Clean Eating 4 Bean Chili Recipe (2024)

ByTiffany McCauley

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on X (Twitter)Share on Reddit <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"><title>flipboard</title><path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path></svg>" xlink:href="#flipboard"> Share on Flip it

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This 4 bean chili recipe is a perfect meal for a chilly, meatless Monday evening!

I have to be honest, this chili could easily be soup. But I had to pick one, so I went with chili. Is that bad? Either way, this was delicious!

Clean Eating 4 Bean Chili Recipe (1)

I have a hard time with vegan and/or vegetarian dishes because I can never get them seasoned the way I like. But this one I’m pretty proud of. You can use home-cooked or canned beans, either way. I used the canned variety and dinner was put together in about 10 minutes. If you want more of a soup, add some extra vegetable broth. If you like a heartier chili, use a little less. The amount of broth you put in is what you will end up with, so it’s easy to gauge how “soupy” you want this.

You Might Also Enjoy This Healthy Soup Recipe

  • Turkey Chili
  • Dutch Oven Chili
  • Instant Pot Chicken Chili
  • Southwestern Turkey Chili

4 Bean Chili Recipe Card

Clean Eating 4 Bean Chili Recipe (3)

4 Bean Chili

This delicious, vegan soup will satisfy your tummy without the meat!

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate Add to Collection

Course: Soup, Stew

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10 cups (approximately)

Calories: 246kcal

Author: Tiffany McCauley

Ingredients

  • 5 medium garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz.) can black beans (drained, no sugar added)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans (drained, no sugar added)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans (drained, no sugar added)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans (drained, no sugar added)
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder
  • 3 cups vegetable stock (no sugar added)

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Sautéthe onions and garlic in the olive oil, using a medium-sized soup pot.

  • Add all other ingredients and stir to combine.

  • Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for approximately 10 minutes and remove from heat.

  • Allow to cool and serve.

Notes

Please note that the nutrition data is a ballpark figure. Exact data is not possible.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 246kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 2g | Sodium: 515mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 9.6mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 5.7mg

Share on FacebookShare on PinterestShare on X (Twitter)Share on Reddit <use href="#<svg width="1em" height="1em" viewBox="0 0 32 32" class="scriptlesssocialsharing__icon flipboard" fill="currentcolor" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"><title>flipboard</title><path d="M24.997 13.001h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v5.998h-5.998v-17.995h17.995zM1.004 1.004v29.991h29.991v-29.991z"></path></svg>" xlink:href="#flipboard"> Share on Flip it

Similar Posts

Peanut Butter Cups Recipe

Grilled Fish Foil Packet Recipe

Chicken Stock Recipe

Gluten Free Apple Crisp Recipe

Clean Eating Banana Walnut Fudge Recipe

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. I’m trying this today! I’m thinking about cooking up some ground turkey and then throwing it all in the crockpot for the day. do you think it’ll all turn out fine still since i’m not bringing it to a boil?

    Reply

    1. AmandaR – In theory, it should be okay. But I really can’t say as I haven’t tried it myself.

      Reply

  2. That day I had thrown it all in the crock pot and it turned out super yummy. My whole family loved it and my husband has been asking me to make more ever since. It’s 22 outside today so it’s sitting in the crock pot for dinner. I put it on high for the first two hours so I know the beans are fine and then I turn it on low for the rest of the day.

    Reply

    1. Amandar – Great! And I do have a clean recipe for corn bread in my bread section. Enjoy!

      Reply

  3. Now I just need to find a clean recipe for corn bread

    Reply

  4. Can I make this in the crockpot?

    Reply

    1. Ashleigh – Sure, but it wouldn’t cook for very long. Really, all your doing is warming the beans and steeping the spices. Maybe two hours on low, I would guess. I would also sauté the onions first if you go that route. Otherwise, you’ll miss out on the flavor they impart.

      Reply

  5. Oh how I love when I come across a recipe that I actually have all of the ingredients for. Especially love that it’s made with vegetable stock instead of chicken stock. I can whip that up real quick with the veggie pieces I have in the freezer. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

    1. Brittany – Fantastic! Let me know how you like it! 🙂

      Reply

  6. I’ve had this recipe for over a year and finally made it this week when I only had a few minutes to get supper on the table. It was as simple and tasty as you described, and so were the leftovers we carried for lunch! I will use less broth next time, but otherwise, it was perfect! Thanks for sharing it! 🙂

    Reply

    1. Heather – My pleasure! So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂

      Reply

  7. Just made this for dinner. It’s delicious! Thank you for this website. I make a recipe at least once a week.

    Reply

    1. Joan – That’s awesome! Thanks so much, I’m honored to be a presence in your kitchen! 😀

      Reply

  8. I have tried this recipe as written on the stovetop, with turkey and also in the crock pot. I cooked it all day on low and it was still lovely. The only change I make is adding a can of jalapenos and tomatoes because I like chili to be extra spicy. Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!

    Reply

    1. Ashley – Thank you for the feedback! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  9. I am so glad I found this recipe. We make this all the time, It’s so cost-effective and easy! The only thing I change is adding some smoked paprika and stiring in some chopped kale at the end. We serve it over brown rice with cholula hot sauce and nutritional yeast. Family favorite!

    Reply

    1. Maria – I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Sounds like a great way to serve it! Yum!

      Reply

Clean Eating 4 Bean Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you drain kidney beans when making chili? ›

You'll want to drain the kidney beans, but rinsing them is optional. Doing so will reduce the amount of sodium that gets carried into the dish. I choose to let mine sit in the strainer for awhile, but I don't rinse them.

How healthy is homemade chili? ›

Chili can be healthy, with qualifiers. The iconic dish—typically made with ground meat, tomatoes, kidney beans, and seasonings—is packed with protein, fiber (thanks, beans!), and iron. This makes chili relatively healthy, provided you don't get too carried away with high-fat toppings like sour cream and cheddar cheese.

What kind of beans are good in chili? ›

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

What is the best liquid to add to chili? ›

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

What not to put in chili? ›

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

Is it okay to eat chili everyday? ›

Therefore, you should eat spicy 2-3 times / week and eat with intermittent frequency. Eating too much spicy causes heat in the body Using a lot of chili with a regular frequency along with a high degree of spicy can cause mouth ulcers or boils, burning in the anus as well as other organs..

What is the healthiest type of chili? ›

Compared to other peppers, scotch bonnets are particularly high in vitamins and minerals. “Scotch bonnets are an excellent source of phytochemicals, vitamin A, vitamin C and magnesium,” says Friedman (phytochemicals prevent cancer, vitamin A prevents heart disease and magnesium modulates blood pressure).

What to add to chili to make it healthy? ›

canned pumpkin

Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene that gets converted to vitamin A in the body, which is important for eye and skin health. Add a can of pumpkin to the chili, and garnish with other kid-friendly toppings like raisins and Greek yogurt.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What adds the most flavor to chili? ›

Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight. Warming spice blends, like Garam Masala, Ras el Hanout or Baharat are another simple and delicious way to add layered flavors to this simple one-pot meal.

What does cinnamon do for chili? ›

Cinnamon. The beauty of ground cinnamon is that it brings a warmth to your chili, without being spicy. It works well with other flavors commonly found in chili (like tomato, cumin and chile powder) so you only need a little bit to achieve the desired balance.

What are the best onions for chili? ›

Sweet Onion

Sweet onions are great for caramelizing due to their higher sugar content. You can cook them into your chili, serve them raw over top, or even elevate your chili with a sophisticated caramelized onion topping! Some of my favorite sweet onions are Walla, Walla, Maui, and Vidalia Onions.

What kind of tomatoes for chili? ›

Diced Tomatoes: I prefer to use “petite diced tomatoes” because the chunks are smaller and I find that they incorporate into the final dish much better than the much larger chunks that you find in regular diced tomatoes.

What happens if you don't drain kidney beans? ›

Not draining and rinsing them can add viscosity, liquid, and/or flavor to a dish, she says, which isn't always something she wants for a recipe. But Gellman is a bit of an outlier. Most pros answer with, “It depends.” Dana Angelo White, MS, RDN says it has everything to do with what she's making.

Is it okay to use the liquid in canned beans? ›

The liquid in good canned beans is just the water and salt the beans were cooked in… filled with delicious bean flavor. And this liquid is a great thickener for not only the specific dish you're making at the moment, but for any dish that could use some thickening, some salt, and some bean flavor.

Does the liquid in canned beans cause gas? ›

One popular theory as to why beans cause gas is the soapy liquid you find in canned beans. "When legumes, for example red lentils, are boiled in water, the liquid they are cooking in becomes higher in oligosaccharides.

Do you use dark or red kidney beans for chili? ›

The dark red kidney beans taste great but, most importantly, they are some of the firmest canned red kidney beans we tasted, making them perfect for slow-cooked chili. They won't break down, thanks to their thicker skins.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Carmelo Roob

Last Updated:

Views: 5936

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Carmelo Roob

Birthday: 1995-01-09

Address: Apt. 915 481 Sipes Cliff, New Gonzalobury, CO 80176

Phone: +6773780339780

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Gaming, Jogging, Rugby, Video gaming, Handball, Ice skating, Web surfing

Introduction: My name is Carmelo Roob, I am a modern, handsome, delightful, comfortable, attractive, vast, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.