White Bean Vegan Chili
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 😉
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!
Want more healthy soup recipes?
- The Best Vegan Chili
- Kale & White Bean Soup
- Vegan Roasted Tomato Chickpea Soup
- Miso Vegetable Noodle Soup
Vegan White Bean Chili
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (depends on size) 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Vegan White Bean Chili is so hearty and filling, even the carnivores will be asking for more! It’s loaded with green chiles, potatoes, corn, white beans, and just the right amount of kick.
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
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and jalapeño and sauté for 8-10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add in the garlic and cumin and sauté for 1 minute. Add in the tapioca flour, potatoes, and vegetable broth, stirring as you pour the broth in.
- Add in the white beans, corn, salsa verde, green chiles, salt, pepper and oregano. Let the soup come to a boil, and then turn it down and let simmer for 30 minutes, to let the potatoes cook. Stir frequently.
- Once the potatoes are cooked through, serve with cilantro, tortilla chips, lime wedges, and/or avocado!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to a year.
Nutrition
- Calories: 102
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 662
- Fat: 4
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Hi there! This looks delicious, would I use the same recipe for a crockpot?
Hi Chris, yes you can make it in a crockpot, just make sure to saute the veggies first!
Hi there, have you tried this recipe in a crock pot yet? I am just wondering what heat setting and cook time you would recommend. Thank you!
Hi Carly, I haven’t made this in the crock pot (I don’t have one anymore) but I’m guessing it would be around 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low :) hope this helps!
Is there any reason a regular all purpose flour wouldn’t work well in this recipe?
No that should work just fine Lauren! Enjoy :)
i googled it and cornstarch was a substitute for tapioca flour! I was awesome! My husband dotted it with sour cream and lived it! I would like to know the calories.
So thrilled to hear you and your husband enjoyed it, Barbara. I’ll update the nutritional information in a little bit :)
Tastes great but more like 5 servings than 12. Really would like to the nutritional values. Can’t import into fitness pal. Thank you!
Hi Jean, I’ve updated the nutritional info and updated the recipe to 8 servings. The number of servings will always depend on how big the eaters are!
This recipe was delicious. I did have to substitute because I was out of salsa verde and green chilies and used chick pea flour instead of tapioca flour. I used all the other ingredients and added a dollop of chimichuri sauce made with cilantro. It was delish and I will be using this again! Looking forward to trying it with the salsa verde and green chilies!
So glad you enjoyed it, Lisa! Thanks so much for the feedback and sharing how your changes worked – chimichurri sounds amazing with this :)
Loving this Vegan soup that doesn’t taste “Vegan” at all!! New family favorite!
Yay, that makes me SO happy to hear, Crystal! So glad you’re all loving it.
I made this today in my Instant Pot. 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. It is amazing! Will definitely make again.
Thank you so much for sharing your Instant Pot instructions here – I’ve been meaning to try it out in the IP! So glad you’re enjoying it, Carla.
Thanks Carla for that confidence to make it in the instant pot. I have mine cooking right now! I think it’s going to be delicious!!
Thank you Rachel for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Hope you love it, Elizabeth!
Making this for the second time this month. Delicious!
So glad you’re loving it! Thanks so much for your feedback Lauren.
I made this soup this past weekend it was excellent and very filling. My husband is a part-time vegan, he loved it. I used 1 can of white beans and one cup of farro beans. I also added celery and carrots as I cooked the onion. I didn’t add any flour to thick, I used a submersion blender and pureed some of the soup. It did get nice and thick…. maybe the farro beans help thicken the soup. Delicious. Thanks very much!
I would imagine the farro would help thicken it a bit and I love the idea of pureeing some of it to help thicken too! So glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Lonnie. Thanks for your feedback :)
Your recipe sounds delicious. Lately I have been having problems making bean soup because no matter what type of bean used, canned or dry, the beans come out tough. Last batch of navy bean soup I used very fresh dry beans . The beans themselves got tender but the skins separated out and remained tough and papery no matter how long and slow I cooked them. I’ve read up on this and have followed many suggestions with continued bad results.. Have used Dry, canned,, organic, non-organic, no salt, no acid till late in the cooking, stove top and crock pot. Still get tough beans. Very disappointing. Can you specify the type of white bean you use and the brand? Any other suggestions would be appreciated. I ended up having to totally purée my last soup batch of navy bean and ham to make it edible. Really frustrated.
Hi Grace, I’ve never had the issue you’re describing so not sure how much help I’ll be – every time I’ve made this I’ve used canned beans, and I’ve used Sprouts brand and Trader Joe’s brand, always organic. I’ve used all sorts of white beans too, always with good results. Have you tried using a different pot to cook them in or anything? It could be a bad reaction with metal or something. Hard to know when I don’t know the recipes used or anything.
Old beans-can be old from a store. That can be the culprit! Try pre soaking the raw beans longer. Or boil pre soaking water first, then soak. After soaking, have the beans expanded? If not I wouldn’t use them.
Which green chiles do i use? Do you mean whole or diced? In Vinegar? Thank you !!
I use a small can of chopped green chiles, usually from Trader Joe’s!
Would your recipe work well using brown rice flour instead of tapioca and if so would the ratio stay the same? Your recipe sounds delicious, I plan to try it out tonight. Thank you!
Hi Terri, I’m not too familiar with brown rice flour, but I imagine it would work. Even better would be cornstarch or arrowroot powder, but I’ve also made this recipe just skipping the flour entirely and that worked as well!
Just made it (it’s a snow day). Very good! A little “hot” spicy (oops put a whole jalapeno in)but I made some vegan sour cream and that helped! Thank you!
So thrilled you enjoyed it, K! Thanks so much for your feedback – sounds so good with the vegan sour cream!
I should’ve read this comment before making it! I put a giant jalapeno in mine and boy is it spicy!!! I’ll find sour cream to remedy it. Thanks for the advice.
A whole pepper will definitely increase the spice! Hope it’s still delicious though :) thanks for the feedback, Kyla.
Hi! Do you use canilini beans or great northern? Excited to try your recipe this weekend since it still feels like Winter in Ohio!
Hi Katie, I’m pretty sure I used a can of each! You can use whichever you prefer :) hope you enjoy it! One of my faves.
Do you know by chance approximately how many cups of chopped potatoes you used? I don’t have a kitchen scale sadly! Also this looks delicious and I can’t wait to try it next week!
Hi Bethany, I used two medium sized potatoes. I didn’t measure them in cups though, so not sure how many cups it would be diced. Hope this helps!
Just made this yesterday! It’s delicious! We used our Instant Pot and it turned out perfectly! Highly recommend and will be making it again in the future.
So glad you loved it! Thanks for sharing your feedback, Ashley.
Can’t say enough how amazing this Chili tastes! I’ve had NUMEROUS people ask for the recipe, of course, I direct them to your site. I’ve made this a few times now….just finished eating some right now actually. So yummy and so simple and easy to make!
So glad you’re loving it, Samantha! I’m thrilled you’re sharing it with others and I so appreciate you sharing your feedback!
I made your white bean vegan chili recipe and my family loved it. we ate with chips avocado and cheese. it was different but it tasted really good. everyone loved it even my neighbors wanted the recipe. very easy and simple to make. thanks. this will be included in our party/guests family recipe book. thanks. San Antonio, Texas.
So thrilled it was a hit with your family and friends! Thanks for sharing your feedback, Primo.
This was awesome!!! My husband absolutely love it. Thanks so much! Perfect for when the weather gets a little cooler too.
So glad you and your husband enjoyed it, Stephanie! One of my favorites too :)
I stopped eating meat about two years ago and have MISSED my mom’s white chicken chili. This recipe satisfied all my cravings! I made it in the slow cooker (4 hours on high) because I wanted my place to smell good, and used an immersion blender at the end to make it a little chunkier. Thanks so much for this delicious recipe – will definitely make again :)
So glad it satisfied the craving, Katherine!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback :)
A new favorite!! A friend shared this recipe with me and it is now my “go to” for any Fall potluck we attend. It becomes a crowd favorite at football tailgates or teacher appreciation luncheons. On top of that, my four boys love it!! Truth: when I make it as a family meal for our growing boys, I do add rotisserie chicken. :)
So thrilled you’re loving it and sharing it with so many people! Thanks so much for letting me know :)
I really liked this chili. I feel like it’s foolproof. I didn’t have jalapeno and I didn’t put in green salsa, but it was still delicious! I played around with it a little bit, putting in some vanilla almond milk and some of the liquid from the canned corn, and it was still good. I even liked it before I boiled and thickened it; it was a delicious soup! I’m excited to have this recipe! Thanks!
So glad you’re loving it, Anne! I need to make it again soon :)
Cumin seeds or powder? Making this tonight!
Powder! Hope you enjoy it :)
Hey Rachel :)
I am always on your site for dessert recipes and today I am so glad I looked for a savory one! I made this last night for dinner and it was awesome. The only thing I did, was scoop some out and put it in the nutrabullet and then whisked it back in to thicken it up a bit.
Delish! Xo
So thrilled you loved this recipe, Kerri! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback :) love that thickening tip, too!
Enjoyed this very much! Will be making again soon. Thanks for the recipe!
So happy to hear it – thanks for the feedback, Lynsii!
Made this recipe tonight for my husband and toddler. Everyone LOVED it. I used plant based sour cream, crushed tortilla chips and avocado for the toppings. Yummmmmm!!
So thrilled it was a hit with the whole family, Alison!
Loved this recipe. Thanks for making my transition to a plant based diet much more fun than I imagined. Quick question— it ended up a little too thick in the end. What suggestions do you have to lighten it up without sacrificing the flavor?
Hi Marcel, so glad you’re enjoying the recipe! I would try adding some extra broth to the recipe, and add more salt/spices if you think the soup needs it after adding the broth.
My niece is vegan & I am not. This chili receipe was delish. I have to watch my sodium intake. Can I use low sodium vegetable/ beef broth instead. Thx. Happy New Year.
You can absolutely use low-sodium broth to keep the sodium levels lower. So glad you and your niece enjoyed it. Happy New Year!
When people say white beans what do they mean exactly? I live in CA and I can’t find any white beans in a can. Growing up in the south I heard of Great Northern Beans and white lima beans but not sure what to use here. I have some Great Northern Beans so I’m hoping those will work lol
Hi Angeline! Great Northern Beans definitely work. Navy beans and white pinto beans also work well.
We are trying to be less meat centric in our cooking and stumbled upon your recipe when I was looking for a chili recipe. I cooked this in the instant pot for 10 minutes and then let it sit for 15 more. I followed the recipe explicitly at first to know what I might change. First, you don’t have to change anything it’s great! But next time I might add some canned tomatoes. Sooo delish.
So thrilled you enjoyed it, Liz, and thank you so much for sharing the instant pot directions!!
I’m late to this white bean chili party, but just made it this evening and it was delish! I cut the recipe in half since there’s just two of us, and it split perfectly, except I just realized I used the whole jar of Trader Joe’s salsa verde and the full 4 oz of green chilis. Regardless, it was great. Instead of the flour, I used an immersion blender on some and it thickened great. Added some sweet potato cubes done up in the air fryer and avocado. This will join our monthly menu! Thank you for all the work you have done with your recipes!
Hurray, so glad it was a hit, Bonnie!! Thanks so much for the feedback :D
I just made it and it smells amazing! Erm, I feel silly asking but how do I serve/ dish it out with the avocado, chips etc? Do I put the soup in the bowl then put the cilantro, avocado chips and lime on top or on a separate dish on the side?
Hi Jo! I like putting the chili in the bowl and garnishing it with cilantro, avocado, and chips right on top. You can serve lime wedges on the side, or squeeze some lime juice on top. Enjoy!
This is my go to vegan white bean chili. We leave out the corn and can of green chilies. I add 1cuonof diced celery.
So glad you’re loving it, thanks for the feedback Kristen!
Made exactly as the recipe reads & it’s fantastic! Thank you for a new fall favorite
So happy to hear that, Danelle!
So yummy! I added nutritional yeast which I usually add to soup and chili.
So glad you enjoyed it, Brittany!
Just made this but subbed chick pea flour and it was delicious!
So happy to hear that, Kendra!
This recipe was awesome, but, as I often do, I made some tweaks. I removed the corn and flour. Instead I added carrots, cut into small chunks and ribbons of kale! Amazing!!
Sounds fabulous, Stephanie!! So glad you enjoyed it :)
Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it! I used uncooked northern beans and made this in the crockpot. I sautéed the the veggies then cooked in the crockpot on high for about 6 hours.
So glad you loved it, Crystal! Thanks so much for the feedback.
Love it! ❤️ Going to make this again in a couple weeks. Only change, was adding more green chilies, otherwise tastes incredible.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can this be cooked in the InstantPot?
Yes! One reader commented how she did it: “I made this today in my Instant Pot. 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. It is amazing! Will definitely make again.”
Bummed because I cannot print the recipe because ads keep being inserted over the ingredients.
Hi Kathy, there shouldn’t be any ads over the ingredients and the print button should definitely be clear! Can you let me know which browser you’re on and whether it’s desktop/mobile/tablet? I’d love to troubleshoot what’s going on. In the meantime, I’ll email you a link to the print page.
We love this chili, I make it and then freeze some in a large ziplock to take it camping. Freezing it helps keep it cold in the cooler.
Great after a long day hiking!!
So thrilled you’re loving it, Chris! Thanks for the feedback.
Very good results with this recipe. We will make this one again especially for my vegetarian wife. This is great without meat.
So glad you’re loving it, Jesse :)
Very good – I skipped the flour and pureed some of the soup to thicken. Can’t wait til tomorrow because I like all soups even better the second day!!!
Sounds great – so glad you’re loving it, Kar!
Thank you for this recipe. I used the dry sautéing method (without oil), oat flour, and for the beans, I used a mixture of cooked from dry canellini beans and navy beans. It was delicious topped with the suggested garnishes plus some cashew sour cream. The only change I would make is to reduce the broth a bit because my home cooked beans were softer than canned and it turned out a bit more soupy than I prefer for a chili. I’m sure it will thicken a bit overnight and tomorrow’s lunch should be great!
Sounds amazing, so glad you’re enjoying it Debra. Thanks for the feedback!
Thank you for this awesome chili recipe! My husband and I have tried several vegan chili recipes and this is by far our favorite! We make it once a week!
So glad you love it, Delaney! Thanks so much for the feedback :)
I came to your site to look up your regular (outstanding!) vegan chili and saw this pop up as one of the search results. Looked it over and decided this was going to be dinner, and I am not sad! It is DELICIOUS, and something I am looking forward to having as leftovers for lunches this week. So, so good — thank you! With lime, tortilla chips, and avocado this will be on repeat!
So glad you’re loving it, Alicia!! Thanks so much for the feedback :) those toppings sound amazing!!
This recipe is incredible. My family has requested that it become a weekly winter staple! After reading other reviews I used cornstarch instead of tapioca flour, and reduced the broth to 3 cups for a thicker consistency. Thank you!
So glad you’re loving it, Lindsay! Thanks for sharing!
This was fabulous! I took it to a potluck, having made it the day before so flavors had time to marry, and everyone thought it was exceptional. Be sure to add a squeeze from a lime wedge to take your bowl to a new level.
I cooked my own beans a couple of days prior, letting them soak overnight and seasoning with a bay leaf and oregano during cooking (Instant Pot). I made it in the Instant Pot as per someone else’s direction in a comment below. I’ll be making this again soon and be sure to keep extra in the freezer for quick meals.
So glad you enjoyed it, Cyd! Thanks so much for the kind review and feedback :)
This recipe is easy and delicious! It’s such a great iteration on traditional chili. I added in a few shakes of hot sauce and topped with vegan sour cream and vegan queso. If your watching your salt, omit it and the recipe is still fantastic! I’ll definitely be adding this to my weekly lineup of home cooked meals.
Sounds so good, so glad you’re enjoying it, Bree!