Mexican Three Bean Chilli

You will have a spicy and smoky Three Bean Chilli in just 20 minutes with our simple recipe that mostly uses store cupboard ingredients! We serve it with crusty garlic bread slices and top it with yoghurt for an ultimate Mexican-inspired feast! With three different beans at play, you will get most of your daily protein from this lovely filling and hearty bowl of food! Furthermore, it is the perfect recipe for meal prep and freezing!

Jump to:

• Why Is This 3 Bean Chilli Recipe Special
• What Kind Of Beans Are Best For Chilli?
• Method
• Chilli Topping Ideas
• Other Recipes That Use Chilli In All Its Forms
• Recipe Card
• Mexican Three Bean Chilli Bowl

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Why Is This 3 Bean Chilli Recipe Special

Does anybody really need another bean chilli recipe? Probably not. But since you're reading this recipe, I'm assuming the answer to this question is YES. I'm not sure about you, but for me, it's difficult to get too excited about a bean dish. When I read beans, I think of jacket potatoes or beans on toast! But it doesn't have to be this way!

Here's why this recipe is so special:

• It packs double smokiness in it: we use both chipotle paste and smoked paprika in this chilli recipe.
• 3-bean chilli is a perfect dish to make just before your weekly food shop, as most ingredients are not perishable (just raid your cupboards).
• It's a budget-friendly recipe: it costs about £1.20* per portion (including the garlic bread).
• This Mexican chilli is vegan (if you top it with plant-based yoghurt and cheese).
• Perfect for feeding a crowd!

*UK supermarket prices as of Jan 2021.

What Kind Of Beans Are Best For Chilli?

To make this chilli recipe as easy and quick as possible, we use tins of beans, but you are more than welcome to cook dried beans.

Most tinned (canned) beans will work well in this chilli recipe, but we find that the best way is to mix it up with various colours and sizes. That way you get a bit of different texture and flavour in each mouthful. Here are some of the beans that work particularly well:

• Kidney Beans (we use them in our Spicy Bean Stew With Dumplings)
• Cannellini Beans
• Butter Beans
• Black Beans
• Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas)
• Black Eyed Beans

In this particular Three Bean Chilli recipe, we went for a mixture of kidney, cannellini and butter beans, but feel free to experiment or simply use whatever beans you have in your cupboards. You can substitute cannellini beans with white borlotti or white kidney beans, and red kidney beans with black beans.

Method

STEP 1: Make The Three Bean Chilli

Start by chopping your garlic cloves finely. Then deseed and slice your peppers (you can use any colour peppers you have). Then drain all the beans in a large colander and run plenty of cold water through them to remove excess starch and sodium.

Heat oil in a large pan. Add garlic, sliced peppers and brown sugar. Cook on low-medium heat for 6 minutes until pepper just starts to soften.

Add the smoked paprika, chipotle and tomato pastes and stir to coat the peppers. Cook for about a minute, then add the drained and rinsed beans.

Tip in a tin of chopped tomatoes, add 300ml of water and stir. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook for about 10 minutes. The sauce should reduce and thicken slightly.

When cooked, use a potato mashed to crush some of the beans into the sauce to create a creamy and thick consistency.

Divide the chilli between bowls and top with dairy-free yoghurt (or creme fraiche for non-vegan option), (vegan) cheese and spring onion!

STEP 2: Make Garlic Bread

Whilst the beans are cooking, mix dairy-free spread (or butter) with a pinch of salt, finely chopped garlic and parsley in a small bowl. Make sure your butter is at room temperature to make it easy to mix.

Place the slices of bread under the grill for 1-2 minutes until browned. Take them out, flip them over so that the untoasted side is up. Spread the herby mixture and pop it back under the grill for another minute. Serve the garlic bread with three bean chilli.

Alternatively, try this with our Jalapeño Cheddar Sourdough Focaccia - it's the best pairing!

Chilli Topping Ideas

Three bean chilli is delicious topped with Greek yoghurt (or a dairy-free alternative) or sour cream and some (vegan) cheese, but if you want to make it extra special, add some:

• Avocado Slices.
• Roughly Chopped Coriander.
• Crushed tortilla chips.
• Snipped Chives.
• Slices of Red Chilli.
• Drizzle of Chilli Oil.

Other Recipes That Use Chilli In All Its Forms

Did you like our Three Bean Chilli Bowl? Have a look at our other recipes that use chilli in various forms:

• Miso Aubergine (Vegan)
• Spicy Bean Stew with Cheesy Dumplings
• Crispy Chilli Beef
• Ultimate Halloumi Burgers with Chimichurri Mayonnaise

Recipe Card