This creamy flavorful 6-ingredient Black Bean Chili with Peanut Butter is a game-changer for quick, healthy dinners. Packed with plant-based protein, fiber, heart-healthy fats, and iron, it’s as nutritious as it is delicious. Serve it with my Best Vegan Sour Cream and crispy baked Plantain Fritters for a satisfying vegan or vegetarian meal the whole family will love. Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekend dinners! (Nut-Free Option)
Boost the flavor and creaminess of your chili by adding almond butter, peanut butter, or any nut butter. This simple trick not only makes your chili rich and hearty but also adds extra protein and healthy fats.
For even more flavor, swap canned diced tomatoes for fire-roasted tomatoes. This budget-friendly, protein-packed meal is ready in under 30 minutes with no chopping required—perfect for busy weeknights!
This Easy Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter recipe was inspired by my Best Tofu Chili (35g protein), as well as my Easy Bean Curry on this site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Black beans are loaded with protein and fiber. Beans are the foundation of a healthful plant-based diet. This recipe doubles down on them, requiring two cans of black beans for more plant-based protein.
- Canned diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes are rich in vitamin C. This helps our bodies absorb even more iron from the black beans.
- Herbs and spices packed with antioxidants: Dried oregano, dried thyme, garlic powder, chili powder, cayenne, bay leaves
- Use peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter. Almond butter is rich in heart-healthy fats and protein, as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. It adds a creamy texture to this dish and makes for a more satisfying meal.
- Garlic boosts the absorption of zinc and iron, even in the face of phytates.
🫘 Substitutes
- Black beans - use pinto, white beans, or kidney beans instead
- Peanut butter - Use almond, cashew, or walnut butter instead. For nut-free, use sunflower seed butter.
- Canned diced tomatoes - substitute with fire-roasted tomatoes for even more flavor
- Cayenne pepper - omit for nonspicy
- Frozen sweet corn - add 1 cup to the simmering tomatoes for a hint of sweetness
- Fresh lime juice - add for serving for a tang
For more protein-packed meals, try these comforting bean recipes on my site.
📖 How to Make Black Bean Chili
This is an overview. The full recipe is at the bottom of the post.
- Place the diced tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and ½ cup water into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to medium-low.
- Stir in the herbs and spices and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
- Add the black beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the almond butter until it is fully incorporated. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Garnish with my Best Vegan Sour Cream or Tofu Sour Cream, and chopped cilantro for serving. Add a side of baked Plantain Fritters!
✔️ Expert Tips
- Simmer the tomatoes with the lid on to prevent the chili from becoming too thick. Add more water or vegetable broth as needed.
- Use vegetable broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Add flaxseed meal and mash some of the beans to thicken the chili instead of adding nut butter for nut-free.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave. Add water or broth as needed to thin until the desired consistency.
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🥄 Pairing
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Peanut butter adds creaminess, richness, and depth of flavor while boosting the chili’s protein and healthy fat content. It balances the spices with a hint of nutty sweetness.
If you prefer not to use nut butter, try adding flaxseed meal for a nutrient-packed thickener. You can also simmer the chili longer to reduce excess liquid or mash some of the black beans to create a thicker, heartier texture.
Red kidney beans, white beans, pinto beans, or a mixture of beans are good options for making vegetarian chili.
📖 Recipe
6-Ingredient Black Bean Chili with Peanut Butter
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Ingredients
For the chili:
- 14 ½ ounces diced tomatoes or fire-roasted tomatoes, canned, with juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 30 ounces black beans 2 (15-ounce) cans, or 3 cups cooked, drained and rinsed
- ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter or sunflower seed butter, almond or cashew butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Optional for serving:
- Fresh lime juice to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook tomatoes: Place the diced tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and ½ cup water into a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer before reducing the heat to medium-low.
- Season: Stir in the cayenne, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, and thyme. Simmer with the lid on for 15 minutes.
- Add beans: Add the black beans and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.
- Add nut butter: Stir in the almond butter until it is fully dissolved and continue to cook unto warmed through.
- Season with salt and black pepper.
Notes
- Add flaxseed meal and mash some of the beans to thicken the chili instead of adding nut butter for nut-free.
- Substitute diced tomatoes with fire-roasted tomatoes to pack in even more flavor.
- For a less spicy chili, omit the cayenne.
- Simmer the tomatoes with the lid on to prevent the chili from becoming too thick. Add more water or vegetable broth as needed.
- Use vegetable broth instead of water for even more flavor.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover Vegan Chili with Peanut Butter in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in a microwave. Add water or broth as needed to thin until the desired consistency.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Chana says
Looks wonderful! What is the correct portion size for a weight loss 1,200 cal. Diet?
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
Hi. It depends on your other meals. One-fourth of the recipe is 437kcals.
Lorraine Johnson says
Nice & easy to make.
Very tasty, will try & add plantains tomorrow
The only thing (not a big thing) adding peanut butter made it go a pink color 🙂
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
So yummy with plantains! Thank you for leaving a comment.
Beth Forrester says
Really good food. Not company fare, but inexpensive and quick. I made it with brown rice and an avocado, corn, and orange pepper salad with lime dressing. Thanks so much. I'll be trying many of your quick and "peanut priced" recipes!
Nisha Melvani, RDN says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you.
Zach says
I just made this tonight and it was so good! This was my first time cooking with plantains and I couldn't believe how easy it was. I am already thinking of ways to mix it up for future batches such as swapping the black beans for baked shredded tofu.
Nisha Melvani says
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.
Zara says
Hi there
Is this two cans of black beans or 4?
Ie 800g or 1600g
Nisha Melvani says
Hi, I just made it clearer in the recipe card. 1 can. 14.5 ounces in total. 1 (14.5-ounce) can. Hope this helps.
Dusanka says
Oh my goodness! Its not easy to find plantains near me but it was worth the effort. The whole dish was super simple to make and very tasty!
Nisha Melvani says
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. I'm so glad you were able to find plantains and enjoyed the recipe. Thank you.
Siobhan Haber says
This was a hit - wasn't sure about how the almond butter would taste but recipe worked so well and deliciously addictive. The whole family loved them!!
cookingforpeanuts says
I'm so happy it was a hit. Thank you.
Ashley says
Great recipe! And so filling. It was easy to make. I didn’t make any modifications. Thanks for the great meal! Oh and the plantain fritters...I ate three as soon as they came out the pan ??
cookingforpeanuts says
Thanks for letting me know Ashley. I'm so happy you enjoyed this meal. I love the plantain fritters too!
Ani says
Awesome recipe. Everything loojs delicious! Congratulations on the blog. This makes it easy for me to look up your recipues.
cookingforpeanuts says
Thanks for your kind comment. xxx