Easy Three Bean Chili Recipe - The Simple Veganista (2024)

FAQs

Should chili be thick or soupy? ›

Traditionally, we expect a robust, spicy base, meat and/or beans, perhaps some bonus veggies, and a thick, rich consistency. Unlike soups, which are brothy, or even bisques, which are creamy yet thinner, chili is meant to be more stew-like; it's a definite stick-to-your-ribs creation.

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.

Cornmeal: Add a tablespoon of cornmeal or masa harina while stirring continuously. Mashed Beans: Mash a portion of the beans and stir them into the chili to thicken it. Crushed Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips can also be added as a thickening agent.

Elevate with Extra Flavor

Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.

Use All-Purpose Flour or Cornstarch

All-purpose flour and cornstarch are useful for thickening chili, as well as sauces, soups, and stews. However, you'll want to avoid adding these ingredients directly to your recipe, as this will result in clumps.

More Secret Ingredients for Chili - Toasting Spices

Toasting the spices early in the cooking process before adding the liquid will provide more flavor to the stew. This process unleashes the aromatics in the ground spices. The spices will release more flavor by gently heating them in a bit of oil with the meat.

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.

For quicker-cooking chili like this recipe, don't cover the pot. You want the liquid in the chili to reduce, and leaving the lid off is crucial. If you're simmering the chili for a longer time, partially cover the pot to prevent the liquid from evaporating too quickly.

Use tortilla chips: If you don't have cornmeal on hand, tortilla chips can make a good substitute as a thickener (though keep in mind that they will add more salt to the dish). Crush up a few chips and sprinkle them into the chili.

Should I add masa to chili? ›

Added to the chili near the end of cooking, masa harina thickens the liquid slightly, giving it body, and imparts a subtle corn flavor. Grind the meat yourself or ask the butcher to grind it fresh for chili, using the large holes of a meat grinder to give it a coarse texture.

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

It's hard to imagine Mexican chilli con carne without cumin. This spice is commonly used in Mexican cuisine and pairs nicely with hot peppers to round out the flavours of the dish. Cumin's fragrance and warmth helps to create a balanced palate, with its deep earthiness and lemony hint brightening up any chilli recipe.

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.

Whether you like your chili with beans or without, chock full of beef or strictly vegetarian, mild or spicy enough to make you sweat, we can all agree that a good bowl of chili should have a thick and chunky texture.

Yes! The longer you simmer chili with the lid off of the pot the thicker it will get. The excess liquid will turn into steam and help reduce the chili down to a nice, thick consistency.

Chili should be thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but sometimes there's just a bit more liquid than you want in the pot. While you can simply keep simmering the chili, that method risks overcooking softer ingredients like the beans, losing all your nice texture to mushy monotony.

The best ground beef for chili has some fat, so 85% lean is ideal. Don't be tempted to use extra-lean beef or drain off the fat after browning the meat. The fat bastes the meat during cooking, which adds richness to the sauce and keeps the meat moist.