Three-Bean Fasting Chili with Smoked Paprika

A pot of chili fills the house with the smell of a long afternoon of cooking, even when it has only been simmering for forty minutes. This fasting version leans on smoked paprika, cumin, and a splash of vinegar to deliver the deep, round flavor that in a meat chili would come from beef fat and long braising. Three kinds of beans give you textural variety — creamy white beans, meaty kidneys, and firm black beans — so every spoonful is a little different.

Make a big pot on Sunday. It feeds a family for dinner, provides lunches for three days, and freezes into dozens of individual portions.

NUTRITION (per bowl)

- Protein: ~20g
- Calories: ~380
- Fiber: ~16g
- Iron: ~25% DV
- Significant vitamin C, folate, and potassium

INGREDIENTS (serves 6-8)

- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large onions, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño, minced (seeds in for heat, out for mild)
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cinnamon (trust this)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans (cannellini or navy), drained and rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cup frozen corn (optional)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- To serve: diced avocado, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, lime wedges, tortilla chips

METHOD

1. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until softened and starting to brown at the edges.
2. Add the garlic and jalapeño and cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir in all the dry spices (chili powder through cinnamon) and the tomato paste. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened a shade. This is the most important step — toasting the spices in the oil is where the depth comes from.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes, all three cans of beans, and the vegetable broth. Stir well, bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
5. Simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer it goes, the better it gets. Add the corn in the last 10 minutes if using.
6. Off the heat, stir in the vinegar. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and heat.
7. Serve in bowls with whatever toppings you have. Avocado and lime are non-negotiable. Cilantro and chips are strongly encouraged.

STRICT DAYS (NO OIL)

Skip the oil. Start the onions and peppers in a cup of the vegetable broth, covered, for 10 minutes until softened, then proceed. The beans and spices carry the dish. It loses a little richness but remains excellent.

NOTES

Chili is always better the next day. Make it Sunday, eat it Monday and Tuesday, freeze the rest in single-portion containers for the Wednesdays and Fridays when you get home exhausted.