This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
💭 The best protein-packed vegan chili!
Loaded with protein and fiber. Pantry-friendly ingredients. Ready in 30 minutes! The best part is that most of it is hands-off time to let the chili simmer. Hearty and nutritious. Cannellini beans leave you feeling full for longer!
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this easy, creamy vegan white bean chili, you’ll need: olive oil, onion, garlic, jalapeños, ground cumin, red chili powder, paprika, salt, black pepper, cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, cilantro, and lime juice.
Variations and Substitutions
Cannellini beans. You can substitute this with any white beans like great northern beans, baby lima beans, or navy beans. Use canned beans if you want to make your meal prep easier. Jalapeño peppers. If you prefer less heat for your vegan white bean chili, feel free to use poblano peppers instead. You can also remove the seeds to make it slightly less intense. Toppings. Sour cream, tortilla chips, or sweet corn are great choices! If you don’t have vegan sour cream, you may use cashew cream or almond cream.
📖 How to make vegan white bean chili
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeños. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute more. Add the cannellini beans, diced tomatoes, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chili has thickened. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve the chili hot with your favorite toppings. I love adding avocados, and sometimes even serving this with a side of rice or bread.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best white bean chili
Make the best vegan white bean chili by following these expert tips! ⭐ For a smoother chili, puree half of the chili in a blender before returning it to the pot. If you are using a large pot and have a hard time transferring the chili to a blender, you may use an immersion blender.
Make it a creamy chili. Place (vegan) sour cream, almond cream, or cashew cream in a small bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of broth gradually, until the sour cream is warm. Then, stir in this mixture into the chili. This will prevent the sour cream from getting grainy unlike when you add it directly to the hot chili. For a more hearty soup. Add 1 or 2 peeled potatoes to the soup while it’s simmering. This will naturally thicken the soup as it breaks down. To make the process faster, you may use a potato masher. Adding corn will also give your soup extra texture.
🍴 What to serve with vegan white bean chili
There are so many ways you can serve this chili
To make it more filling and satisfying, serve it with cornbread, rice, or tortilla chips. You may also add your preferred toppings like vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, avocado, chopped red onion, or sliced jalapeños. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
🍶 Storage and reheating instructions
To store leftovers, cool the chili before transferring it into an airtight container. You may keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or store it in the freezer, in freezer-safe bags or containers, for up to 3 months. If you froze your chili and plan to eat it the next day, thaw it in the fridge overnight. Reheat it in a saucepan with a lid. Frequently give it a good stir to prevent scorching. If you’ve thawed it overnight, or just reheating from the fridge, you can also pop it in the microwave for a minute or two.
🍴 Other hearty soup recipes
Pinto bean soup Tuscan cannellini bean soup Nigerian spinach stew Mulligatawny soup (or Instant Pot Mulligatawny soup) Creamy butternut squash soup Spaghetti squash soup
… and more soup recipes. If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 Recipe
