This quick and easy 4 bean vegan slow cooker (crockpot) chili still feels hearty and filling without any meat. Beans add plenty of fiber and plant-based protein to keep you feeling satisfied.
Hello soup season! I have been so excited to bust out my crockpot for soup recipes. I was looking back through the blog archives and realized it had been ages since I posted this vegetarian chipotle chili recipe, so I developed this one a couple weeks ago. I wanted to create a vegan chili that was packed with a bunch of different beans and chock full of chopped veggies so that it was both filling and delicious.
This four bean vegan slow cooker chili really checks all the right boxes! Crockpot recipes are some of my favorite since I love coming home from a long day at work to a crockpot full of dinner that is ready to eat. Thanks to a bunch of canned goods, this pantry-friendly chili comes together rather quickly.
Looking for even more healthy vegan soup recipes developed by a plant-based dietitian? Be sure to check out my roundup of 15+ healthy vegan soup recipes!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Meal Prep: Great for meal prep as this makes a big pot of delicious and healthy chili. Get creative with leftovers throughout the week by serving over a baked potato or on top of nachos.
- Freezer Friendly: Since we are a smaller family of 3, we have plenty of leftovers whenever I make a pot of this chili. I just store leftovers in individual portions in the freezer for future meals.
- Hearty and Filling: Thanks to all the beans and chopped vegetables in this chili, it is chock full of fiber and plant-based protein to help fill you up.
- Vegan and Gluten Free
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Canned Beans: I like to use a variety of beans in my chili, so I used 4 different beans (kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, and cannellini beans) for this recipe. However, you can use any combination of canned beans you prefer. (Check out my black bean vs pinto beans post to learn more about the health benefits of beans!)
- Onion/Garlic: These aromatics add lots of flavor to the chili.
- Squash/Zucchini: You can use either squash or zucchini for this recipe. I use them interchangeably based on what I happened to pick up at the store or farmers market that week. When I was shooting the photos for this recipe, I used a yellow squash.
- Bell Pepper: I love adding at least one chopped bell pepper to my chili. I used a green one for this batch, but you can use any color bell pepper.
- Vegetable broth: Adds some extra liquid to the chili. Use a low sodium vegetable broth is you need to watch your sodium intake.
- Canned Tomatoes: You’ll need canned, diced tomatoes for this recipe. I really like fire roasted tomatoes since they add just a bit of smoky flavor that is delicious in this chili.
- Chili Powder & Cumin: The secret to the bold flavors in this chili.
How to Make this Recipe
The process for making this vegan slow cooker chili could not be any easier. There’s no need to pre-cook any of the ingredients. Simply open all the canned ingredients, rinse the canned beans, and chop the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini (or squash).
Next, you’ll just dump everything into your slow cooker (crockpot) and cook on high for 6 hours, stirring occasionally.
Expert Tips:
- The great thing about this vegan chili recipe is that you only need to chop a few things and then the rest is is basically just opening cans and dumping everything in! I dump all my canned beans into a colander and give them a quick rinse before adding them to the crockpot.
- If you need to limit your sodium intake, make sure to buy low sodium canned goods and broth for this recipe.
- Chop all of your vegetables (onion, zucchini, bell pepper) into similar sized pieces so that they all cook evenly.
- I used 2 tablespoons of chili powder for this recipe, but you can adjust to your heat tolerance. (We like things pretty spicy!) Also, the spiciness of each brand of chili powder tends to vary so it doesn’t hurt to taste it before adding to your chili.
Suggested Toppings for Chili
- Avocado: Add some thinly sliced avocado to your chili for some creaminess and color.
- Cheese: My favorite vegan shredded cheese is from VioLife.
- Sour Cream: My favorite brand of vegan sour cream is from tofutti.
- Cilantro: Pairs well with the flavors in this healthy chili and adds some color to the plated dish.
- Chives/Green Onion: A delicious way to add a pop of flavor and some color.
- Tortilla Chips: Serve your chili with some crumbled tortillas chips on top for a bit of crunch.
How to Store and Reheat
- To Store: Allow chili to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge. This chili can be stored for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- To Reheat: Add to microwave safe bowl and heat for 30 second intervals, stirring between until warmed through. On the stovetop, heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until hot.
- To Freeze: Chili can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Place in the refrigerator overnight to thaw before reheating. Freeze in individual size portions for faster thawing.
Stovetop Directions
Don’t want to wait all day to make this in the slow cooker? You can easily make this recipe in one pot on the stovetop as well in just about 30 minutes. You can also check out this chipotle vegetarian chili recipe for another stovetop option.
- Add oil, onion, green pepper, and squash to a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook another minute.
- Add the bay leaf, tomato paste, canned tomatoes, broth (reduce to just 2 cups broth), and beans. Bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
More Healthy Recipes You’ll Love
- Vegan Lentil Tacos
- Creamy Carrot Soup
- Easy Vegan Taco Skillet
- Easy Vegan Breakfast Tacos
- Southwest Sheet Pan Dinner
- Vegetarian Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole
Did you love this recipe? Make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and tag #dietitiandebbie on instagram!
4 Bean Vegan Slow Cooker Chili
Equipment
- 1 6-8 Quart Slow Cooker/Crockpot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder spice level varies by brand so taste and adjust as needed
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 1 quart (32 oz) vegetable broth
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz) can northern white beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz) can pinto beans, rinsed
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a crockpot. Cook on high heat for 6 hours. Garnished with desired toppings like cheese, sour cream, cilantro, chopped green onions.
Notes
- Feel free to use any combination of canned beans that you like. Just want to include 4 cans of beans in the recipe.
- Leftovers keep well for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- This chili also freezes well if you want to make it in advance or store leftovers. Allow to cool to room temperature and then transfer to airtight containers for the freezer. Keeps for up to 3 months.
- If you need to limit your sodium intake, make sure to buy low sodium canned goods and broth for this recipe.
- Chop all of your vegetables (onion, zucchini, bell pepper) into similar sized pieces so that they all cook evenly.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Can you add sweet potatoes
Sure! You can chop up 1-2 sweet potatoes and add them. They would be a great addition to this chili.
I’ve made this in a slow cooker and it was great . Could this recipe be made in a Instant Pot?
Hi! So glad you liked the chili. 🙂 I don’t have an Instant Pot so I can’t say if this recipe will work or not since I have never cooked with one. However, if you try it in the Instant Pot – let me know and I can add a note to the recipe!
Made this in slow cooker with only three types of beans. Recipe still made a ton! Delicious, especially at the start of the cold weather season.
So glad you enjoyed it Susan!