This Creamy Vegetarian White Bean Chili Recipe is healthy, hearty, and filling. It’s similar to regular chili but made with white beans, green chile, and cream cheese. It’s great for dinner, and you can use the leftovers for lunch.
I have a few regular chili recipes on the blog, but this is my first White Bean Chili recipe, and I’m so excited about it! This Creamy Vegetarian White Bean Chili is completely different than regular chili, and still so good.
There are a few main differences between regular and white chili: regular chili uses crushed tomatoes and tomato paste, whereas white chili uses white beans, no tomatoes, and I add some cream cheese for creaminess.
Creamy Vegetarian White Bean Chili Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions
- White Beans – This recipe can use cannelloni beans or Great Northern beans. Cannellini beans have thicker skin, which keeps the inside texture creamy. Great Northern beans have a more tender skin and slightly less creamy flesh. I used a mixture of both because I had them on hand.
- Green Pepper, Onion and Garlic – The green pepper, onion, and garlic are the main aromatics in this white bean chili recipe. You can definitely add some red pepper and tomatoes if you like, but they aren’t traditional in white chili recipes. If you want some extra spice, you can add some chopped jalapeño.
- Salsa Verde – Most white chili recipes call for a jar of salsa verde. I didn’t have any on hand, so I blended up some roasted green chiles that I had left over from the New Mexican Chopped Salad. It probably was a little thicker than a jar of salsa verde, but it still worked great! You can use either green chile or salsa verde. Let me know if you have any questions!
- Corn – I used one can of sweet corn. You can use canned, fresh, or frozen corn for this recipe.
- Cream Cheese – The cream cheese is what makes this white bean chili creamy. You can also use vegan cream cheese or even some thick, canned coconut milk (unsweetened).
- Vegetable Broth – I like to use concentrated vegetable broth because it lasts much longer in the refrigerator than boxed liquid broth. You can use whatever you like.
- Lime Juice – I recommend adding a big squeeze of fresh lime juice to your pot of chili or your individual serving. It adds such a nice, fresh flavor.
- Spices – I added cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt and pepper. Feel free to adjust seasoning amounts to your palate!
- Toppings – I love going a little crazy with my toppings regarding chili. I topped mine with tortilla strips, corn, avocado, cilantro, tomato, onion, and a little salsa verde.
Why Your Body Will Love This White Bean Chili
- Blood Sugar Regulation – White beans are high in fiber and protein, giving them a low glycemic index. This means they digest slowly and don’t cause blood sugar levels to spike or rise too quickly. This makes beans a healthy choice for people with diabetes who need to control their blood sugar levels more.
- Digestive Health – Beans are high in insoluble fiber, which helps bulk up the digestive system and prevent constipation. The fiber in beans also acts as a prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in the large intestine and carries out toxins in the system.
- Heart Health – White beans contain a significant amount of soluble fiber, which helps decrease cholesterol absorption in the bloodstream. Lowering the “bad” cholesterol in the body can greatly reduce the chances of a stroke or heart attack.
How To Make Vegetarian White Bean Chili
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add a few teaspoons of olive oil, chopped onion, and green bell pepper. Add a pinch of salt and cook until onion and pepper are softened, about 5 minutes, stirring every so often. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Next, add the white beans, corn, spices, salt, and pepper. I like to mix everything together and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Then, add the salsa verde and vegetable broth. Mix well and let chili come to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- I like my chili to be thick, so I take a couple of ladles of the chili, add it to a blender or food processor, blend until smooth, then add it back into the chili. Add the cream cheese to the chili and cook on low until the cream cheese is completely melted, stirring often. Add a big squeeze of fresh lime juice to the pot of chili and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Garnish with your favorite chili toppings, and enjoy!
White Bean Chili Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this recipe vegan? No, I use dairy cream cheese, but you can easily use dairy-free cream cheese or canned unsweetened coconut milk.
- Is this recipe gluten-free? Yes! Just make sure the veggie broth you are using is gluten-free.
- Is this white bean chili freezer-friendly? Yes, freeze in a freezer-friendly air-tight container for up to three months. Thaw on the counter or in a pot on the stove.
- Can I make this chili in the instant pot? I have not made it in the IP myself, so I don’t have instructions, but it should be easy!
- How long will leftovers last? If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, they should last about four days.
Have a question I didn’t answer? Ask me in the comment section below, and I will reply ASAP!
Looking For More Hearty Vegetarian Chili and Soup Recipes?
Pumpkin Chili with Black Beans
Butternut Squash Chili with Black Beans
Veggie Packed Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
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Creamy Vegetarian White Bean Chili
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Creamy Vegetarian White Bean Chili is healthy, hearty and great for lunch or dinner! Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2–3 teaspoons olive oil, or oil of choice
- 1 small yellow onion, small diced
- 1 large green bell pepper, small diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 (15 oz) cans Cannelloni or Great Norther Beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can sweet corn, or about 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 1/2 cups salsa verde (or blended roasted green chilis)
- 2 1/4 cups vegetable broth (I like my chili pretty thick, so feel free to add extra broth if you don’t want it thick)
- About 1/2 block cream cheese (room temp is best) You can add more or less depending on how creamy you want your chili
- Fresh lime juice
- Salt and black pepper, to taste (I probably used about 1/2 teaspoon pepper and between 1 and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. The salt will depend on how salty your vegetable broth is)
- Optional chili toppings: tortilla strips, crackers, avocado, onion, tomato, green chili, shredded cheese, sour cream, greek yogurt, etc…)
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat and add a few teaspoons of olive oil, chopped onion and green bell pepper. Add a pinch of salt and cook until onion and pepper are softened, about 5 minutes, stirring every so often. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Next, add in the white beans, corn, spices and salt and pepper. I like to mix everything together and let cook for a couple minutes. Then, add the salsa verde and vegetable broth. Mix well and let chili come to a simmer. Simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- I like my chili thick so I take a couple ladels of the chili, add it to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth, then add back into the chili. Add the cream cheese into the chili and cook on low until the cream cheese is completely melted, stirring often. Add a big squeeze of fresh lime juice to the pot of chili and season with salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Garnish with your favorite chili toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Lots of recipe notes included in post text!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Vegetarian, Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
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