Truly the best black bean chili recipe!! It ultra-quick and easy to make, naturally gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan (although you can add meat if you’d like), and SO flavorful and delicious. Instant Pot and stovetop instructions included.
This chili recipe is everything.
Like, literally. It basically hits all the bases when it comes to everything we’re looking for in a crowd-pleasing, feel-good, ultra-cozy, irresistibly-delicious black bean chili recipe.
First off, it’s ridiculously easy to make. We’re talkin’ 8 main ingredients here that are big on flavor and ultra low-maintenance on prep time. (Just need you to chop an onion and some garlic, so less than 10 mins prep time!) This recipe is also a breeze to cook in the Instant Pot. (Although I’ve also included stovetop and slow cooker instructions, if that’s your jam.) And if you’re looking for easy lunches for the week ahead, it’s freezer-friendly and perfect for meal prep.
Second, it’s naturally gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan. Which means it’s the perfect pot of soup to simmer when you have a mix of friends over for the big game or a cozy dinner night in. Or, hey, also perfect for any regular weeknight in or a simple lunch to pack for work.
Third, it’s made with healthier that you can feel great about. Lots of protein-packed black beans, lots of veggies, and lots of zesty Mexican flavors. No meat…unless you’d like to add some in. In which case, ground beef or turkey would be awesome.
But most importantly…it’s just 100% delicious. Especially so when you go big (please go big!) with all of your favorite toppings. The more the merrier here, if you ask me. Mmmm hmmmm.
Alright, time for some black bean chili!
Alright, so let’s talk cooking methods here for a sec. I’m a huge fan of the Instant Pot with this recipe, since it can pressure cook a batch of dry (un-soaked) black beans to tender perfection in less than an hour. But you’re also welcome to just simmer everything on the stovetop — up to you.
That said, the other ingredients are super simple! Just chop up an onion and some garlic. Combine them with your beans, a can of diced tomatoes (fire-roasted are my fave!), roasted red peppers, veggie stock (or water), ground cumin, chipotle chili powder (or regular chili powder), S&P.
Then the main ingredient here is a must — a jar of salsa verde. (Or you can make yours homemade.) I’m a big fan of the zesty, tangy flavor it adds to the chili. And you can also choose a brand that’s as mild or spicy as you’d like. (<– Although if serving to a crowd, I always recommend keeping things more mild, then offering sliced jalapeño or serrano peppers as a topping. Win-win.)
Just combine everything together and cook until those beans are nice and tender. Then give everything a good stir, add more stock if you’d like a brothier soup, season with salt and pepper, and…
…voila!
A gorgeous pot of rich black bean chili will be ready to enjoy!
Dish it up into your serving bowls. But then — I insist — sprinkle on as many of your favorite toppings as possible. In my humble opinion, chili is ALL about the toppings. So if diced avocado, or fresh cilantro, or shredded cheese (vegan, if making this dairy-free), diced red onions, sliced serranos, sour cream, etc. are your jam — pile them on high.
And then? I sincerely hope you enjoy every last bite. ?
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The BEST Black Bean Chili!
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry black beans, rinsed and picked over
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
- 6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 6-8 cups vegetable stock (or water*)
- 2 cups (16 ounces) salsa verde, homemade or store-bought
- 1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder**
- salt and pepper, to taste
- toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, shredded cheese, sliced jalapeños or serranos
Instructions
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Directions:
- Add black beans (no need to pre-soak), onion, garlic, 6 cups stock, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl of your Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
- Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.
- Press “Manual”, then press “Pressure” until the light on “High Pressure” lights up, then adjust the +/- buttons until time reads 38 minutes. Cook. Then very carefully, turn the vent to “Venting” for quick release, and wait until all of the steam has released and the valve has dropped. Remove the lid, and give the soup a good stir.
- Then, if you would like a brothier soup, feel free to add in 1-2 extra cups of vegetable stock. (If not, leave the soup as-is.) Taste, and season with extra salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with lots of your favorite toppings. Or transfer to sealed containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Stovetop Directions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil (extra ingredient for stovetop version) in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
- Add in beans (pre-soaked overnight***) 6 cups stock, salsa verde, diced tomatoes, roasted red peppers, cumin, chili powder, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 45 minutes, or until the beans are completely tender, stirring occasionally.
- If you would like a brothier soup, feel free to add in 1-2 extra cups of vegetable stock. (If not, leave the soup as-is.) Taste, and season with extra salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve immediately, garnished with lots of your favorite toppings. Or transfer to sealed containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
I have made this many times in the slow cooker. So good! Tried the instant pot tonight and 38 minutes was not long enough…I put it in for an extra 10.
Hello, I am a cookbook/recipe reader and yes, I do prepare food as well. This is has been a saving grace during the lockdown period for my husband, cat, and me. My freezer is loaded and everytime a hurricane looms, I cross my fingers that the power stays on. (A generator purchase is in our future.)
Your website is beautiful and I want to tell you how much I appreciate your postings. The food looks delicious, thanks to the photography. Plus you are a teacher and the manner in which you present your recipes makes me confident I can do what you do! I attribute this to your narrative, offerings such “don’t have this, use this”. Keeps me reading and excited.
Merci from South Louisiana
Absolutely delicious! Added ground chicken and it was one of my best pots of chili ever.
Love this soup. I puréed at the end and added some more beans which was a tip from a friend. I would like it a little thicker. Any suggestions ?
Really delicious and pretty simple! I like that it’s all pantry food so often you’ll have the ingredients on hand (except for maybe the jarred red pepper). I used canned beans because it takes less time. I also added some sugar because it was a little sour. This may vary depending on what salsa verde you use.
I really liked it. I’ve made so many black bean soups that I didn’t like but here is one that I really like. I added a cup of hot hatch green chiles for some heat. The salsa verde really makes it different from other recipes I have tried
This recipe is amazing!!! My husband and my 10 year old were in love, as was I. We ate it as leftovers for 2 days. Really easy, yummy and just spectacular. My neighbors were looking at me like I was nuts going on and on about black bean chili. Ha!!
Loved this recipe. I’m a novice cook. Got into instant pot cooking lately while my better half was recovering from a procedure. This one been a big hit with the family and ridiculously easy to prepare. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
If you’re using canned beans, reduce the liquids/tomatoes/salsa a whole bunch (unless you want soup instead of chili).
I guess I will be only critic of this recipient! First, this is not chili consistency! It’s a soup. Second, 2 cups of salsa verde is way too much. I love spicy foods but this is way to much flavor. No black bean taste whatsoever!
This is literally the best chili I have ever made or eaten. It was so easy to make. Highly recommend and will definitely use this recipe when I make chili in the future.