Vegan bean chilli
A rich, smoky three-bean and sweet potato chilli with warming spices. Easy to batch-cook and freeze.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 45 mins
- Total
- 1 hr
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget
Recipe: Vegan bean chilli
Vegan bean chilli
Ingredients
For the chilli
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 peppers, chopped
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled, 1.5cm dice
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes, 400g each
- 1 can kidney beans, 400g, drained
- 1 can black beans, 400g, drained
- 1 can pinto or borlotti beans, 400g, drained
- 300ml vegan vegetable stock, choose one labelled gluten-free
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder, optional
- 1 lime, juiced
- fresh coriander, to serve
Kitchen kit
- Large casserole or saucepan with lid Search Amazon for casserole dish with lid
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Method
-
Step 1: Soften the veg
Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and peppers for 10 minutes until soft. Add the sweet potato and garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
-
Step 2: Add the spices
Stir in the spices and tomato purée and cook for 1–2 minutes.
-
Step 3: Simmer
Add the tomatoes, beans, stock and cocoa. Bring to the boil, then simmer, partly covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and the sweet potato is tender.
-
Step 4: Finish
Season with salt and lime juice. Serve with rice, tortilla chips or jacket potatoes, topped with coriander, avocado or dairy-free yoghurt.
Tips
- Like most chillies, this tastes even better the next day.
Storing & reheating
Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 2 days; reheat once until steaming hot.
Freezing
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.
Variations
- Add 250g cooked green lentils or a pack of plant-based mince for a meatier texture.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/vegan-chilli/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
How hot is it?
Medium. Use 1/2 tsp chilli powder for mild or add a chopped chipotle for heat and smoke.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
- BBC Good Food: Vegan chilli (quantities, timings and temperatures compared) (bbcgoodfood.com)
- BBC Good Food: Vegan three-bean chilli with potato jackets (quantities, timings and temperatures compared) (bbcgoodfood.com)
- FSA: how to chill, freeze and defrost food safely (leftovers within 2 days) (gov.uk)
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
