Loaded with 5 different types of beans and plenty of veg, this 5 Bean Chilli is as effortless to make as it is delicious, making it a regular go-to for busy weeknights in my house!
This 5 bean chilli strikes the perfect balance between indulgence and nutrition, as it’s packed with rich flavours and plenty of gut-loving fibre.
I’ve even had meat eaters tell me they don’t miss the meat! So that’s a winner of a recipe in my book.
My recommendation? Make this 5 bean chilli in a big batch and freeze the leftovers. That way, you’ll always have a wholesome, plant-rich meal at your fingertips, helping you stay on track with your weekly plant points.
Why You’ll Love This 5 Bean Chilli
- Meal Prep Friendly: This 5 bean chilli is perfect for meal prep. Not only does it taste even better the next day, but it is great for freezing!
- Versatile Meal Options: What I love about this 5 bean chilli is how easily it can be transformed into different meals, making it perfect for batch cooking without the boredom. Serve it over rice or a baked potato, or use it to fill tacos, burritos, or top nachos.
- Plant-Packed: This recipe has a total of 12 plant points! 🤯 So it’s the perfect dinner option if you’re trying to boost your plant intake (veggie or not!).
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Below are some helpful notes about the ingredients used in this 5 Bean Chilli recipe. You can find the precise ingredients you’ll need in the recipe card further down.
- 5 different types of tinned beans – I used borlotti beans, kidney beans, black beans, butter beans and cannellini beans. You could also use pinto beans, chickpeas or black-eyed peas. To mix things up a bit you could also sub out a tin of beans for some diced cooked green beans (great if you have them leftover).
- Tinned chopped tomatoes
- Red onion
- Garlic
- Green pepper – You can use a red, orange or yellow bell pepper if you’d prefer.
- Courgette (zucchini) – Other vegetables you could use instead include diced aubergine (eggplant), grated carrot or roasted sweet potato chunks.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder – This is a game changer in vegetarian chilli! It helps add in some of that richness that meat usually brings to dishes. Plus, chilli chocolate is a thing for a reason!
- Ground cumin
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Chilli flakes – Add more or less depending on your spice preference.
- Frozen sweetcorn – Alternatively you could use frozen peas.
- Vegetable oil – For frying.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make This 5 Bean Chilli
1. Fry the Vegetables
Start by frying the onions in a large pan. Then add the crushed garlic, pepper and courgette with a splash of water. Cook on a medium-low heat with a lid on for 5 minutes and then cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid off. Check every few minutes to ensure the veg aren’t catching (if they are, add a little bit more water).
2. Add the Other Ingredients
Next add the rinsed tinned beans, tinned tomatoes, cocoa powder, sweetcorn and spices, along with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.
Stir ingredients together and cook for 20-25 minutes on a medium-low heat. This is the time to add extra spices if you like more of a kick.
The longer you leave the chilli, the better it will taste. So if you can leave it to bubble away on a simmer for a bit longer, this will help the flavours mesh together.
3. Serve!
Serve up this 5 bean chilli with whatever you like! Take a look at my serving suggestions below for some inspo…
5 Bean Chilli Serving Suggestions
For a hearty midweek meal, this 5 bean chilli pairs perfectly with rice, quinoa or a baked potato. If you’re in the mood for a plant-rich Mexican feast, serve it with tacos or nachos and plenty of toppings, like:
- Handful of coriander
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Sliced chilli or jalapeños
- Your favourite hot sauce
- Nutritional yeast
- Grated cheese
Storing and Leftovers
This 5 bean chilli can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
If you want to reheat it, simply stick a portion in the microwave for a few minutes until piping hot.
If you want to save any leftovers for another day, this 5 bean chilli is also great for freezing. Simply portion out the chilli into freezer safe bags or containers, and once cooled, place into the freezer. Label the date of freezing and eat within 3 months.
This is one of my favourite meals to batch cook, as it’s really easy to make in bulk in a big pot. Plus, it tastes just as good (if not better) the next day!
How Many Plant Points?
This 5 bean chilli has a mighty total of 12 plant points! Here’s the breakdown:
- red onion = 1
- garlic = 1
- green pepper = 1
- courgette = 1
- borlotti beans = 1
- kidney beans = 1
- black beans = 1
- butter beans = 1
- cannellini beans = 1
- chopped tomatoes = 1
- sweetcorn = 1
- cumin = 1/4
- paprika = 1/4
- cayenne pepper = 1/4
- chilli flakes = 1/4
For an extra plant point, serve this chilli with brown rice instead of white, or serve on top of a baked potato. Remember to count any plant-based toppings too, like fresh coriander or avocado!
More Plant-Rich Dinner Recipes
🍛 Creamy Chickpea and Lentil Curry
Tasty 5 Bean Chilli
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed or finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 1 courgette, diced
- 400 g borlotti beans, drained and rinsed
- 400 g tin kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 400 g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
- 400 g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
- 400 g tin cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsps paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp chilli flakes (add more or less depending on your spice preference)
- 1 cup sweetcorn
- A good pinch of Salt and pepper (season to taste)
Optional Toppings:
- Handful of coriander
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Sliced chilli or jalapeños
Instructions
- In a large pan, fry the onions with oil for a few minutes on a medium heat until soft.
- Add the crushed garlic, pepper and courgette to the pan with a splash of water. Cook on a medium-low heat with a lid on for 5 minutes and then cook for a further 5 minutes with the lid off. Check every few minutes to ensure the veg aren't catching (if they are, add a little bit more water).
- Next add the rinsed tinned beans, tinned tomatoes, cocoa powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, chilli flakes and sweetcorn, along with a good pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Stir ingredients together and cook for 20-25 minutes on a medium-low heat. This is the time to add extra spices if you like more of a kick.
- Serve the chilli with rice, nachos, tacos or as a topping for a baked potato!
Notes
- Top with coriander, sliced avocado/guacamole, fresh sliced chilli/jalapeños, hot sauce, grated cheese or nutritional yeast. Remember, adding herbs, avocado or fresh chilli will help boost your plant points!
- This is a great meal to make in bulk and have as leftovers the next day or freeze for later. Plus, it tastes 10x better the day after!
- To store for later, let the chilli cool and put it in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the fridge, or put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Love this, have it regularly.