Chipotle Black Bean Chili Recipe

A plant-based Black Bean Chili recipe with chipotle chiles, and loads of fresh vegetables. Serve in big bowls with all your favorite toppings and a side of cornbread or over a baked potato. Gluten-free and easily vegan-adaptable! {Recipe first posted on January 25, 2011. Last updated February 25, 2022}.

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I have been making this chili for years. You’ll notice that the first time I posted this recipe was in 2011. It has helped me feed hungry bellies on many, many nights when I’m in need of a warm meal that everyone loves.

There are as many chili recipes as stars in the sky, so why is this Black Bean Chili Recipe the one I turn to again and again? For one, it is foolproof. You really can’t mess this up. Simply sauté some vegetables, add some spices, a few chipotle peppers, tomatoes and let it do its thing.

Secondly, this chili has mega flavor. The secret ingredient that makes this chili sensational are the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus you can boost the chipotle flavor by also using ground chipotle chili powder. The dried beans add a complex earthiness, paired with smoky chipotle chiles, sweet onions and peppers, warming spices, and tart tomatoes makes the the BEST vegetarian chili recipe.

Lastly, it satisfies every diet. Gluten-free? Yep! Vegan? Sure, as long as you don’t top it with cheese and sour cream. Love spicy food? Great, add as many jalapeños, chipotle peppers, and chipotle chili powder as you’d like.

And most importantly? It makes the best leftovers! This chili gets better the longer it sits so lunch the next day or even another dinner later in the week is covered and DELICIOUS.

Why You Will Love This Black Bean Chili Recipe

Healthy with a capital H! Low in calories, high in fiber, tons of veggies, proteins, and capsaicin–this chili has it all!

Easily adaptable. Make this recipe your own. Want to add ground beef or ground turkey? Just brown it with the onions. You could also easily make this in the Instant Pot or slow cooker or add smoked paprika instead of the chipotle chili powder to make it less spicy. The options are really endless.

Meal prep friendly. This makes a big batch of chili which gets better the longer it sits meaning lunch and another dinner will be ready the rest of the week. It also freezes beautifully. Store half in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.

More Chili Recipes To Explore

Tangy Green Tomato Chili

Instant Pot Pork Chili Verde with Cheese

Chicken Chili with White Beans and Hominy

Ingredients

The ingredient list is long-ish but they are all essential to creating a super flavorful chili.

• Dried black beans. You can substitute canned black beans if you want. Add the drained and rinsed beans with the water at the end of the recipe and cut the cooking time down to 30 minutes.
• Olive oil
• White onion
• Garlic
• Jalapeños. These are optional. You can leave them out if you want it less spicy.
• Red pepper
• Zucchini
• Chipotles in adobo sauce. Check out my favorite brand of canned chipotle peppers.
• Fire-roasted crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes.
• Chipotle chili powder. Use mild chili powder if you’d like it less spicy.
• Ground Cumin. Cumin and black beans go together beautifully.
• Ground Coriander
• Dried Mexican oregano or dried Mediterranean oregano.
• Bay leaves
• Shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, hot sauce, tortilla chips, sour cream, and/or thinly sliced green onions, for serving

How To Make It

This chili gets better the longer it sits. Make it the day before for maximum flavor. I like to serve it with cornbread to round out the meal. My Easy Cornbread Recipe which can be made into muffins or a loaf is my favorite (and also dairy-free).

Step One

Soak the black beans overnight. Rinse the dried beans and place in a large bowl. Cover with water by about 2 inches and leave on the counter overnight. You don’t have to do this, but the beans will cook in half the time if you do.

Step Two

Prep the veggies. Chop the onion and garlic. Remove the stem from the jalapeños (and the seeds if you’d like it less spicy) and chop along with the red bell peppers and zucchini.

Step Three

Sauté the onions. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or soup pot (I use this 7.25 quart Le Creuset Dutch oven). Add onions and sauté until tender and starting to brown.

Once onions are cooked add garlic, jalapeños, bell peppers, and zucchini and cook until tender.

Step Four

Toast spices. Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and bay leaves and stir to bloom in the oil and toast until fragrant, about a minute or so.

Drain and rinse the black beans then add them to the pot along with the tomatoes and chipotle peppers.

Step Five

Add water. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beans are tender, about an hour if you soaked the beans overnight, about 2 hours if you didn’t.

Once beans are tender, season with salt. Add a tablespoon to start, taste and keep adding more about a teaspoon at a time until it is to your liking.

Step Six

Garnish and serve! Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheese, sliced scallions, a squeeze of lime juice, whatever you’d like!

More Comfort Food Recipes To Try!

• Instant Pot Mexican Rice
• Shredded Beef for Tacos {Carne Deshebrada}
• Creamy Lentil Soup with Salsa Macha
• Authentic Chile Relleno Recipe
• Chicken Tomatillo Stew
• Slow Cooker Borracho Beans
• Chipotle Beef and Bean Enchilada Casserole

Try This Mega Delish Chili Tonight

Hearty, healthy, and a bit spicy, give the Black Bean Chili recipe a try and when you do snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) ! Also, sign up for my weekly newsletter, lots of good stuff there too!

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