This is a very basic vegan chili that my mom developed after trying various complicated chilis from vegan cookbooks, and deciding that she wanted something simple and suited to the Texan palate. It's literally just beans, alliums, tomatoes, and spices, and it's really good. I really like making this with a cup each of pinto, black, and small red beans. You can add meat to the chili if you really want to.

Ingredients:

• 3—4 cups Phaseolus beans (e.g. pinto, black, red, yellow; ideally, a combination)
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped roughly
• 4+ cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t oregano
• 2 t cumin, ground or whole
• 2—3 T chili powder (e.g. Gebhart's, ancho, pasilla, New Mexico)
• Salt
• 1 qt crushed tomatoes

Method:

• Add all ingredients except the tomatoes to a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or large pot on the stove. Add around 6 cups of water.
• Stovetop: Cover, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until beans are mostly done, adding more water if needed. Add tomatoes, leave the pot lid slightly askew to allow evaporation, and continue to cook until the beans are softened to your liking and the chili is your desired thickness.
• Slow Cooker: Follow your instruction manual for heat settings and timing guides. Add more water if needed. Add the tomatoes when beans are mostly done, and continue cooking until the beans are softened to your liking and the chili is your desired thickness.
• Pressure Cooker: Bring up to pressure according to your instruction manual, and cook 20—30 minutes. Add the tomatoes, and continue cooking until the beans are softened to your liking and the chili is your desired thickness.

Notes:

• For one less step, add the tomatoes at the start. The acid in the tomatoes will make the beans take much, much longer to cook, and they may cook slightly unevenly, but long cooking times are an asset in chili making.
• For an extra step, sauté the onions and garlic first, then proceed. This will improve flavor, but the chili is still excellent as-is.