Vegan White Chili Recipe

Soak and cook dry beans

If using dried navy beans: rinse 2 cups dried beans and remove debris. Soak in plenty of water overnight (8–12 hours) or use quick-soak: cover with water, bring to a boil 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit 1 hour. Drain, then add to a pot with 6 cups vegetable broth (reserve extra water), bring to a simmer and cook until tender, 45–75 minutes depending on age of beans. If using canned beans: drain and rinse two 15-oz cans (about 2 cups total) and skip cooking step—reserve 1 cup vegetable broth for later.

When beans are tender, reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid (or use reserved vegetable broth if using canned beans) and set aside. Transfer about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked beans to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth; this will be used to thicken the chili while keeping it 'white'. Leave the rest of the beans whole.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat 2 tbs olive oil over medium heat until shimmering.

Add 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion and sauté 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and beginning to brown at the edges.

Add 4 tbs minced garlic and 2 minced jalapeños and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Stir in the roasted red bell peppers (1 cup), 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, 1 cup canned green chiles, and 1 cup corn. Cook 3–4 minutes to warm through and allow flavors to meld.

Add spices: 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1 tsp ground white pepper. Stir to coat the vegetables and toast the spices for 30–60 seconds until aromatic.

Sprinkle 2 tbs all-purpose flour evenly over the vegetables, stir to combine and cook 1 minute to remove raw flour flavor. This will help thicken the chili. (For gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend or 1 tbs cornstarch mixed with 2 tbs cold water instead.)

Pour in 4–5 cups vegetable broth (use remaining broth from bean cooking or reserved broth). Stir well to deglaze the pot and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

Return the whole cooked navy beans to the pot along with the pureed beans. Stir to combine. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chili has thickened and flavors have blended. If chili becomes too thick, add additional broth or reserved bean cooking liquid 1/4 cup at a time to reach desired consistency.

Stir in 2 tbs fresh lime juice and taste. Adjust salt (start with the 2 tsp sea salt called for) and heat: add more chili powder or finely chopped jalapeño for more spice, or a pinch of sugar if tomatoes taste too sharp.

If a creamier texture is desired, blend an additional 1/2 cup of the chili (carefully using an immersion blender or by transferring a portion to a blender) and stir back in.

Keep the chili hot for 5–10 minutes before serving so flavors settle. Remove from heat.

Ladle chili into bowls and garnish as desired with chopped cilantro (1 tbs), sliced green onions (2 tbs), diced avocado (1/2 cup), a dollop of vegan sour cream or cashew cream (1/2 cup divided), and tortilla chips or warm corn tortillas on the side.

Leftovers store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if needed.