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California Three Been Chili: By the Penny Updated 2026

  • California Three Bean Chili ($0.53 per Serving)


  • WOW, this chili recipe has increased from $0.53 to $0.85 per cup.   

  • That is a 38% increase since March of 2020.   This makes me wonder

  • how much my previous By the Penny Recipes have increased.     


  • My family loves this bean chili in the cold months and through the Lenten

  • season.   This recipe was modified to satisfy my families preferred taste from the

  • McCormick California Three Bean Chili:

  • https://www.mccormick.com/recipes/main-dishes/california-three-bean-chili


  • Ingredients - 

  • 1 tablespoons oil

  • 1 small-medium chopped onion

  • 1 large clove of garlic

  • 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

  • 1 can (15 ounces) or 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 can (15 ounces) or 1 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 can (15 ounces) or 1 cup Great Northern beans or pinto, drained and rinsed

  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 2 teaspoons Chili Powder

  • 1 teaspoon Cumin, Ground

  • 1 teaspoon Basil Leaves

  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

  • 1 teaspoon Oregano Leaves

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, Ground


  • Instructions: 

  • 1. Chop up onion, pepper, and garlic.



  • 2. Heat oil in a large saucepan on medium-high heat.  Add onions and

  • green bell pepper- Cook for 5 minutes. (If the onion/pepper/garlic starts

  • to burn before finishing sauteing, then just add a tablespoon of water.)



  • 3. Stir in beans, tomatoes and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil. 



  • 4. Reduce heat to low; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 



  • 5. Enjoy your chili with all of the fixins (cheese, sour cream and maybe a

  • little cornbread.


  • Note- 


  • Tip 1- Are you a meat lover?   No worries- just add pre-cooked ground beef

  • or turkey.   I like to pre-cook several pounds and keep it in my freezer in 1lb bags.  

  •  


  • Tip 2- I also pre-cook my beans by the bag and keep them in 1-cup bags

  • in my freezer.   


  • Tip 3- Do you have a long day ahead of you and little to no time to make dinner.  

  • This meal can also be cooked in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.    

~ Savings ~

Cost Breakdown:


Regular Shopping 

  • 1 tablespoons oil= $0.04 (Canola Oil: $3.89/96= $0.04)

  • 1 small-medium chopped onion (3 lb $2.39)= $0.24

  • 1 large clove of garlic: $0.15  ($0.89/6=$0.15)

  • 1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped: $0.89

  • 1 can (15 ounces) or 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed: $0.85

  • 1 can (15 ounces) or 1 cup red kidney beans, drained and rinsed $0.85

  • 1 can (15 ounces) or 1 cup great Northern beans or pinto, drained and rinsed $0.85

  • 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) crushed tomatoes: $0.75 (28 ounces $1.49/2=$0.75)

  • 1/2 cup water: FREE 

  • 2 teaspoons Chili Powder: $0.18 ($0.99/10.6= $0.09 per teaspoon)

  • 1 teaspoon Cumin, Ground $0.12 ($0.99/8.5= $0.12 per teaspoon) 

  • 1 teaspoon Basil Leave: $0.05   ($3.19/69.6= $0.05 per teaspoon)

  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder: $0.10  ($0.99/10.3 =$0.10 per teaspoon)

  • 1 teaspoon Oregano Leaves: $0.05 ($.99/21= $0.05)

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt:$0.01  ($.79/156 = $0.01 per teaspoon)

  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper:$0.02. ($3.45/37=$0.09 per teaspoon)


  • Total Recipe Cost = $5.15 (6 servings)

  • Cost per cup = $0.85


  • Meat Chili

  • 1 lb ground turkey: $2.19  

  • Total Recipe Cost= $7.34 (6 servings)

  • Cost per Cup= $1.23 


  • The Contender:

  • Panera’s Turkey Chili 

  • Cost Per cup: $7.49


  • Grocery Store Panera Turkey Chili

  • Cost: $4.53 ($6.79/1 ½ cups or $4.53 per cup)


  • Savings: 

  • To keep the posts consistent, I used the meat chili cost at the time of posting. 

  • Regular Shopping = 84%


  • "Over a Year" Scenario:

  • Homemade California Chili: 12 X $5.15  per year= $61.80

  • Homemade California Chili with meat 12 X $7.34 per year= $88.08

  • Panera Turkey Chili:

  • - Pot equivalent=  6 X $7.49 = $44.94 

  • - $44.94 x 12 = $539.28

  • *Money Saved = $451.20 per year

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