Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili

Name: Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 7 h
Total time: 7 h 20 min
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 into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes; 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with their juice; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup vegetable broth; 2 tbsp chili powder; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp kosher salt; Toppings: lime wedges, sliced avocado, cooked rice

By Iren Pavlenko · Last updated: 9 Nov 2026

Black, kidney and pinto beans cook with sweet potato in a smoky tomato sauce. A third of the beans are mashed at the end to thicken the pot.

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Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili

Recipe by Iren Pavlenko

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Black, kidney and pinto beans cook with sweet potato in a smoky tomato sauce. A third of the beans are mashed at the end to thicken the pot.

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 into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, with their juice
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
Toppings: lime wedges, sliced avocado, cooked rice

Directions

Set aside the pinto beans for later. Add the black and kidney beans to the slow cooker.
Add the sweet potato cubes, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cut the sweet potato to the same size so it cooks evenly.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice and the tomato paste. Add the vegetable broth.
Sprinkle on the chili powder, cumin, paprika and salt. Stir until everything is coated.
Cover and cook 6 to 7 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH. The sweet potato is ready when a fork slides in with no resistance.
In a small bowl, mash the pinto beans with a fork or a potato masher. Leave a few whole for texture.
Stir the mashed beans into the chili and cook 20 to 30 minutes more with the lid on. This is what thickens the pot.
If the chili is still thin, prop the lid open for the last 20 minutes.
Taste and add salt and a squeeze of lime. Serve hot with the toppings.

Notes

You can swap any of the three beans for another canned bean you already have. Rinse them well, because the canning liquid makes the chili taste muddy. Vegetable broth can be replaced with water plus an extra pinch of salt. The chili keeps 5 days in the refrigerator and freezes well for 3 months.

Why the pinto beans wait

Holding back one can of beans and mashing it at the end gives the chili body without flour or meat. The black and kidney beans stay whole, so you still get texture.

The sweet potato adds natural sweetness against the smoke, and it softens until it nearly melts into the sauce.

Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili: swaps

Any canned bean can stand in for one of the three. Butternut squash works in place of sweet potato. Do not skip rinsing the beans, because the canning liquid dulls the flavor.

Add a pinch of salt if you swap water for broth.

What to serve it with

Cooked rice, avocado and lime wedges are the natural toppings. A square of cornbread works well for dipping. Portion leftovers into freezer containers, leaving a little room for expansion.

One mistake with this chili

Cutting the sweet potato in uneven pieces. Small bits turn to mush while big ones stay firm. Aim for 1/2-inch cubes, and check one with a fork before you mash the pinto beans. If the chili is thin, leave the lid off for the last twenty minutes.

Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili at a glance

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 7 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients: 16, led by (15 oz) black beans, (15 oz) kidney beans, (15 oz) pinto beans, sweet potato

Tips for Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili

Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili FAQ

How long does Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili take?

Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili takes 7 hours of cooking after 20 minutes of prep.

How many people does Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili serve?

This recipe makes 6 servings.

What do I need to make Vegetarian Three-Bean Crockpot Chili?

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.

Iren Pavlenko

Hi, I'm Iren Pavlenko. I read the top-ranked slow cooker recipes for a dish side by side and write down what they disagree on and what they all leave out — the cut, the pot size, and both the LOW and HIGH times. I write these guides so your weeknight dinner doesn't turn into a dry roast because a recipe never said which of those four things mattered.

Part of: 6 Easy Crockpot Chili Recipes for a Busy Weeknight