4 Bean Chili – Crowd-Pleasing Plant Forward Recipe - To Taste (2024)

There is always a debate of whether or not beans belong in chili, but we can’t imagine it without – flavor, texture, and nutrition –what’s not to love?? We entered this 4 bean chili recipe in a chili cook-off competition; it was such a hit that it got second place, beating out lots of meat-based chilis! Make a batch of this easy and delicious four bean chili and find out why!

Three Must-Know Cooking Skills

For recipe success, learn how to:

Culinary Tips for the Best Plant-Forward Chili

This recipe requires a lot of chopping. Be sure to secure your cutting board, use a sharp knife, and hold your knife properly to ensure knife safety.

Make sure that the oil is hot before adding the veggies. This will help with flavor development.

Toasting the spices before adding the liquid helps build flavor, but be careful not to burn them! Burnt spices add a bitter flavor to dishes.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: substitute canola or avocado oil.
• Green Bell Pepper: substitute red, yellow, or orange bell pepper.
• Onion: use yellow, white, or red.
• Garlic: substitute 1½ teaspoons pre-minced garlic, 1½ teaspoon garlic flakes, or ½ teaspoon garlic powder.
• Chipotles: substitute 1 teaspoon chipotle powder.
• Water: substitute vegetable or chicken broth for a richer flavor.
• Tomato Purée: substitute crushed tomatoes. Fire-roasted varieties also work.
• Beans: use any combination. We think that black, kidney, garbanzo, and cannellini are the best canned beans for chili, but make your selections based on your preferences.
• Bulgur: substitute quinoa or millet.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: substitute red wine vinegar.

We love buying our spices from The Spice House. Click on the picture below to view & try out hundreds of flavorful spices and herbs!

Recipe Variations

There are so many ways that you can adapt this chili recipe to your taste!

Not sure about ameatless 4 bean chili? Brown ½ pound of ground lean turkey before adding the onions and bell pepper.

Feel free to change this to a 3 bean chili or even a 5 bean chili recipe by using a combination of all of your favorite beans.

Can’t take the heat? Reduce or remove the chipotles in adobo, and adjust spice level to your taste.

Looking for a gluten-free chili recipe? Replace the bulgur with quinoa or millet.

You can also make this chili recipe in a slow cooker or pressure cooker, but we have not tested these variations.

For a pressure cooker bean chili recipe, turn the pot to the sauté setting, and follow steps 1-4. Reduce the liquid to 2 cups and add remaining ingredients. Stir, place the lid on, turn to high pressure, seal, and cook for 5 minutes. Allow pressure to naturally release.

Equipment Recommendations

You just need a few basic pieces of kitchen equipment for this one pot chili recipe!

• Chef’s Knife
• Cutting Board
• Can Opener
• Liquid Measuring Cup
• Dry Measuring Cups & Spoons
• Enameled Dutch Oven Pot or Regular Stock Pot

Health Benefits of 4 Bean Chili

This 4 bean chili is packed with nutritious ingredients. Beans, veggies, whole grains, and warming spices are the featured ingredients in this healthy bean chili recipe.

Beans

All varieties of beans contain plant-based protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients promote gut health, decrease risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and promote a healthy weight. Check out our Food as Medicine article to learn more about these health benefits. All of the world’s longest lived populations consume beans daily. Beans are incredibly versatile and can be altered to meet any texture, flavor, or health preference.

Veggies

Green bell pepper, onion, garlic, and tomatoes are the featured vegetables in this vegetarian chili recipe. All of these veggies contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals which promote health and decrease disease risk. (1, 2)

Whole Grains

This recipe contains bulgur wheat –a form of wheat that is made from cracked and parboiled wheat berries. Whole grains such as bulgur wheat contain fiber, B vitamins, Vitamin E, trace minerals, and phytochemicals. Whole grains are an important part of the Mediterranean diet and may play a role in decreasing risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. (3)

Spices

Chili powder and cumin add flavor and nutrition to this recipe. Using spices decreases the need for salt, which may help reduce hypertension risk and therefore promote heart health. (4) Additionally, these spices contain powerful antioxidants which may help reduce inflammation in the body. (5)

Serving Suggestions for Bean Chili

Ladle chili in a bowl and top with diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, and/or a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream. If you want a vegan bean chili, simply leave off the cheese and yogurt.

Leftover 4 Bean Chili Storage Tips

This chili makes great leftovers! The chili thickens and the flavors continue to develop in the fridge, so you are sure to enjoy lunch or dinner the next day even more! To store leftover chili, cool completely within 4 hours, then place in an airtight container. Keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

This recipe is great for freezing too! Cool completely, place in one large freezer-safe container or individual containers, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Want more healthy plant-forward recipes?

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