almost always got a few cans of those on hand!
Feel free to increase the heat! If you like your chili more on the spicy side, add extra chiles in adobo or stir in a few pinches of cayenne or red pepper flakes. You can also just serve those spicy additions on the side for those heat seekers in your family to add into the vegan 3 bean chili themselves!
Freeze leftovers for later! If you’re doing meal prep, or if you have leftovers, this vegan lentil chili freezes really well! Pop it in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm on the stove in a saucepan until heated through!
Keywords: three bean chili, vegan lentil chili, 3 bean chili recipe, 3 bean vegetarian chili
Barbara Jaroch
Made this last night. Ate two bowls and was bummed that I got full because it tasted so good I didn't want to stop eating it! I'm ovo lacto veg so I topped with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped avocado and sour cream. Second bowl also had some crumbled tortilla chips. Will freeze some for a little while. Will definitely make again and be sharing the recipe. I'm new to your blog so this was a great introduction. THANK YOU!
★★★★★
Kylie Lato
YUM! I am all about the toppings when it comes to chili - and it sounds like you are too!! 🙂 I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Barbara. Thank you for leaving a review - I really appreciate it!