This easy vegan white bean chili is slightly spicy, super creamy, and bursting with fresh flavors. The white beans lend a hearty yet creamy texture, while the peppers, spices, and corn give this chili a chunky bite.
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Chili is one of my family’s favorite meals. Every time I make it for dinner, everyone cheers and there are no leftovers. I have a lot of chili recipes, and I create most of them based on what veggies in my fridge need to be used. My signature recipe is my Easy Vegan Chili, but I also have some variations on that recipe with my Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chili and Vegan Butternut Squash Chili.
Today, I’m bringing you something extraordinary because it’s a complete departure from the tomato-based chilis of my past. My vegan white bean chili is like a white chicken chili but made with white beans instead. The texture has a creamy undertone but with lots of chunks of veggies. It has a full depth of flavor, with jalapeño and green chilies amping up the spice and aromatic onions and garlic to balance it all out.
This is it if you want a simple weeknight dinner to please your family! It also makes an excellent slow-cooker meal for a tailgate or Super Bowl party.
💗 Why You’ll Love This Chili Recipe
- Easy Preparation: There are no fancy techniques. It will take you about 30 minutes from start to finish to have a complete meal! You can also throw all the ingredients into your slow cooker and have dinner ready when you return home.
- Simple Ingredients: If you keep beans and vegetable stock in your pantry, then you have the start to this chili.
- Not Too Spicy: If you’re serving this to your family, and you have young kids who don’t like spicy food, don’t worry. This chili is flavorful without being overpoweringly spicy. The adults can always add a touch of extra heat to their servings with a dash of cayenne pepper.
- Versatile: You can easily adapt this recipe based on the ingredients you have in your fridge. If you don’t have bell peppers, add some celery. Want a bit of extra crunch? Throw in some diced carrots.
- Gluten-Free: Suitable for those with gluten sensitivity.
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Onion and Garlic: These aromatic vegetables provide a wonderful base for the flavor of the chili. I recommend using a Vidalia onion, yellow onion, or any other variation of white onion. You can also add more or less garlic based on your preference.
Red Pepper: Adds a pop of color and also a hint of sweetness.
Jalapeño Pepper: This is an optional ingredient, but I recommend using it. One chopped jalapeño pepper doesn’t make this chili overpoweringly spicy but adds a nice subtle heat.
Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt round out the spices. You can add more or less of the ingredients based on your preference. If you want this chili less spicy, skip the cayenne pepper and use black pepper instead.
White Beans: There are several different types of white beans available, including cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, and navy beans. I used a combination of cannellini beans and Great Northern beans in this recipe, but you can use whatever you have on hand. I like the different sizes and textures of the different types of white beans.
Vegetable Broth: This provides the base of the chili. Look for low-sodium vegetable broth if possible.
Green Chiles: These come in 4-ounce cans and can be found in the International aisle of your grocery store.
Frozen Corn: Adds a slight sweetness to the chili and contributes to its chunky texture.
Coconut Milk: I prefer full-fat coconut milk for this recipe because it is extra creamy. Although you can also use coconut cream, low-fat coconut milk, or in a pinch, any unsweetened dairy-free milk will work.
📖 Variations and Substitutions
Blend the Beans: If you want an extra creamy texture. Use your food processor to blend one can of beans with 1 cup of vegetable broth. Then add it to your chili. The blended beans act as a thickener to the chili base.
Slow Cooker: This is a great recipe to make in the slow cooker. I recommend sauteing the onions, garlic, and red pepper before adding the rest of the ingredients and allowing it to cook on low for 4-5 hours.
🔪 Tools and Equipment
- Large Pot
- Cutting Board and Knife
- Cooking Spoon
- Food Processor (optional)
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Vegan White Bean Chili
- Heat the olive oil or water in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to the pot and combine.
- Add the white beans, vegetable broth, and green chiles to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. Stir in the frozen corn and plant-based milk and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Serve the chili hot topped with avocado, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and tortilla chips.
📝 Expert Tips
- Add freshness to your chili with a generous amount of fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley. Chop them finely and stir them in just before serving.
- A splash of lime or lemon juice at the end can brighten up the flavors and add a touch of acidity that complements the richness of the beans.
- If you prefer a thicker chili, mix a small amount of corn flour with water and stir it into the chili. This adds a subtle corn flavor and thickens the consistency.
- Regularly taste the chili as it cooks and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Everyone’s preference for spice levels and flavors differs, so make it to your liking.
- Like many stews and chilis, the flavors often intensify when allowed to sit. Consider making the chili a day ahead and reheating it for an even more flavorful dish.
❓ FAQS
The primary difference between white chili and regular chili is the choice of ingredients. While traditional chili typically features red or black beans and tomatoes, white chili uses lighter ingredients and omits the tomatoes. Traditional chili has a red or dark appearance due to the inclusion of tomatoes and dark-colored beans. White chili has a lighter, cream-colored appearance.
This chili has a chunky texture. When I make chili, I like it to be thick and filled with tons of veggies and beans. However, if you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add more vegetable stock or coconut milk to thin it out.
🍽 How to Serve
There are many different ways to serve up this vegan white bean chili. You can serve it with nothing at all! It’s a complete meal in one and doesn’t need any additional sides. But here are a few ideas…
- On top of brown rice
- With toasted sourdough
- Crispy crushed tortilla chips
- A wedge of lime
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Sprinkle with vegan cheese
- Add a dollop of vegan sour cream
🫙 How to Store and Keep
Refrigerator: Allow the chili to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: This chili freezes well too. Allow it to cool to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container. Leave a bit of room at the top of the container to allow for expansion when frozen. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Reheat: From frozen, transfer to the refrigerator to defrost overnight. Place in a medium saucepan and warm over medium until heated through.
😋 More Vegan Chili Recipes!
🎥 Video
⚖️ Serving Size
This recipe makes about six servings. However, if you’re like my family, they take extra helpings so it serves four of them!
Recipe
Vegan White Bean Chili
Equipment
- food processor optional
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 1 jalapeño pepper finely diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cans white beans 15 ounces each (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can green chilies 4 ounces
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ¼ cup full fat coconut milk
Optional Toppings
- diced avocado
- lime wedges
- fresh chopped cilantro
- tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil or water in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened.
- Add the garlic, red bell pepper, and jalapeño pepper and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper to the pot and stir to combine.
- Add the white beans, vegetable broth, and green chiles to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded together. Stir in the frozen corn and plant-based milk and simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Serve the chili hot topped with avocado, cilantro, fresh lime juice, and tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
-
- Add freshness to your chili with a generous amount of fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley. Chop them finely and stir them in just before serving.
-
- A splash of lime or lemon juice at the end can brighten up the flavors and add a touch of acidity that complements the richness of the beans.
-
- If you prefer a thicker chili, mix a small amount of masa harina (corn flour) with water and stir it into the chili. This adds a subtle corn flavor and thickens the consistency.
-
- Regularly taste the chili as it cooks and adjust the seasonings accordingly. Everyone’s preference for spice levels and flavors is different, so make it to your liking.
-
- Like many stews and chilis, the flavors often intensify when allowed to sit. Consider making the chili a day ahead and reheating it for an even more flavorful dish.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. Reheat in a medium saucepan and warm over medium until heated through.
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