I’m back with another tasty vegan (and vegetarian) recipe! Today, we’re diving into a vegan white chili recipe with rich flavor and a good amount of protein from the beans. What’s better is that if you have Celiac Disease or are gluten-free, or happen to manage other dietary restrictions, there’s a very good chance you’ll be enjoying a big bowl of this chili since it’s also top 9 free.
Don’t let the free-from status scare you away. Trust me, this vegan white chili is creamy, soul warming, and perfect for the whole family. Now, let’s get to work!
Allergy Status
Free From: Wheat/Gluten, Dairy, Egg, Soy, Tree Nuts, Peanut, Fish, Shellfish, Sesame, Top 9 Allergens, Apple, Avocado, Banana, Buckwheat, Cane/Refined Sugar, Carrot, Cinnamon, Citrus, Coconut, Corn, Cruciferous, Lupin, Mushroom, Mustard, Oat, Pea & Pea Protein, Potato (Nightshade Variety), Poultry, Red Meat, Rice, Squash & Gourd, Stone Fruits, Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Yam, Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca/Manioc, Tomato, Yeast
Friendly To: EOE, Grain Free, Vegan
Compatible With: Seed Free
- Truly Corn Free Reminder: Source safe ingredients. This is doable, but requires a little elbow grease. If needed, use your own smoke gun and smoke your bowl of chili before serving.
- Seed Free: Swap the cumin for organic ground ginger.
Tools to Make This Vegan Chili Recipe
- Large Dutch Oven (this is the one that I have)
- Cutting Board
- Knife (this my current favourite knife)
- Can Opener (I have one similar to this and it’s super comfortable to use)
- Measuring Spoons
- Cooking Spoon
Ingredients for This Vegan White Chili Recipe
Part 1 Ingredient (Roasted Garlic)
- 2 Heads Organic Garlic
Part 2 Ingredients
- 65g Dairy Free Butter (2 ounces)
- 240g Organic Yellow Onion (8.5 ounces), small dice
- 190g Organic Celery (6.5 ounces), small slice, then chop
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
Part 3 Ingredient
- 37mL Champagne Vinegar (1.5 ounce), another variety is OK
Part 4 Ingredients
- 1KG Vegan Protein of Choice (36 ounces), see ingredient notes for options
- 3 tsp Organic Smoked Paprika
- 3 tsp Sea Salt
- 2 tsp Organic Ancho Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Organic Ground Cumin
- 5 drops Liquid Smoke (this is the brand that I use)
- Organic Black Pepper to Taste
- Optional: 2 TBSP Ground Mushroom Powder (adds more depth of flavour)
Part 5 Ingredients
- 425g Organic Butter Beans (30 ounces), drained
- 425g Organic Great Northern Beans (30 ounces), drained
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- 75g Fresh Organic Spinach Leaves (2.5 ounces), chopped
- 40g Organic Shishito Peppers (1.5 ounces), chopped
Part 6 Ingredients
- 20g Organic Roasted Garlic (almost 1 ounce), mash before adding
- 1L Milk of Choice (37.5 ounces/4.6 cups)
Optional
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
Ingredient Notes (including substitutions)
Produce numbers don’t need to be an exact match. You can use any cooking fat in place of the DF butter. Ground bacon can be purchased in some areas. You can also make it at home in your food processor (more paste than mince but it will be OK).
Dairy Free Butter: You can use a different cooking fat. I suggest organic olive oil or organic tiger nut oil (tuber, not a tree nut). Don’t use coconut oil unless you LOVE the taste.
Beans: You can swap one of the beans for cannellini beans (sometimes called white kidney beans) or navy beans if you’re a fan.
Onion: Change it up and use white onion, sweet onion, or other onions you enjoy. Whilst you can use red onion (and even green onions for garnish), I’d avoid them since they don’t scream the colour white and might throw off the vibe a little bit.
Milk of Choice: You can use any milk you’d like including oat milk, rice milk, soy milk, and so on. Coconut milk, especially full fat coconut milk, is the exception. Boxed/watery coconut milk isn’t a big issue, but full fat coconut milk will throw off the ratios of this creamy white chili. Additionally, it can bring too much flavor to the table, especially if you aren’t a coconut fan to begin with.
Vegan Protein or Vegan Meat Substitute: The best part about this vegan chili recipe is its versatility. You can use any vegan protein you enjoy that has a nice meaty texture. It can be pulled jackfruit, soy based tofu, soy free tofu, trumpet mushroom stems, a commercial vegan meat, or a combination of vegan proteins. The key is to pick something you like, and something that either has minimal seasoning, or has a flavour profile that won’t clash with the rest of the ingredients. For more vegan meat alternatives, check out this article here on my website.
More Delicious Vegan Lunch & Dinner Recipes
- Hearty Vegan Chili Recipe (I’m told this is one of the best chili recipes you’ll ever eat, hands down)
- Creamy Vegan Pasta Sauce (this is versatile and you can jazz it up in a lot of ways)
- Vegan Mushroom Mac and Cheese (for when you’re feeling fancy)
- Vegan Potato & Mushroom Casserole Recipe (works great as a main or as a side dish)
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Vegan White Chili Recipe Instructions
Cook Time: 70 Minutes
Garlic Directions
Heat your oven to 400f/205c. Portion out a piece of foil large enough to wrap up the garlic. Place down a cooking oil of choice, then place your whole, unpeeled garlic on the oil. Pull the foil in an upwards direction to cover the garlic (so no oil spills out). Place the garlic packet on a small tray and oven roast for 40 – 50 minutes. When the garlic comes out, open the foil and allow it to cool a bit before you try to handle it.
Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, gently cut a small amount of the bottom off. Now, squeeze the top and middle of the garlic and garlic should come out (like a tube of tooth paste). I opted to use tongs for the squeezing for an easier experience. You’ll want to squeeze the garlic into a bowl. Once it’s all in, use a small fork to mash it up a bit. The recipe calls for 20g of roasted garlic, but you can use less or more.
Chili Directions
Whilst your garlic starts the roasting process, prep your vegetables. Now, heat your Dutch Oven on medium heat (6.5/10 for me). If you’re using a regular large pot, heat it to medium-high heat (7.5/10) as they tend to hold heat slightly different when compared to a Dutch Oven.
Add the vegan butter and allow it to melt, then add the rest of the Part 2 Ingredients. Mix well and cook for 10 minutes. Now add the vinegar to deglaze, mix, and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
Next, add your Part 4 Ingredients. If you’re using tofu or soy free tofu, break it into small pieces so it resembles ground chicken. This action will also help distribute the salt. Cook for 8 minutes.
With the meat cooking away, add all of the Part 5 Ingredients. Mix very well and continue to cook for 15 minutes. Stir as needed to prevent burning/sticking. It’s finally time to add that delicious roasted garlic. I’m sure your kitchen smells amazing right now. Add it in, and give everything a good mix. Finally, add your milk. Mix everything together very well one last time. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for at least15 minutes. Stir as needed to prevent burning/sticking.
Before serving, taste your chili. If you feel it needs a little salt, add the optional 1 teaspoon of sea salt. That’s it!
How to Store Leftover Vegan Chili
You can store your vegan chili leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several days. It’s great both hot and cold, and makes for a wonderful packed lunch (don’t forget ice packs since it’s perishable). Additionally, you can freeze your delicious chili leftovers.
To freeze, allow your gluten-free chili to cool some, then transfer to freezer safe containers. Be sure to leave a little space for expansion.
To thaw, place the container in the fridge overnight. For best results, select a freezer-safe container based on how much you’ll use. For example, you can purchase small 4 – 10 ounce containers for individual servings. This is especially helpful if only one person in your home follows a special diet and you’re looking to prevent food waste.
Alternatively, you can use 34 – 64 ounce containers for family sized portions if you plan to serve this for a lunch or dinner.
The Power of Meal Prep & Batch Cooking
Just a quick little note/reminder. Freezer food is something you can lean into on busy weeknights and add to your rotation of easy dinners. I can’t stress enough the importance of batch cooking, freezing, meal planning, and general meal prep for anyone with any kind of dietary restriction. In the long run, having safe food to pull from not only gives you a lot of peace of mind, but also makes your life SOOOO much easier.
Ways to Serve (and Jazz Up) Your Delicious Vegan White Chili
Serve your vegan chili with a side of tortilla chips and use them for dipping. Alternatively, you can get one of those big bowl tortilla things and serve the chili in that (FYI you can buy a tortilla bowl maker!).
Top your chili with vegan sour cream or vegan cream cheese and a sprinkle of chopped fresh cilantro (unless you’re one of the soap people, in which case, you have my condolences). For the ultimate creamy experience, add avocado slices as well.
Serve this delicious chili in a sourdough bread bowl (or a regular bread bowl), especially when it’s that time of year where all you want is a warm food hug.
Squeeze a little fresh lime juice on top for an extra pop of flavour along with a scoop of salsa verde or tomato salsa.
Make a pineapple mango relish with a little chili powder or cayenne pepper and put a little on top when serving your chili.
Add a vegan meat substitute. Whilst beans are the main ingredient and the star of the show, you can add your fave vegan meat alternative (seasoned).
Make a relish from fresh corn and jalapeno peppers and place a little on top before serving.
Turn your white chili into a fusion taco meets hearty chili situation. Swap some of the white beans for pinto beans and black beans. Add diced poblano pepper, chili peppers, and red chili spices to the mix. Then, top with a dollop of guacamole and fried tortilla strips. Talk about a fun meal!
Answering Your Questions About This Vegan White Chili Recipe
Can I add extra white beans when making this vegan chili?
You can, but you’ll want to avoid going overboard. There’s a balance so this comes across as a proper creamy chili. Too many beans and you lose the creamy edge and it reads more like a bean stew if that makes sense. It might also read as claggy and over-beaned, for lack of better terms.
Would garbanzo beans taste good in this chili recipe?
Maybe. Chickpeas aka garbanzo beans are a type of white bean that my tasters don’t like for the most part, so it’s not a bean I cook with a lot. However, if YOU like the taste, yes, they’ll work just fine in this vegan chili recipe.
Can I pressure cook this vegan chili recipe?
If you have an Instant Pot with the metal liner, I don’t suggest pressure cooking this vegan white bean chili recipe. However, if you have a pressure cooker with a black nonstick liner, absolutely you can pressure cook this recipe.
Personally, I can never get the Instant Pot to pressure cook recipes with a bunch of beans. It always gives me the burn error, then I have to transfer it to my pressure cooker with the black liner, and poof, I have success.
If you’ve had a different experience, by all means, give it a go, but that’s just my two cents.
Can this vegan chili be made in a slow cooker?
Yes, you can make this in a slow cooker instead of using your stovetop. Whilst I can’t tell you the timings, you’d want to roast the garlic, and set it aside when it’s done. Add the rest of the ingredients to your slow cooker, stir it well, then slow cook. When there’s about 20 minutes left, stir in the garlic.
Could I use soy curls in this chili?
Honestly, you’ll know better than me. Since most of the recipes I develop are soy free by nature to make sure soy free vegans have safe and delicious options, this isn’t a product I’ve worked with. I’d suggest looking up other vegan chili recipes and see if you can find one with soy curls as an ingredient so you know how much to use and so on.
Can I use vegetable broth instead of milk?
I don’t suggest making that swap. Not only will you alter the sodium content of your vegan chili, but you’ll also alter the overall viscosity of the chili. Too much broth can have your chili reading more like a bean soup, which we’ll want to avoid.
Could I use cashew cream in place of the milk?
This is a really interesting idea and I had to think about it. Cashews are uber creamy, so you may end up with white bean creamy vegan chili, which isn’t the worst thing to ever happen is you ask me. However, if a super creamy texture isn’t what you’re going for, you’d have to combine your cashew cream with water in your blender so it’s more like cashew milk, and use that as your milk of choice. Either way, happy cooking!
Do I have to use white beans or can I use any type of bean?
Whilst this is a white chili dish, cooking is all about making food your own, and crafting meals that you love. If white beans aren’t your jam, trade them for something else. You’ll shift the taste and texture a small amount, but it’s negligible.
Heck, you could make something akin to black bean soup and use all black beans or maybe black beans with a little black eye peas, and have something totally different.
Are there more vegetables I can add to this chili?
If you’d like to add more veggies, an easy starting point is green bell pepper. It’s not too sweet, and can also add a little more texture and depth to your recipe. Mild green chiles is another good option. For ease, you can stir in a bag of frozen peas and carrots towards the end of cooking and as the chili simmers, the veg will heat up.
Chopped spinach or shredded dino kale would be excellent options as well. Honestly, most veggies will work pretty well so see what’s in season at the grocery store and have fun making this vegan chili your own.
Does this recipe taste like white chicken chili?
Generally, yes. I mean, you’re missing the chicken flavour and texture, but meat eaters will be happy to eat this play on classic chili with you. Whilst the meat is missing, everything else is present, and this vegan & vegetarian white bean chili is loaded with flavour. At the end of the day, I’ve found that’s all that really matters. Does it taste good and does it feel good.
Now, I’ll add this. Don’t announce to your friends and family that we’re having “chicken free white bean chicken chili” or something like that. Don’t put it in their head. Instead, just tell them you’re having a delicious chili and they’ll be like, yeah, that’s really good.
Is it true that chili tastes better the next day?
Yup, and that’s because overnight, as it rests in your fridge, the flavours all meld together even more. The natural oils mingle and overall, the flavour intensifies. For some spices and herbs, being in fat helps them release more flavour whilst others are releasing more flavours due to the water content of the dish.
Either way, as those flavour compounds are released and mix together in your fridge overnight (think of it like a cold version of slow cooking), you come back to an incredible pot of leftovers the next day.
