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Big Batch Three Bean Chili Recipe

July 22, 2020 by Sarita Harbour This post may contain affiliate links

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When you're cooking for a crowd, bean-based meals are a frugal choice. I created this three bean chili recipe on the fly last month. Our family loves chili. And I love that they love it! Chili hits all the boxes - nutritious, delicious, frugal, freezes well, and it's a frugal meal for a big family.

Bowl of three bean chili with vegetables including celery, peppers, carrots and corn

This post contains affiliate links.

This year we've been growing black beans indoors to help secure our family's food supply. So  I'm always looking for new ways to use my black beans. At the same time, I try to use up all of our leftovers by composting or creating new recipes. In this recipe, I'm using up some leftover celery, peppers, and carrots.

Although this three bean chili recipe does make a big batch, it also freezes well. And like most of my recipes, it's easy to substitute other ingredients with what you have on hand.

Big Batch Three Bean Chili Recipe

Bowl of three bean chili with vegetables including celery, peppers, carrots and corn

Big Batch Three Bean Chili Recipe

Yield: 20
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 5 hours

This three bean chili recipe makes about 20 portions for your freezer or a family feast!

Ingredients

  • 5 cups cooked mixed beans (black, red kidney, and red chili)
  • 1 pound of ground beef
  • 1 ½ onion, diced
  • 5 cloves of garlic red pepper
  • ½ yellow pepper
  • ½ orange pepper
  • 2 stalks celery
  • ½ cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced zucchini
  • 2 cups frozen corn kernels with jalapeno
  • 2 28-oz cans of diced tomatoes
  • 1 ¾ cups of water
  • 5 tablespoons chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons oregano
  • 3 heaping teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons salt (or to your taste)
  • 2 strips cooked bacon, diced

Instructions

  1. 1. Fry onion and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil in large frying pan
  2. Add peppers and celery
  3. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink
  4. Transfer the ground beef mixture into a large slow cooker
  5. Add all other ingredients
  6. Cook on high for four hours or low for six to eight
  7. Serve over brown rice with grated cheddar cheese adn sour cream

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Iberia Black Beans, Dry Beans 4 lbs, Bulk Dry Black Beans Bag, Fiber & Protein Source, Farm Fresh# 1 Grade Black Beans
    Iberia Black Beans, Dry Beans 4 lbs, Bulk Dry Black Beans Bag, Fiber & Protein Source, Farm Fresh# 1 Grade Black Beans
  • McCormick Dark Chili Powder, 20 oz
    McCormick Dark Chili Powder, 20 oz
  • Crock-pot Oval Manual Slow Cooker, 8 quart, Stainless Steel (SCV800-S)
    Crock-pot Oval Manual Slow Cooker, 8 quart, Stainless Steel (SCV800-S)
© Sarita Harbour
Cuisine: Mexican American / Category: Food

Three Bean Chili Notes and Substitutions

My pantry usually contains packages of dried beans of all sorts. That's because I use them two to three times each week. Some of our favorite recipes using beans include my Chicken Black Bean Salsa Corn Casserole, Stovetop Rice and Beans, and my Big Batch Black Bean Soup Recipe.

This recipe calls for 5 cups of cooked mixed beans. I used red kidney beans, black beans, and chili beans.

So this time I actually cooked up five cups of dried mixed beans. However, take note! Five cups of dried mixed beans make 10 cups of cooked beans. Since this recipe only calls for half that amount,  I cooled and froze the rest in 1 cup portions. 

Use Homegrown Tomatoes Instead of Canned Tomatoes

So I'm really hoping that next year we'll be using home-canned tomatoes instead of the big cans we currently buy by the case! It seems to me that the 28-ounce cans of diced tomatoes equal about 3.5 cups. So you'd need seven cups of diced tomatoes with their liquid for this chili recipe.

Use Canned Mixed Beans Instead of Dried Beans

Recently I've been experimenting with mixed bean recipes. Use whatever you have on hand for this chili. If you use canned beans and don't drain the liquid, cut the water and salt from the recipe.

Did you make this chili? What were your substitutions? Drop me a line and let us know!

Like this recipe? Save it to your favorite Pinterest board for later!

Big Batch three bean chili text overlay on black bowl of chili wiht corn and red peper

This post is part of the Homestead Blog Hop #298!

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About Sarita Harbour

Sarita is the owner and founder of An Off Grid Life. She lives with her family in an off the grid cabin outside of Yellowknife in Canada's Northwest Territories. Her days are full homeschooling, writing, and learning how to be more self sufficient.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca

    July 18, 2020 at 3:23 pm

    Chili is a favorite go to at our house! One of our favorite variations is to use navy or northern beans, kidney, and pinto. My oldest daughter cans beans for me so I have the money-saving benefit of dried beans with the convenience of canned. A pot of chili can be put on and ready in no time. Of course the flavors are even better if it simmers on low in the crockpot. None of my family cares for extra veggies in their chili so we use tomato juice, chili powder, onion powder (because there are some of our family who cannot stand to bite down on an actual onion) and plenty of garlic. Simple yet delicious! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I look forward to trying the oregano and tumeric options.

    Reply
  2. Jamie

    July 17, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    I love beans and this sounds so flavorful and filling! I personally love chili year round!

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Sarita! My family and I live off the grid in a cabin in Canada's Northwest Territories. We're learning about self-reliance in a cold climate. Read More…

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