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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Vegan White Bean Chili

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This hearty vegan white bean chili is jam-packed with plant-based protein, creamy potatoes, warm spices, and a little bit of heat! It’s easy to make, easy to freeze, and kid-friendly. Naturally dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free.

Vegan white bean chili topped with avocado, jalapeno slices and lime in a white bowl with a spoon.

Vegan white chili is satisfying and comforting in chilly weather, but I could care less if it’s hot out, this meatless white chili is too good to pass up! I’m a sucker for homemade soup, and creamy vegan soups are hands-down my favorite kind. They are light enough for summer, but filling and satisfying too.

Not to mention, vegetarian white chili tastes even better the next day, when all the flavors had a chance to sit. The warm spices, creamy beans, spicy jalapenos, and sweet corn complement each other nicely.

Latest Recipe Video!

The best part? There’s no reason to feel guilty after devouring a huge bowl (or two!) of this chili. Thanks to the veggies and cannellini beans, this creamy chili is rich in fiber, folate, and plant-based protein.

Top this vegetarian white bean chili with vegan sour cream, fresh cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and sliced avocado! I promise, this is one of the best chili recipes ever – it will quickly become a favorite in your household!

👩‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

  • Easy meal prep recipe!
  • Nutritious plant-based meal
  • Thick and creamy texture
  • Can be customized in lots of ways!
  • Dairy-free, vegan, & gluten-free
  • Super easy vegan white bean chili recipe
  • Hearty chili without meat
  • Kid friendly and perfect for the whole family!

🥘 Ingredients

This plant based white bean chili requires simple ingredients found at most grocery stores – all of these are also pantry staples. Here’s what you need. (The recipe card below has the full ingredient list and quantities).

Ingredients for vegan white bean chili recipe on a white background.
  • Olive Oil: Heart-healthy olive oil adds flavor and cooks the aromatics. Swap it out with any neutral-flavored oil like avocado oil, vegetable oil, or safflower oil. For an oil-free option, use a little bit of water to saute the onion & jalapeno in a nonstick pan on low heat.
  • Onion: I used a sweet onion but any type of onion works great. If you want to skip a step, buy pre-diced onion in the refrigerated section near the produce.
  • Jalapeno: For a slight kick! Be sure to wear gloves when you dice the jalapeno and wash your hands afterwards. If you don’t like heat, omit the jalapeno altogether, replace it with a green pepper or red bell pepper, or remove the ribs and seeds.
  • Garlic & Spices: Garlic sweetens and mellows as it cooks, imparting a nutty flavor. I use a garlic press to keep it simple. You’ll need cumin, oregano, paprika, and thyme. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper as well.
  • Potatoes: I prefer all-purpose gold potatoes. They have a creamy middle, but hold their shape well during a long simmer.
  • Vegetable Broth: This created the liquid base for the soup. It adds more flavor than just using water. Since broth can be notoriously salty, look for a broth that is low-sodium.
  • Cannellini Beans: Any white beans work great! Try navy beans, great northern beans, baby lima beans, or a variety of beans. Hearty beans add plenty of filling protein!
  • Frozen Corn Kernels: Corn adds a natural sweetness to the soup. Use frozen or fresh corn kernels since they are firm-tender, but not mushy.

📖 Variations

My creamy vegetarian white chili is easy to customize!

  • Add Greens: Make this white bean vegetable chili with lacinato kale or fresh spinach to add more greens into your diet! The veggies will melt down beautifully into the soup as it cooks.
  • Add Toppings: Top with shredded vegan cheese, a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, a dollop of vegan sour cream, avocado slices, green chiles, green onion, cashew cream, salsa verde, pickled or fresh jalapeno peppers, sweet corn, fresh lime juice, lime wedges, or crushed tortilla chips!
  • Vegan White Chili Instant Pot: Cook the garlic, jalapeno, and onion in the oil on the sauté function. Add the remaining ingredients into the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
  • Slow Cooker White Bean Chili: Combine all the ingredients in a crockpot. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes are tender.

🔪 How To Make Vegan White Bean Chili

Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and onion until translucent.

Onions and jalapeno peppers sauteeing in a stock pot.

Add Spices & Potatoes: Add the cumin, oregano, thyme, paprika, and diced potatoes. Sauté for a couple more minutes.

Potatoes and spices sauteeing in a stock pot.

Add Vegetable Broth: Add the vegetable broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes have softened.

Vegetable broth added to stock pot for vegetarian white bean chili.

Simmer Chili: Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 15 minutes.

White beans and veggies cooking in vegetable broth in a pot.

Blend: Use an immersion blender to blend in 2 to 3 bursts to thicken the soup. There’s no need to use a high-speed blender since we want a chunky soup.

Meatless white chili being blended with an immersion blender in a stock pot.

Serve: Season to taste with salt and pepper, give it a good stir, then serve this white bean vegan chili with your favorite toppings!

Creamy vegan white bean chili cooking in a stock pot on the stove.

❓Recipe FAQs

Is vegan white bean soup healthy?

There are a ton of health benefits in this hearty vegan soup! It is high in plant-based protein, folate, and fiber from the white beans. Potatoes are an excellent source of vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants. It’s also free from dairy, gluten, and animal products.

What’s the difference between chili and white chili?

Chili is typically a tomato-based soup with red beans or pinto beans and ground beef. It’s thick and spiced with red chilies or chili powder. White chili is a broth-based soup made with white beans and green chiles. Sometimes it contains shredded chicken or veggies as well.

How should I store dairy free white chili?

Allow the soup to cool to room temperature, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This creamy white chili freezes well too! Transfer the soup to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.

How should I serve healthy white bean chili?

Serve homemade white bean chili with crusty bread, vegan grilled cheese, a fresh green salad, roasted vegetables, or a grilled veggie sandwich!

💭 Expert Tips

  • If you’re sensitive to heat, omit the jalapeno or replace it with a regular bell pepper. For more heat, add cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper.
  • Dice the potatoes into small cubes to ensure quick and even cooking.
  • For a super creamy vegan bean chili, stir in some canned coconut milk right before serving.
  • Don’t blend the soup too long. It’s just to thicken the soup, but not to make it smooth.
Vegan white bean chili topped with avocado, jalapeno slices and lime in a white bowl with a spoon.

🍲 More Vegan Soup Recipes!

LOVE THIS RECIPE? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!

You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more delicious, healthy, family-friendly food, and if you have any questions, I’m here to help!

📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

https://youtu.be/J_rmkNYot_0
Vegan white bean chili topped with avocado, jalapeno slices and lime in a white bowl with a spoon.
Print Recipe
5 from 14 votes

Vegan White Bean Chili

This hearty vegan white bean chili is jam-packed with plant-based protein, creamy potatoes, warm spices, and a little bit of heat! It's easy to make, easy to freeze, and kid-friendly. Naturally dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course, mains
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Diet: Gluten Free, Low Calorie, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 273kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a large pot heat the olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, and diced jalapeno until translucent.
  • Add the cumin, paprika, oregano, thyme and diced potatoes. Continue to sauté for another 2 minutes.
  • Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 15 minutes.
  • Using an immersion blender, blend 2-3 times in bursts to thicken the sauce.
  • Season to taste and serve with optional toppings.

Notes

  • Fresh or frozen corn works well in this recipe.
  • Adjust the amount of jalapeno to suit your taste.
  • Dice the potatoes into small cubes to ensure faster and even cooking.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 598mg | Potassium: 946mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g

40 responses to “Vegan White Bean Chili”

  1. What kind and size should the potatoes be? The one picture shows what looks to be two small potatoes, but I don’t see any description.

    • Hi Sarah! I would recommend using small to medium sized yukon gold or red potatoes. I’ve updated the recipe card with those notes as well. I hope you love this recipe when you try it!

  2. This is perfect for us we are all vegan here and love chili the flavors are just amazing in the ingredients list cant wait to dig in!5 stars

  3. White beans are always so tasty and filling and budget friendly too. Such a tasty soup for a winter warmer.5 stars

  4. I could always eat a savory soup like this white bean soup! The beans have incredible benefits and quite simple to make in a slow cooker!5 stars

  5. I love cooking with white beans, they are so creamy and delicious. I can’t wait to try this soup this week – looks fantastic!5 stars

  6. This soup was a big bowl of comfort food! I think we will be eating it all fall and winter long!5 stars

  7. Curled up with a bowl of this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! Delicious and flavorful; definitely a new favorite soup recipe!5 stars

  8. This recipe looks amazing – perfect for those nights you want comfort, without something too heavy. Bookmarking for the weekend! Thanks!

  9. I really love the flavor and texture of white beans. This soup sounds incredible and so easy made in the slow cooker!5 stars

  10. I love hearty soups and this one sounds so delicious. Pass nice and chunky slice of homemade bread and I’m sorted!5 stars

  11. This is great Anjali! My favorite thing to do with bean or lentil dishes is to always add some fried bacon. It might not be vegetarian but I think it will work perfectly with this dish!

    • Thanks Rosemary! Let me know if you end up trying this dish and how it works out with the bacon!

  12. it look so yummy. really mouth watering !! i’m gonna try to make this amazing Smoky White Bean Chili . Thank you Anjali 🙂

  13. Hi Anjali – this looks great. I think we definitely have space for a few more chilli bean nights before summer finally sets in over here in England!

    • Thanks Bijal! I can’t wait for you to try this recipe – I’m sure you will love it. Let me know how it goes!

  14. I have been following your blog for so many years and love your creativity! I love your other chili recipe and am going to try this one tonight. I am a non-vegetarian and am slowly trying to cut back. Between your awesome recipes and my mom’s Indian veggie food, I feel so empowered to cut back on meat. Clearly I am not missing any flavors! Lots of well wishes to you!

    • Hi Renee! It’s so wonderful to “meet” you – I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying my recipes on my blog for years now 🙂 I’m sure you will love this recipe when you try it – you will definitely not miss the meat in it, I promise! Keep me posted on how it goes!

  15. This looks beautiful and oh so delicious! I bet even my carnivorous husband would savor this dish! I cannot wait to try it out. I will comment back with reviews!

    • Thank you so much Rebecca!! I’m sure you and your husband will love this recipe – you will have to let me know how it goes! 🙂

  16. This was a favorite comfort food of mine when I lived in Wisconsin. I never used the crock pot, nor did I add the yogurt as a condiment. Nice touch! And everything tastes better when it’s slow cooked!
    Thanks for solving another weeknight dilemma: dinner. 🙂

    • Of course!! 🙂 I can’t wait for you to try this recipe – I’m sure it will bring back memories of being in Wisconsin!

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