Download our recipe app and get hundreds of whole-food, plant-based recipes at your fingertips.
Back in the day, if you wanted to make chili, you needed to plan on some serious time in a hot kitchen while the stew simmered on the stove. Now, thanks to slow cookers and multicookers like the Instant Pot, that’s no longer the case. These ultra-dependable small appliances mean you can get all the goodness of a long-simmered chili with minimal time in the kitchen. Summer bonus: the kitchen stays cool. What’s more, the slow heat lets you combine the soaking and cooking steps for the chili beans, so everything can be done all at once. You won’t be sorry you tried this slow cooker chili.
This recipe is ideal for busy weeknights when you want to come home to a hot meal. It’s also open to endless variations when you doctor it up with spices or add other vegetables.
Recipe from drmcdougall.com
Forks Over Knives’ online cooking course will help you learn new techniques, flavors, and skills to live your very best life.
Join the course
Get inspired! Our chefs add delicious new plant-based recipes every week to keep mealtime exciting and satisfying.
Get the recipe app
Heather McDougall is the director of the McDougall Program in Santa Rosa, California. Heather also develops healthy, family-friendly recipes for the McDougall Newsletter. For more from her, follow the McDougall Program on Instagram.
see more from this author
Get a taste for healthy, fuss-free meal planning with this free five-day meal plan from Forks Meal Planner!
Get free recipes and the latest info on living a happy, healthy plant-based lifestyle.
Comments (20)
I use kidney beans and add bell peppers as it cooks. My family loves it. I’m making some today to get canned for the pantry.
The flavor was decent but a little too liquid for my preference and my beans were not cooked all the way despite following the exact instructions.
Old beans.
This chili tends to be a bit watery, so I’m going to make another batch with slightly less water.
Thank you because I want to make it plant based
What are you changing? I can only see your response
Can I use red kidney bean instead of pinto bean? I dont think if pinto beans is available in our place. and if so, it must be expensive. fr the Philippines.
Use whatever dried beans are available! It’s chili, it isn’t meant to be exact.
Can you use cannelli or red kidney beans
You can use whatever beans you want bro
Can I use canned pinto beans, and if so, how many cans to equal dry bean amount?
Yes used canned beans for sure! Just remember that you don’t need the amount of water called for. Add maybe 1/4th of the water and some added tomato paste if still too liquidy.
No on the can beans, unless you use less liquid. I tried with can beans and its more of a soup then a chili
Could this be cooked in a pressure cooker?
Yes, 38 minutes on high pressure
Can this be cooked on low for longer (the length of a workday)?
Julie Carlson – I wondered about cooking on low too, but because the beans are dry, the temperature might not be high enough to cook the beans.
i should think so, put it on medium and then crank it up on high for an hour or 2??
Could you please also provide amount of individual spices to use in place of chili seasoning packet?
When I make chili I sort of go by taste. Add a bit, stir, and taste it to see how you like it. I personally go heavy on cumin and paprika and add a decent amount of dark chili powder. You can also add a bit of unsweetened cocoa powder for depth 🙂