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This Vegan White Bean Chili is a quick and easy, flavorful and satisfying recipe perfect for any day of the week! It’s gluten-free and ready in about 30 minutes!
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This vegan white bean chili recipe features inexpensive pantry ingredients that create a flavorful, comforting meal you’ll crave.
It has all the spice and depth of flavor of traditional chili, but no tomatoes anywhere in site.
It’s an easy one pot dish that makes a perfect weeknight meal any time of year.
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Beans ~ Cannelini beans provide a nice creaminess. You could use Navy beans, Great Northern beans, or even chickpeas or pinto beans.
Veggies ~ Onion and garlic provide great base flavor.
Canned diced green chiles and a fresh jalapeño bring wonderful flavor and a little kick of heat. Canned green chilies usually come in mild, medium or hot. Choose the heat level you are comfortable with. I usually go with mild and set out hot sauce when serving for anyone who wants more spicy heat.
I also added some corn kernels for a bit of sweetness and another texture component.
Spices ~ Ground cumin, chili powder, and smoked paprika – typical chili spices – are all here. I also like herbs, thyme and oregano, in this white bean chili.
Extras ~ Feel free to add a diced green bell pepper or some chopped celery if you want more vegetables.
Toppings ~ Any of your favorite chili toppings will work here. Diced onion, vegan sour cream, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, tortilla chips, etc.
How to make the recipe
Please scroll down to the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements and instructions.
Sauté the onion in a large pot until softened. Add the garlic, jalapeño, and spices, and stir to combine (1).
Pour in the beans, canned green chiles, and broth (2).
Simmer until thick and flavorful (3).
Add the vegan sour cream (4).
Using an immersion blender, purée about ¼th of the chili to thicken (5).
Add the corn and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Garnish with chopped cilantro (6).
Storage and freezing
Make ahead: Chili is one of those recipes that gets better with time and this Vegan White Bean Chili is no exception. Make a big batch and enjoy leftovers all week!
Fridge: Store leftover chili in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.
Freezer: You can also freeze it. After the chili completely cools, transfer it to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. It should keep well for up to 3 months.
Pro tips and tricks
~ Use canned beans to make this recipe in just about 30 minutes.
~ Drain and rinse the canned beans to get rid of excess sodium and any tinny taste from the cans.
~ Use mild diced green chiles for a mild heat. Use hot diced green chiles for a spicy heat.
~ Purée part of the chili, about ¼ to ⅓, to create a thicker consistency. An immersion blender is my favorite tool for this as it can be used directly in the pot. You can also use a potato masher to mash up some of the beans or, alternately, transfer a portion of the soup to a blender to blend and then return to the pot.
~ Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
~ Customize individual bowls of chili with your favorite toppings.
~ To make this vegan white chili oil-free, use water or vegetable broth to sauté instead of oil.
FAQs
Traditional white chili is made from chicken or pork, white beans, and mild green chiles. The ingredients notably missing from white chili that you typically find in red chili is tomatoes.
White chili is generally more mild than red chili. However, if you like spicy heat, feel free to add spicy green chiles instead of mild and a few fresh jalapeño’s as well.
Beans are a typical ingredient in white chili, even varieties that aren’t vegan. But, if you really don’t want to use beans for some reason, try a vegan chicken substitute like these soy shreds I use to make my Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip.
More vegan chili recipes
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you tried it, please use the star rating system in the recipe card and leave a comment with your feedback. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
For even more easy family recipes, be sure to check out my cookbook, The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook!
Vegan White Bean Chili
Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 2 cans (15 oz each) cannellini beans or navy beans rinsed and drained (or 3 cups cooked)
- 1 can (4 oz) diced mild green chiles
- 2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
- ½ cup vegan sour cream
- 1 ½ cups corn kernels fresh, canned, or frozen
- juice of ½ lime
Garnishes (optional):
- dollop of dairy-free sour cream
- chopped cilantro
- sliced jalapeño
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat on the stove. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, diced jalapeño, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir well. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the beans, green chiles, and broth, and stir to combine. Increase the heat to bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Stir in the vegan sour cream.
- Using an immersion blender, purée a bit of the chili in the pot for a thicker consistency. Alternately, you can carefully transfer about 2 cups of the chili to a blender to purée and then transfer back into the pot.
- Add the corn and fresh squeezed lime juice and simmer another 2 to 3 minutes to heat through. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.
- Garnish with an extra dollop of vegan sour cream, chopped cilantro and jalapeño slices, if desired.
Notes
*Nutrition facts calculated without garnishes.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are calculated using online calculators and are estimates only. Please verify using your own data.
Maggie McConnell
Why did you choose not to add tomatoes/sauce? Just curious.
BTW, I’m loving this 30 days of soup!
Jenn Sebestyen
White chili typically uses a broth base instead of a tomato base, but if you could add a can of diced tomatoes if you like. So glad you are enjoying all the soups!
Elena
Just delicious! I used a bell pepper as I didn’t have green chiles, and pickled jalapeños. It was very good even without any toppings. Simple, quick, and satisfying. Thank you!
Jenn Sebestyen
So glad you enjoyed it, Elena! Pickled jalapeños sound amazing!
Kayla
What is the serving size?
Jenn Sebestyen
I haven’t measured it. Probably about 1.5 to 2 cups.
Dianna L Norwood
I made this recipe for the 1st time today for a guest who is hard to please. Wow!!! Was this a hit!!! The meal was easy to make & was ready to eat in a snap. The chili was full of spice & filling on a cool day. Thanks for a recipe that will be made often.
Jenn S.
That’s so wonderful to hear, Dianna! Thank you so much!
Sara
This was so quick and easy to make. I liked the seasoning; however, my husband would like it cranked up a bit more. So, next time, I’ll add a bit more smoked paprika and chili powder. Thank you for such a healthy recipe!
Jenn S.
Thank you, Sara! I’m glad you liked it! For sure, add more spices if you like the heat! An extra jalapeño or two…or even a few dashes of hot sauce before serving. I try to make everything very kid friendly. My kids do like spicy things, but not to the level that some adults can tolerate. LOL! Thanks for the feedback!!
Sara
I just realized that perhaps I was supposed to have used the entire jalapeno. Should I have used the seeds and all…which would have kicked up the spiciness that my husband was asking for? (I haven’t cooked a lot with jalapenos.) Thanks!
Jenn S.
You certainly could, Sara! I almost always remove the ribs and seeds because I’m cooking for my kids, too, and I don’t want it too spicy for them. But, if you guys like more heat, definitely add them in!
ebeccia1
Yum!! This looks seriously fantastic! Nothing like a great chili to cozy up to on cold winter days!!
Jenn S.
That’s exactly how I feel!! It’s so homey and cozy! Thanks!!
Natalie
This looks fantastic, and I love the short time frame from start to eating! The mild winter has been really nice, I can enjoy cozy soups and ice cream all in the same day 🙂 But yeah I have a feeling when the cold comes it might hit hard, so I will need lots of warming meals like this!
Jenn S.
Thanks, Natalie! I eat soup and ice cream all year round anyway, no matter the temperature! But, yes, I’m kind of terrified to see what January brings since December has been so nice (except for all the yucky rain!).
The Vegan 8
This chili looks amazing Jennifer!! Chili ranks up there in my top 5 foods. I could live off of it, all kinds, and this one is gorgeous and all those amazing flavors you got going on! I’d love a bowl right now. It finally is getting cooler here in Texas. Fabulous recipe!
Jenn S.
Oddly, it was 61 degrees here yesterday. So incredibly odd for this time of year. But it’s also been raining the last several days, which to me just screams chili! Thank you, Brandi!
Lucie
Wow, I love how flavorful this is! Smoked paprika is one of my favorites, delish <3
Jenn S.
Thank you, Lucie! I add smoked paprika to nearly everything…I love it so much too!
Trinity Bourne
You sure know how to make the best feel-good dishes. I love those toppings too… I usually just give people a bowl and say ‘that’s all you are getting’ 🙂 Beautiful!
Jenn S.
You are so sweet, Trinity! I do love my comfort food! And I find that a variety of toppings always makes it fun for the kids…a way to make it their own!
Beth Hornback | Eat Within Your Means
If by mild winter you mean pouring buckets of rain from the sky for endless days, then we here in the Pacific Northwest are having a mild winter indeed. This chili looks like the perfect way to warm up! Can’t wait to try it.
Jenn S.
Oh no, Beth, that doesn’t sound nice at all! This definitely sounds like a meal you need!
Strength and Sunshine
Mmm creamy beany spicy goodness! And corn…corn is always good (I am missing fresh summer corn so bad right now though!)
Jenn S.
Nothing better than fresh summer sweet corn, but I’m always stocked with frozen all year round just in case! Thanks, Rebecca!
Linda @ Veganosity
I’m loving this mild winter. Fingers crossed that saying that out loud didn’t just jinx it! Your chili looks so perfect for a chilly day or night. I’d love to make a pot and go sit outside around our fire pit. When’s the last time I could say that in mid-December in the Chicago area? 🙂
Jenn S.
If you do that, I’m coming over too!! I LOVE fire pits, but it’s usually too cold by the end of October. It’s gross, rainy, foggy today, but you almost don’t even need a coat….so weird…and pretty awesome. Thanks, Linda!