Name: Vegan White Bean Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 small white onion (diced); ½ jalapeño pepper (seeded and minced, you can use the whole pepper for a spicier chili); 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1½ teaspoon cumin; 2 tablespoons tapioca flour; 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes (chopped into ½” cubes); 4 cups vegetable broth; 2 15 oz. cans white beans (drained); 1 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen are fine); 1 12 oz. jar salsa verde (I used Trader Joe’s); 1 4 oz. can green chiles; ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste); ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon dried oregano; Cilantro (tortilla chips, avocado + lime wedges, to serve)

This healthy Vegan White Bean Chili is so hearty and filling, even the carnivores will be asking for more! This creamy chili is gluten-free and dairy-free, and it’s loaded with green chiles, potatoes, corn, white beans, and just the right amount of kick.

It always makes me laugh how at how from the beginning of fall, through the early days of spring, my top performing recipe isn’t a baked good recipe at all, but a chili recipe. My Best Chili, to be exact. It was first posted back in December of 2010, only a few months after I first started Bakerita.

I was a high school senior and experimenting with savory cooking in addition to my usual baking. The chili recipe my high school self came up with has now become a reader favorite all over the world. I hear from folks who used that recipe to win chili cook-offs and created chili-lovers out of previous chili haters. I think it’s the bacon 😉

This Vegan White Bean Chili is so hearty and filling, even the carnivores will be asking for more! This creamy chili is gluten-free and dairy-free, and it's loaded with green chiles, potatoes, corn, white beans, and just the right amount of kick.

Earlier this year, right after finishing a Whole30, I shared my Paleo Chili, which had helped get me and my dad through the 30-day challenge. That one also quickly became a favorite on Bakerita – it’s hearty and filling, despite the lack of beans.

These days, as the weather has cooled down, I’ve been craving a hearty chili. However, lately, I’ve been craving more plant-based foods with less of a focus on eating meat. I’ve found myself feeling a lot better and with that in mind, want to create a vegan chili that would still be hearty, flavorful, and wholly satisfying.

I settled on a white bean vegan chili, with flavor punches from cumin and green chiles. The chili is loaded with potatoes, corn, onion, and jalapeno. There’s even a jar of salsa verde for an extra punch of acidity and flavor. I use Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde and find it works beautifully here to add an extra boost of flavor.

The white bean vegan chili comes together in about 45 minutes and most of that is hands-off time to let the chili simmer (with the occasional stir to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom). In that time, the soup simmers and thickens, and the flavors meld deliciously. Once it’s done, you’ve got an ultra thick and hearty chili.

Could you make it in the slow cooker or pressure cooker?

I haven’t tried it, but I assume you could also make it in the slow cooker. Just saute the aromatics before transferring it all to the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients to cook for 8 hours over low heat, or about 4 hours over high heat.

Reader Carla made this in the Instant Pot, and she says to that make it in the Instant Pot she “just tossed everything in and set the time for 10 minutes of pressure. I did a natural release for an additional 10 minutes. I reduced the broth to 3 cups as I wanted a thicker consistency.” Personally, I haven’t tried this, but I’d follow these Instant Pot instructions if that’s how you like to make this vegan chili.

The chili recipe uses tapioca flour to thicken, but if you’d like it even thicker, you could mash down some of the potatoes and beans. I found it to be plenty thick and hearty without that, though.

My favorite soup toppings:

Fresh herbs, like cilantro
Lime juice
Crumbled tortilla chips
Vegan sour cream
Avocado

I like to use a few of the toppings to add some herbaceousness and crunch. It was perfection. My dad ate it on its own without any adornments though and still gave it a raving review.

I sent a container home with my boyfriend, and he ended up serving it for dinner to two of his hungry, carnivorous friends over some rice. They LOVED it. He said they were still talking about how delicious it was the next day. I call that a major win.

The hearty beans, potatoes, and corn in this White Bean Vegan Chili will keep you satiated all day, while the green chiles and salsa verde make every bite a burst of tart, complex flavor. I hope you love it as much as I do! Enjoy! Remember to tag me on Instagram @bakeritablog if you decide to make it!