Slow Cooker Three-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Some nights the best recipe is the one that cooks itself, and this three-bean chili is exactly that — everything goes in the slow cooker in five minutes, and you come home to a pot that's done. It leans on the honest heartiness of three different beans, sweet corn, and peppers, with enough chili powder to give it real backbone, so nobody misses the meat. It's the kind of forgiving, feed-a-crowd, good-for-you dinner you can start before work without a second thought — and it's even better reheated, which makes it a meal-prep hero too.

Endlessly toppable — avocado, cilantro, lime, scallions, a handful of tortilla strips.

Fully vegan if you skip the dairy toppings or use plant-based versions. Any three beans work; swap in a can of black-eyed peas or chickpeas for variety. A chopped chipotle in adobo adds smoke if you want more depth.