This Vegan White Bean Chili is an easy and delicious way to create a quick meal that's creamy, tangy, full of veggies, and high-protein. Add your favorite toppings to this mild veggie chili for a hearty meatless meal that's also great for meal prep and leftovers!
White Bean Chicken Chili used to be one of my favorite winter comfort foods. In order to recreate that recipe and make it meatless, I first started by swapping the chicken for chickpeas. You could use something more complicated, but since I can't get enough of chickpeas and they are so easy, I think they are the perfect addition to this comforting dish.
I also opted to blend some of the beans and broth, which not only thickens the chili but adds a ton of creaminess. The final touch that takes this vegan chili over the top is adding vegan cream cheese and lime juice just before serving!
One thing I love about this recipe is that the ingredients are all super easy and convenient. By utilizing canned beans and chilis, along with frozen or canned corn, you save a ton of prep time!
Not only will the flavor of this vegan chili recipe knock your socks off (all of my taste testers agree!), but this is a quick, high-protein vegan meal that's both family-friendly and perfect for meal prep.
For more comforting bean dishes, check out this Creamy Vegan Butter Beans recipe!
Jump to:
You'll love this Vegan White Bean Chickpea Chili because it's:
- Simple & Delicious
- Quick & Easy
- Vegan/Vegetarian
- Kid-friendly
- Easy to make WFPB & Oil-Free
- Gluten-Free
- Perfect for Meal Prepping and warming up on cool nights!
Ingredient notes
- canned white beans -- I used cannellini beans. Great Northern or Navy beans are also fine.
- vegetable broth -- Your favorite brand is fine. If it has a high sodium content, then you might want to reduce the added salt a tad.
- onion -- A Vidalia or white onion is my preference, but you can use a red onion if that's all you have.
- garlic -- I prefer minced or chopped garlic here (jarred is fine). Granulated garlic can work as a substitute.
- cumin
- dried oregano
- chili powder
- salt
- fresh cracked pepper (to taste)
- canned chickpeas -- AKA garbanzo beans. These take the place of the chicken.
- canned green chilies -- Yes, canned. Use a mild variety like Hatch green chilis (if you even have a selection). They are mild but add a tangy, briny flavor. If you want more heat try also adding cayenne pepper, hot sauce, or diced jalapeños.
- frozen corn -- Canned corn is also fine, but give it a good rinse first to remove any extra sodium.
- vegan cream cheese -- Choose a plain vegan cream cheese. Vegan plain yogurt or sour cream would also work. To keep this dish oil-free, you could use silken tofu.
- lime juice -- Fresh or jarred are both fine.
- cilantro -- For the garnish. If you don't like it, just leave it out.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here are step-by-step instructions with photos.
Prep the veggies: Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the cilantro. Drain off any excess liquid from the chilies. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and white beans. Set aside 1 cup of white beans.
Add the 1 cup of white beans and a ½ cup of vegetable broth to a blender.
Blend the beans and broth until smooth. Set aside.
Add the onions to a large pot and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onions of translucent and aromatic.
Add the minced garlic and all of the seasonings.
Cook for another minute or two.
Add the chickpeas, the rest of the white beans and broth, green chiles, corn, and bean/broth mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Just before serving, add the cream cheese and lime juice. Stir until the cream cheese is fully incorporated.
Taste to adjust seasonings and garnish with cilantro.
Serve right away with your favorite toppings!
Hint: lf you have kids who don't like textured soups and stews, use a stick blender to blend the entire chili until it's smooth.
Variations
Here are few ways to switch things up.
- Spicy - This chili is quite mild, so if you like it hot add cayenne powder to the spice mix and/or top with your favorite hot sauce or diced jalapeños.
- Extra Cheezy - add a cup or two of your favorite vegan shredded cheese at the end for an extra creamy version of this dish.
- Green Chili - add a handful of spinach to your blender to create a delicious and healthy green chili.
For a red chili that's just as filling, try this Vegan Chili sin Carne!
Equipment
For this recipe, you'll need a cutting board, knife, large pot, and blender.
All of my favorite products and kitchen tools can be found in my Amazon shop.
How to serve
Serve this vegan white bean chili with your favorite toppings like avocado slices, tortilla chips, and vegan sour cream.
This dish is perfect for a hearty dinner or lunch and can be made in advance for meal prepping.
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Top tip
Vegan White Bean Chili tastes amazing on its own but pairing it with the right toppings takes it over the top. I love adding avocado slices, tortilla chips, and vegan sour cream or vegan cheese!
FAQ
To save time I suggest using vegan cream cheese which usually contains oil, but you can substitute with unsweetened vegan yogurt, silken tofu, or homemade oil-free vegan cream cheese if you want to make it compliant with a Whole Foods Plant Based diet.
To make this vegan white chili in a crockpot, simply follow the instructions as is. Either saute the onions in a skillet or in the crockpot (if you have that option). Add all of the ingredients except the lime juice, vegan cream cheese, and cilantro. Cook, covered on low for 8 hours or high heat for 3 to 4 hours. Just before serving stir in the lime juice and cream cheese.
More vegan comfort food
📖 Recipe
Vegan White Bean Chili (Quick and Easy)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz cans white beans
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth
- 1 Vidalia onion
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- fresh cracked pepper (to taste)
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas
- 4 oz can of green chilies
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ½ cup vegan cream cheese
- 2 tablespooons lime juice
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Prep the veggies: Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and chop the cilantro. Drain off any excess liquid from the chilies. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and white beans. Set aside 1 cup of white beans.
- Add the 1 cup of white beans and a ½ cup of vegetable broth to a blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the onions to a large pot and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onions of translucent and aromatic.
- Add the minced garlic and all of the seasonings. Cook for another minute or two.
- Add the chickpeas, the rest of the white beans and broth, green chiles, corn, and bean/broth mixture to the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Just before serving, add the cream cheese and lime juice. Stir until the cream cheese is fully incorporated. Taste to adjust seasonings, garnish with cilantro, and serve right away with your favorite toppings!
Notes
- Serve with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips or strips, vegan sour cream, diced avocado, or vegan cheese.
- Nutritional info is calculated for 4 servings.
Nutrition
Want access to my Exclusive Meal Planning Tips & Printables page?
Did you try this recipe? Have a question? Just leave a comment below and I'll get back to you ASAP!
Edamommy4life says
I loved this recipe!! Perfect combination of flavors and creaminess. I used Kite Hill cream cheese.
Julianne Lynch says
I'm so glad you liked it! I also just remade the recipe and it was as good as ever! Thanks for the vegan cream cheese recommendation!