This Hairy Bikers 3 Bean Chilli is a hearty and smoky recipe, which is made with black beans, kidney beans, and dark chocolate. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.

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Hairy Bikers 3-Bean Chilli Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 yellow peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped
2 jarred roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
15g coriander, stalks finely chopped and leaves left whole to serve
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp light brown soft sugar
1-2 tbsp chipotle paste (optional)
400g can black beans
400g can kidney beans
400g can cannellini beans
400g can chopped tomatoes
300ml vegetable stock
20g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
cooked rice, lime wedges, sliced avocado and soured cream, to serve

How To Make Hairy Bikers 3 Bean Chilli

Sauté the aromatics: Heat the oil in a deep pan or flameproof casserole dish over a medium-low heat. Stir in the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 10-12 mins until softened. Tip in the garlic and peppers and cook for 5 mins.
Toast the spices: Mix in the coriander stalks, ground cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, oregano, sugar, and chipotle paste if using. Cook for a further 5 mins, until everything is well combined and softened.
Simmer the chilli: Pour in the beans, along with their liquid from the can, the chopped tomatoes, and the vegetable stock. Season well with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
Reduce and thicken: Leave to simmer on a low heat for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chilli has thickened and reduced.
Finish with chocolate: Stir in the dark chocolate until it has melted completely. Season to taste. Serve over rice with lime wedges, avocado, soured cream, and fresh coriander leaves on top.

Recipe Tips

Why add dark chocolate? The dark chocolate adds an incredible richness, depth of flavour, and a beautiful glossy finish to the chilli without making it taste sweet.
How to adjust the spice level? The main source of heat is the chipotle paste. Use 1 tablespoon for a mild, smoky heat, or 2 for a spicier kick. You can also omit it entirely for a non-spicy version.
Can I make this in a slow cooker? Yes. Follow steps 1 and 2 on the stovetop to build the flavour base. Transfer everything to your slow cooker, add the beans, tomatoes, and stock, and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Stir in the chocolate at the end.
Why use the liquid from the beans? The liquid from canned beans (aquafaba) is starchy and flavourful. Including it helps to naturally thicken the chilli and adds to the richness of the sauce.

What To Serve With 3 Bean Chilli

This hearty vegetarian chilli is a complete meal, perfectly served with:

Fluffy white or brown rice
A dollop of soured cream or plain yogurt
Sliced avocado and fresh lime wedges
Cornbread or tortilla chips

How To Store 3 Bean Chilli

Refrigerate: Let the chilli cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavour is often even better the next day.
Freeze: This chilli freezes exceptionally well. Let it cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. It can be stored for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQs

Is this recipe vegan? Yes, this recipe is vegan as long as you use a dark chocolate that does not contain any milk products.
Can I use dried beans instead of canned? You can, but you will need to soak and cook them according to their package directions first before adding them to the chilli.
What does chipotle paste taste like? Chipotle paste is made from smoked and dried jalapeño peppers. It has a deep, smoky flavour with a moderate, lingering heat.

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Hairy Bikers 3-Bean Chilli Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: American, British

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Calories

350

kcal

A rich, smoky, and deeply flavourful vegetarian chilli packed with three types of beans and a secret hint of dark chocolate.

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 yellow peppers, chopped
2 jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
15g coriander stalks, chopped
Spices: 2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, ¼ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp brown sugar
1-2 tbsp chipotle paste (optional)
1 can each of black, kidney, and cannellini beans (with liquid)
400g can chopped tomatoes
300ml vegetable stock
20g dark chocolate

Directions

Heat oil in a large pan. Cook onion with a pinch of salt for 10-12 mins until soft. Add garlic and peppers; cook for 5 mins.
Stir in coriander stalks, spices, oregano, sugar, and chipotle paste. Cook for 5 mins.
Pour in the beans (with their liquid), tomatoes, and stock. Season and bring to a simmer.
Simmer on low for 1 hr – 1 hr 10 mins until thickened.
Stir in the dark chocolate until melted. Adjust seasoning.
Serve over rice with your favourite toppings.