No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot
This no meat chili recipe for the crockpot is thick, hearty and full of beans and vegetables. The slow cooker gives it that all-day simmered flavor without any browning or standing at the stove.
8
servings20
minutes8
hoursThree beans, sweet potato, peppers and fire-roasted tomatoes simmer with chili spices until thick. It is filling enough that nobody asks where the meat is.
Ingredients
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup vegetable broth
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon lime juice
Directions
- Add the drained beans, sweet potato, onion, bell pepper and garlic to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth.
- Sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano and salt.
- Stir well so the spices are spread through the vegetables.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. The sweet potato should be fork-tender.
- Stir in the frozen corn during the last 30 minutes.
- Mash about a cup of the beans against the side of the crock with a spoon to thicken the chili.
- If it is too thick, add a splash of broth. If it is too thin, cook with the lid off for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the lime juice and taste for salt.
- Ladle into bowls and add toppings.
Notes
- All beans here are canned, so there is no raw bean risk. Use two cans of one bean if that is what you have. Add a chipotle in adobo for more smoke. Chili tastes better the next day. It keeps 5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
How the slow cooker builds meaty flavor
Without beef, chili needs depth from other places. Smoked paprika, fire-roasted tomatoes and a long simmer do most of the work. The slow cooker lets those flavors melt together over eight hours, which is hard to match in a pot on the stove.
Sweet potato is the quiet hero. It softens, breaks down a bit and thickens the chili, and its sweetness balances the chili powder so the pot tastes round, not sharp.
Because the vegetables cook slowly, the broth turns into a thick, glossy sauce on its own. By hour eight the kitchen smells like a chili cook-off, and nobody has touched a pan.
What goes in the pot and why
Three beans: Black, kidney and pinto give different textures. Rinse canned beans well to remove the starchy liquid.
Sweet potato: Cut the cubes about half an inch. Larger pieces stay firm, smaller ones vanish into the sauce.
Fire-roasted tomatoes: They add a smoky note that normal canned tomatoes lack. Look for crushed, not diced, for a thicker base.
Chili powder: Check the label. A good blend has mostly chiles and a little cumin, not just salt.
Smoked paprika: This stands in for the smokiness of bacon or beef. Do not swap it for sweet paprika.
Tips for a thick, deep chili
Mash some beans: Pressing a cup of beans against the side of the crock thickens the chili with no flour. It is the best trick for meatless versions.
Hold the corn: Frozen corn added at the start goes dull and chewy. Stir it in for the last half hour.
Brighten at the end: The most common mistake is skipping the acid. A spoonful of lime juice at the end wakes up all the spices.
Rinse and drain the beans: Canned bean liquid is salty and can make the pot slimy. A quick rinse gives a cleaner flavor and better color.
Swaps and variations
For more protein, add a cup of cooked quinoa or a can of lentils at the end. For heat, add a diced jalapeno or a chipotle pepper. For a lighter pot, use zucchini in place of sweet potato in the last hour. Do not add raw dried beans without boiling them first, because they do not cook through safely at slow cooker temperatures.
A tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder or a shot of strong coffee deepens the color and the flavor, and nobody tastes either one. Add it with the spices.
Toppings and what to serve
Set out bowls of shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro and crushed tortilla chips. Serve with warm cornbread or a baked potato, and a green salad with lime dressing.
This chili also makes a good make-ahead dinner for a crowd. Keep the pot on WARM, set out bowls of toppings, and let everyone build their own. Leftover chili is excellent over baked potatoes or tucked into quesadillas the next day.
Leftovers and freezing
Chili keeps in the fridge for 5 days in a covered container. The flavor gets deeper on day two.
Freeze in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight and reheat in a pot over medium-low heat, adding a little broth if it has thickened.
Cool the chili before refrigerating so the pot does not stay warm too long. Do not store it in the slow cooker insert itself, because a full crock cools too slowly in the fridge.
No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot at a glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours
- Servings: 8 servings
- Ingredients: 16, led by (15 oz) black beans, (15 oz) kidney beans, (15 oz) pinto beans, sweet potato
Tips for No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot
All beans here are canned, so there is no raw bean risk. Use two cans of one bean if that is what you have. Add a chipotle in adobo for more smoke. Chili tastes better the next day. It keeps 5 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot FAQ
How long does No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot take?
No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot takes 8 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.
How many people does No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot serve?
This recipe makes 8 servings.
What do I need to make No Meat Chili Recipe for the Crockpot?
16 ingredients, led by (15 oz) black beans, (15 oz) kidney beans, (15 oz) pinto beans, sweet potato. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
