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Mmmmm, there are few problems in life that a good pot of chili can’t solve. Hosting a big gathering? Big pot of chili, maybe some rice to stretch it out. Growing kids with never ending appetites? Load that chili full of protein and fibre rich beans to really get their tummies full. A meal for a busy day of errands/work/school? Throw that chili in the instant pot or slow cooker before you leave and it will be ready and waiting for you when you get home. Need to meal prep a week in advance? A big pot of chili can be multi-tasked into a meal on its own, a topping or dip with nacho’s (I like this recipe best), on top of a baked potato/sweet potato, chili dogs, rice bowls…. you get the point! This is an incredibly filling, satisfying, versatile meal. It freezes well, it reheats well, it keeps for a week in the fridge. I think we all could use a big pot of chili right about now.

This one does not disappoint. I find it to be the perfect balance between spicy but not too spicy that kiddos turn their noses up (on the occasion this happens just load their bowls with more sour cream, cheese, and chips and they will nod with approval). It’s loaded with 3 kinds of beans. You can use whatever mix you like as long as you chose small bean varieties (see recipe notes for larger beans) and stay true to the total measurement of beans and liquid. The beans are added from dry meaning this chili is not only frugal, but also has a nice meaty texture that will hold up to cooking, freezing, and reheating much better than one made with canned, already soft beans. What really sealed the deal for me was when I realized, thanks to Deb at Smitten Kitchen (whom I could gush about all day long), that I could make chili with dried beans, unsoaked, with deep rich amazing flavour, in under an hour by using my Instant Pot. What a dream! Pressure cooking really intensifies the flavours of the chili and makes it taste as if you’d been simmering it carefully all day long. I honestly can say I don’t think I would’ve bought an Instant Pot for myself, seeing as I have a tiny kitchen and loathe then need to store unending single use appliances. My sweet mother-in-law got me an Instant Pot for my birthday a couple years ago and I have seriously fallen in love with it. It is my most used kitchen appliance and I have found it to be such a time saver and incredibly versatile in the kitchen. So if you’ve been on the fence about whether or not an Instant Pot is a worthwhile investment, I can wholeheartedly assure you, it is! Of course I realize not everyone will agree or want to take part in the Instant Pot party, so I’ve also included instructions for slow cooker and stovetop methods so no one need miss out on this big pot of chili.

For me (of course, true to my namesake), garnish really takes this meal to the next level. A dollop of greek yogurt (or sour cream), a squeeze of lime, a handful of corn chips (I love this brand most); it really elevates the chili and gives it that hint of acidity to cut through the rich meaty flavour. Sharp cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro are also favourites. If you can, plan ahead to have at least a few of the suggested garnishes on hand when you serve this! Without further adieu, I’ll leave you with my favourite, go to, never fail chili recipe. I hope you love it as much as I do!!

Print Recipe

3 Bean Chili

This is my go to chili recipe, it starts with dried beans making it super budget friendly, hearty, and absolutely delicious. I've included 3 methods of cooking so everyone can make it! Instant Pot, Stovetop, and Slow Cooker. Yum!!!!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chili, feed a crowd, instant pot, make ahead, one pot, slow cooker, stovetop

Servings: 8 people

Author: Garnish At Home, inspired by Oh Sweet Basil and Smitten Kitchen Recipes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef ground turkey would work as well
• 1 large onion (whatever colour you prefer)
• 1 tbsp dried oregeno
• 1 tsp` paprika
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1-2 tbsp chili powder I use 1tbsp when using a jalapeno
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced optional
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped optional
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 156ml can tomato paste
• 1 796ml can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tbsp worchestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 cup dried navy beans
• 1 cup dried black turtle beans
• 2/3 cup red chili beans use any mixture of small dried beans you like!
• 1 bottle/can beer (or sub more broth or water) use extra water or broth to make 2 cups liquid total
• 3 cups beef broth or water

For Garnish (optional):

• Plain Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
• Limes, quartered
• Cilantro
• Corn Tortilla Chips

Instructions

Instant Pot:

• On Saute mode, brown the beef and onion until the beef is fully cooked and the onion is translucent.
  
• Add the dried spices, peppers, and garlic and saute for another minute or two.
  
• Add the tomato paste and stir to cook for a minute.
  
• Turn saute mode off. Add the diced tomatoes, worchestershire sauce, and maple syrup. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
  
• Add the dried beans, beer, and broth. Stir to combine. It will look watery – don't worry, the beans soak up alot of liquid!
  
• Set to manual high pressure for 30 minutes. 15 minutes natural pressure release and then you can quick release the pressure, or just let it fully natural release and keep warm until you're ready to serve it.
  
• Serve with whichever optional garnishes you prefer!
  

Stovetop:

• Follow steps 1-5. Simmer on low heat, covered for 2-3 hours, or until beans are cooked. Stir occasionally.

Slow cooker:

• Complete steps 1-4 in a large skillet. Add contents to slow cooker along with dried beans and beer/broth. Cook for 4-5 hours on HIGH or 8-10 hours on LOW.
  

Notes

• if soaking the beans the night before you will need less liquid – the best way will be to soak them with 5 cups of liquid, then measure in the morning to see how much liquid you have left. That is how much liquid total you will want to add to your chili between the beer/broth/water.
• if using large beans like kidney beans, it will take longer to cook. Pressure cook for 35 mins instead of 30. 
• if you’d like to use canned beans, reduce the liquid in the recipe by 2 cups. Reduce the instant pot cook time to 20 minutes with a quick pressure release, stovetop cook time to 2 hours, slow cooker cook time to 3 hours on high/5-6 hours on low.

Featured in this post:

This post includes affiliate links, meaning I made a small commission at no extra cost to you, should you decide to click through the links and purchase anything. These are my honest opinions and I would never recommend anything to you I didn’t absolutely love and use on a regular basis. Hope you find these lists helpful!

8 Quart Instant Pot – my favourite small kitchen appliance. I use it to make rice, hard or soft boiled eggs, soups, pulled meat, fall off the bone ribs, quick “baked” potatoes, spaghetti squash… the list goes on! I love the large size for our big family, I wouldn’t have wanted a smaller model.

Que Pasa Salted Tortilla Chips – These are the best tasting tortilla chips in my opinion. They are a good thickness so they hold up will for dipping or nacho platters, with just the right amount of salt. Besides that, they are organic, gluten free, whole grain, non-GMO, and made in Canada which just really seals the deal for me!

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