Crowd Pleasing Spicy Bean Chili! Bursting with a perfect blend of spices, each spoonful is a delightful dance of heat and rich, savory goodness.
When the chill of fall and winter sets in, there’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of this Crowd-Pleasing Spicy Bean Chili to bring comfort and joy to your table. Made without oil and low in fat, this chili is a guilt-free indulgence that sticks to your ribs, ensuring you feel full and satisfied for hours. Ideal for cozy gatherings or a quiet night in, this nourishing dish is sure to become a staple in your fall and winter meal rotation.
Whole Food Plant Based, Vegan, plant based, oil free, refined sugar free, no highly processed ingredients and gluten free.
Hi there, Ameera here!
At our house, we’re all about that perfect chili that delivers both flavor and satisfaction, and this Spicy Bean Chili checks all the boxes! Packed with bold spices and hearty ingredients, it’s not just tasty—it’s a filling feast that warms you up from the inside out.
So, if you’re on the hunt for a dish that’s as comforting as a cozy blanket on a chilly night, you’ve got to give this one a try!
Tips for Success:
- Flavor Profile: This Crowd Pleasing Spicy Bean Chili is perfect chili for cold fall and winter days. Hearty and perfectly spiced and oh-so-satisfying, this oil-free, low-fat chili will stick to your ribs and keep you satisfied for hours.
- Texture of the Chili: Initially, the chili broth will appear thin, but as the chili cooks, the chili will begin to thicken the longer it cooks. The masa harina (cornmeal or finely crushed tortillas (or tortilla chips) will slightly thicken the chili).
- Next Day: As with most chilis, this chili tastes even better the next day as the spices begin to infuse into the rich, thick broth.
- Beans: Feel free to use your favorite beans or mix and match.
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomato Substitutions: Feel free to substitute the fire roasted tomatoes with regular petite diced tomatoes and add a pinch more smoked paprika.
- Tomato Chunks: Don’t like the thicker chunks of tomatoes from Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes? Substitute as indicated in the bullet above, or buzz them a little with a food processor.
- Regular Chili Powder: Not all chili powders are the same, some have more heat to them than others. Feel free to use your favorite chili powder, just be sure to select a mild one and not one that has a lot of heat to it unless of course, you want additional heat.
- Spices: Feel free to increase (or decrease) the spices to suit your own personal preferences.
- Heat Level: This chili has a moderate heat level. You can easily reduce the heat by scaling back on the hot sauce and cayenne pepper. You can also leave out the jalapeno pepper as well.
- Mild Green Chiles: Be sure to watch the can label to ensure you are getting mild versus hot green chiles, unless of course, you want additional heat.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Add as little (or none) of the maple syrup as needed to reach the desired taste. We felt ½ teaspoon was perfect.
- Masa Harina (Cornmeal or Finely Crushed Tortillas or Tortilla Chips): This adds dimension to the chili as well as thickens the broth. It is optional and not an essential ingredient.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda is often used as a neutralizer for dishes that contain a lot of acidity, typically from tomatoes. We use it in this dish to remove some of the tomato acidity (from the fire roasted diced tomatoes) without losing the tomatoey flavor. When you add it, the mixture may bubble up, then settle down as it neutralizes the acidity. If you prefer that tinny taste that is typically associated with canned tomatoes, feel free to leave it out or only add a pinch.
- Table Salt: If using table salt, you should use less table salt than the amount listed in the ingredients as sea salt crystals are larger than table salt crystals. Since table salt crystals are very fine, less table salt is required to season a dish. We would suggest starting with about 1/4 to 1/2 the amount of sea salt listed. You can always add more salt but cannot take it away. We recommend using sea salt as it is less refined than table salt.
- Serving Ideas: The beauty of chili is that it can be served so many different ways. Consider the following:
- On top of a baked potato
- On top of a baked spaghetti squash
- On top of spaghetti (think Cincinnati Chili)
- Over top of tortilla chips
- Chili sloppy joes (drain off most of the broth and serve it over an open-faced toasted bun)
- Over top of carrot dogs
- Chili taco salad
- On top of cornbread
- Create a chili bar
Leftovers and Freezing:
Leftovers will generally keep 5 days in the refrigerator. Store in a covered container.
This chili freezes well.
Pantry Products:
- Vegetable Stock: We use Pacific Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Stock. We love this brand because it is Whole Food Plant Based compliant, as it does not contain MSG, has no oil, and does not contain any highly-processed ingredients.
- Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
Kitchen Equipment:
- Large stock pot
If you try this bold and spice chili, we would love to know if you enjoy it as much as we do! Please leave us a review! Post a picture on Facebook or Instagram and tag us! We would love to hear from you.
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Crowd Pleasing Spicy Bean Chili
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 45 Minutes (+Rest Time)
- Yield: 9 Cups 1x
- Category: Stew, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
When the chill of fall and winter sets in, there’s nothing quite like a warm bowl of this Crowd-Pleasing Spicy Bean Chili to bring comfort and joy to your table.
Ingredients
Base Ingredients:
- 1 large yellow onion, fine dice
- 1 small jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded, fine dice
- 1 large green bell pepper, small dice
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth *
- 1 cup water
- 2 – [ 14.5 oz. cans ] fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained *
- 1 – [ 4 oz. can ] mild chopped green chiles, undrained *
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 Tablespoon hot sauce *
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda *
Spice/Herb Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons regular chili powder (+/-) *
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin (+/-)
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (+/-)
- ½ teaspoon coriander (+/-)
- ¼ to 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt (+/-) *
- Pinch to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (+/-)
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
Other Ingredients:
- 2 – [ 15 oz. cans ] kidney beans, drained and rinsed *
- 1 – [ 15 oz. can ] pinto beans, drained and rinsed *
Optional Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon pure maple syrup (+/-) *
- 1 Tablespoon masa harina (cornmeal or finely crushed tortilla chips) *
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped avocado chunks
- Vegan sour cream
- Crushed tortilla chips
Instructions
- Place the Spice/Herb Ingredients (except the bay leaf and cayenne pepper) in a small bowl, mix well, set aside.
- In a large stock pot, add the diced onions, green bell peppers, and jalapeno peppers; sauté over medium heat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 9 minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons or so of water if they start to stick and/or to prevent burning.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste, sauté for one minute.
- Add all the remaining Base Ingredients (except the baking soda) and Spice/Herb mix, stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, then immediately lower to a simmer.
- Add the baking soda, stir well. Simmer for 1 minute.
- Add the beans and bay leaf, simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- After 30 minutes, stir in the masa harina (cornmeal or crushed tortilla chips) and cayenne pepper, stir well, then simmer an additional 10 minutes. After 10 minutes (40 in total) remove from the heat and allow to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
*Please reference the blog post for Tips for Success, Pantry Items Used, Storage and Freezing, and Kitchen Products Used.
*Sea Salt: Please adjust the sea salt based upon your family’s sea salt preferences and/or based upon dietary needs.
*Servings: 6 to 8 (makes 9 to 9 ½ cups)
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