Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili with Mushrooms
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Chop the mushrooms fine and brown them well, then toast the spices and tomato paste until they go dark. Three beans, a little chipotle and a night in the fridge make it taste like it cooked all weekend.
The short version
Brown finely chopped mushrooms, cook the spices and tomato paste until a dark crust forms on the bottom, add beer or broth, tomatoes and three kinds of beans, and simmer 40 minutes. Finish with vinegar. About 1 hour, and it's better tomorrow.
What makes ours better
why ours wins the argument at dinner
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Chop the mushrooms fine and brown them well. Mushrooms bring a savory, meaty depth that beans alone don't have, and finely chopped they disappear into the pot.
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Toast the spices and tomato paste. Cooking them in oil until the paste darkens and sticks to the pot turns raw chili powder flavor into something rounder and deeper. Deglazing lifts that crust into the chili.
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Mash some of the beans. Crushing a cup of beans against the pot thickens the chili without flour or a long reduction.
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Finish with vinegar. A spoonful of cider vinegar at the end brightens everything after a long simmer.
What you need
the stars of the show
- Olive oil3 tablespoons
- Cremini mushrooms8 ounces
- Yellow onion1 large
- Red bell pepper1 large
- Tomato paste2 tablespoons
- Chipotle pepper in adobo1 large
- Diced tomatoes1 can
- Beans3 cans
yes, all of the butter
Steps
go slow. the good part can’t be rushed.
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Brown the mushrooms
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring only now and then, until they give up their liquid, the liquid boils off and they turn deep brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Scrape them out onto a plate.
Don't salt them yet. Salt pulls out water and slows the browning.
About 9 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Soften the vegetables
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, then the onion, bell pepper and jalapeño with the salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until soft and starting to color, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute.
About 6 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Toast spices and paste
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, tomato paste and chipotle with its sauce. Cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes, until it smells toasty and the paste darkens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Dark brown on the pot is what you want. If it starts to scorch, add a splash of liquid.
About 3 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Deglaze with beer
Pour in the beer or the first cup of broth and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to lift every browned bit. Simmer until reduced by about half, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the mushrooms to the pot.
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Add tomatoes and beans
Stir in the tomatoes with their juice, the 2 cups of broth and all the beans. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so it bubbles gently.
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Simmer until thick
Simmer, partly covered, 40 minutes, stirring now and then. About halfway through, press a cup of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon to crush them. The chili is ready when it is thick enough that a spoon leaves a trail. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
About 40 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Finish and taste
Stir in the vinegar. Taste, and add salt until the flavors stand out; it usually needs another 1/2 teaspoon. Serve hot with your toppings.
Salt at the end is the difference between flat chili and good chili. Taste after adding it, not before.
Good to know
read this before somebody asks for seconds
- Heat level comes from the chipotle and jalapeño. Use half a chipotle and skip the jalapeño for a mild pot, or add cayenne at the end for more.
- Add a diced sweet potato or 1 cup of corn with the beans for a heartier chili. Cook until the sweet potato is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Slow cooker, build steps 1 to 4 on the stove, then move everything to the cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Stir in the vinegar at the end.
- To make it vegan, check that the beer is vegan and skip the dairy toppings.
- Storage. Fridge, 5 days. Freezer, 3 months. It thickens as it sits, so reheat with a splash of water or broth.
Questions, answered
asked and answered at the kitchen counter
How do I make vegetarian chili thicker?
Mash a cup of the beans against the side of the pot and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. A tablespoon of masa harina stirred in with a little water also thickens it fast.
Can I use dried beans?
Yes. Use about 4 1/2 cups of cooked beans, which is roughly 1 1/2 cups dried. Cook them until tender before adding, since acid from the tomatoes keeps dried beans from softening.
Why does my vegetarian chili taste flat?
Usually it needs salt, or the spices weren't toasted. Cook the chili powder and tomato paste in oil until dark, and finish with salt and a spoon of vinegar.
Can I make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Do the mushrooms, vegetables and spice toasting on the stove for the flavor, then slow cook on low for 6 hours. In a pressure cooker, 10 minutes at high pressure is enough.
Can I skip the beer?
Yes. Use an extra cup of vegetable broth. You lose a little malty depth but the chili is still good.
Is this chili spicy?
Medium. The chipotle adds smoke and warmth more than burn. Leave out the jalapeño for a gentler pot.
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Published October 29, 2026.