Vegetarian White Bean Chili

Vegetarian white bean chili is a hearty and savory one pot recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Loaded with two types of beans, and seasoned with green chiles, ground cumin, and garlic, this easy chili recipe is the perfect healthy comfort food for a busy weeknight or game day.

What's better than a bowl of hearty vegetarian chili on a brisk fall night? It's comforting, nutritious, and it warms your belly. In this meatless chili recipe, we skip the tomatoes and make a classic vegetarian white bean chili that's also dairy-free.

We use canned beans for convenience, and after just 20 minutes on the stovetop, you have a pot of savory, spicy, and slightly creamy goodness just waiting to be paired with fluffy sourdough cornbread or buttermilk maple biscuits.

Serve it on game day or meal-prep for an upcoming busy week!

Jump to:

• ⭐️ Why This Chili is the Best
• 🌶 Ingredient Notes
• 📝 Variations & Substitutions
• 🔪 How to Make Vegetarian White Bean Chili
• 🥑 Topping Ideas
• 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
• 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
• 🥣 More Soup Recipes
• Vegetarian White Bean Chili Recipe

⭐️ Why This Chili is the Best

• Hearty, savory, earthy, slightly creamy, with a spicy kick
• Budget-friendly recipe that uses simple whole foods and pantry-friendly ingredients, like this vegetarian potato soup
• Excellent meal-prep option for a busy weeknight (with slow cooker instructions provided as well)
• Easy vegetarian chili recipe that uses canned beans, so prep time is just 5 minutes
• Crowd-pleasing game day recipe option
• Freezer-friendly
• Healthy chili recipe that's high in protein, full of fiber, naturally gluten-free, and dairy-free/vegan
• Versatile recipe with lots of suggested variations and toppings

🌶 Ingredient Notes

• Garlic - I recommend using fresh garlic for optimal flavor
• Jalapeño - These peppers really vary in their level of heat. In general, the larger sizes don't have as much heat, but it's not a strict rule. Use them to make creamy jalapeño artichoke dip.
• Ground cumin and dried oregano - Flavors our chili with earthy, warm, and slightly bitter notes
• Cayenne pepper - Amps up the level of heat, so only use a pinch or two if you don't like a nice amount of spice.
• Low-sodium vegetable broth - Using low-sodium broth lets us control the amount of salt in our cooking.
• Cannellini beans - Provides a creamy taste and texture to our vegetarian white chili. Try them in creamy braised white beans or easy tuscan bean salad.
• Pinto beans - Traditionally used in Mexican dishes and in the Southwest, they add a familiar flavor and texture to our chili.
• Diced green chiles - Depending on the level of preferred heat, you can buy diced green chiles that are marked "hot" for considerable spiciness and "mild" for subtle heat. Use whichever variety (and level of heat) you prefer.
• Lime - Adds bright citrus notes

📝 Variations & Substitutions

• Beans. Use your favorite combinations of beans - navy, kidney, white, and garbanzo beans would all work well.
• Frozen corn. Add 1 cup of frozen corn for a sweet crunch.
• Spice level. Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and diced jalapeño according to your spice preference.
• Slow cooker/crock pot instructions: Cook onion, garlic, spices/herbs, and jalapeño in skillet, and then add to slow cooker. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado, and lime juice before serving.
• Onion. Substitute red onion or 3-4 shallots for the yellow onion.
• Creamy. Add tangy sour cream or yogurt for an even creamier texture. Be sure to follow these instructions to avoid curdling: Place ½ cup of sour cream/yogurt into a medium bowl and add 1 cup of warm broth. Whisk until well combined and add it to the pot of chili.

🔪 How to Make Vegetarian White Bean Chili

Set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add olive oil, onion, salt, and pepper and cook for 7-8 minutes, until onion is soft and translucent.

Add the minced garlic, jalapeño, cumin, oregano, and cayenne, and cook for another minute.

Add the broth, beans, green chiles, and stir to combine. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer chili for 15 minutes, until it's slightly thickened.

Remove from heat. At this point, you can thicken your soup one of two ways: Place half of the chili into a food processor or blender and blend for 30 seconds, then return mixture to the pot OR run a potato masher through your chili 7-8 times.

Zest lime and squeeze juice into soup and stir. Taste and adjust salt if necessary. Serve with fresh cilantro (if using) and assorted toppings.

🥑 Topping Ideas

When it comes to chili, it's all about the toppings, so have fun and make it your own with the following suggestions:

• Shredded cheese. Add a handful of shredded cheddar cheese for melty goodness.
• Diced raw onion. For even more heat, add a spoonful of diced raw onion.
• Roasted jalapeños. Add more spiciness with subtle smoky flavor by adding roasted jalapeños (see my post on how to roast jalapeños!)
• Sour cream. Add (dairy or plant-based) sour cream or yogurt for a creamy topping.
• Tortilla chips. I like to serve tortilla chips on the side and use them as a "chili scoop" instead of using a spoon.
• Quick pickled red onions. For a tangy crunch and bright pop of color, add a spoonful of pickled onions.

👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

• How to store: Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• How to reheat: Place on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
• How to freeze: After completely cooled, transfer to a freezer-safe container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight and follow reheating instructions above.
• Adjust the spice level. You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper and diced jalapeño used according to your spice preference.
• Thicken your chili. You can thicken your soup one of two ways: Place half of the chili into a food processor or blender and blend for 30 seconds, then return mixture to the pot OR run a potato masher through your chili 7-8 times until you've reached your desired consistency.
• Serve accompanied with cornbread, sourdough discard focaccia, or biscuits.

💬 Frequently Asked Questions

🥣 More Soup Recipes

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