Vegetarian White Bean Chili
If you’re looking for a vegetarian white bean chili that checks all of your dinner boxes, this one is it! This version is made with lots of white beans, sweet corn, green chiles, and fresh lime and cilantro for fresh and bright flavor. It’s completely vegetarian (naturally vegan and gluten-free as well!), packed with protein and fiber, and ready in just 40 minutes with ingredients you might already have in your pantry.
My creamy soup trick that doesn’t involve dairy!
Instead of adding cream or dairy to this chili, we’re blending in white beans. The blended beans thicken the soup, give it a creamy texture, and also adds a boost of fiber!
And it means that everyone can enjoy this white bean chili as it’s naturally vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free! It’s…
🌱 Vegetarian, but filling: White beans and corn pack in 15+ grams of protein per serving.
⏰ Minimal prep: This soup is ready in just 40 minutes and most of that is hands-off simmering time while you set out toppings.
🥛 Creamy without any dairy: Blending some of the beans creates a velvety texture naturally.
🌈 Bright, fresh flavors: Lime and cilantro make this taste light and zesty, not heavy.
♨️ Perfect for meal prep: Tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully.
🌿 Naturally vegan and gluten-free: No substitutions needed.
🎉 Great for feeding a crowd: Double the recipe easily and let everyone customize with toppings.
You’ll also want to try my classic chili, white chicken chili, and turkey & squash chili next time.
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this meatless white chili to the table: yellow onion, garlic, ground cumin, chili powder, oregano, smoked paprika, sea salt, great northern white beans (drained), vegetable broth, canned green chiles, frozen corn, fresh cilantro, and fresh lime. Serve with your favorite toppings like tortilla chips, shredded cheddar (or vegan cheese), avocado, jalapeños, sour cream, and extra lime wedges.
- Great Northern White beans: I’ve used canned great northern beans to keep it easy, but you could absolutely cook your own white beans. You’ll need about 9 cups of beans total. You could also use white navy beans, white kidney beans, or cannellini beans. When the creamy white beans are blended, it gives the whole chili a creamy texture, without needing any dairy.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Toast your spices with the onions and garlic. This step only takes 30 seconds but it wakes up the flavor compounds in the cumin, chili powder, and oregano. You’ll smell the difference, the spices become fragrant and deeply flavorful; it’s what makes your chili taste like it’s been simmering for hours.
- Feeding kids without pressure: Start with a really small serving (like a spoonful or two in a mini taster bowl) because I wasn’t sure if they would like it. And then for sides (in case they decided not to eat any of it) we had all of the toppings (chips!) and we had some fruit and milk.
- Variations: Add a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles for extra depth, or stir in a handful of baby spinach or kale at the end. For a smoky flavor, add a diced chipotle pepper in adobo sauce.
Vegetarian White Bean Chili Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings (about 1 1/2 cups per serving) 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Tex Mex
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Creamy vegetarian white bean chili loaded with corn, green chiles, and lime. Vegan, GF, and packed with protein. Ready in 40 minutes!
Ingredients
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 6 15–oz. cans white beans, drained
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 8 oz. canned green chiles
- 16 oz. frozen corn
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 lime
- Toppings: tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, avocado slices, jalapeno, lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add onions, season with sea salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 6-8 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, and smoked paprika to the onion mixture. Stir to coat onions and toast spices.
- Add white beans, green chilis, and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Blend some of the soup with an immersion blender or transfer it to a blender and then add it back into the soup. (This helps make it creamy, without adding any cream!)
- Stir in corn and simmer another 5-10 minutes.
- Right before serving, stir in lime juice and cilantro.
- Taste the soup, add more salt to taste, and serve with a variety of toppings.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat. The chili may thicken as it sits, so add a splash of broth or water when reheating. You can freeze this chili in freezer-safe containers for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Ingredients: Great Northern beans are ideal for their creamy texture, but you can substitute white navy beans, cannellini beans, or white kidney beans. If you can’t find canned green chiles, use salsa verde or roasted poblano peppers. Fresh corn off the cob works beautifully in summer, but frozen or canned (drained and rinsed) corn works year-round. For the broth, vegetable broth keeps it vegetarian, but chicken broth adds richer flavor if you’re not strictly vegetarian.
- Prep ahead: You can chop the onion, mince the garlic, and measure out your spices up to 2 days in advance. Store in separate containers in the fridge. You can also make the entire chili 1-2 days ahead, just don’t add the lime and cilantro until right before serving to keep those flavors fresh and bright.
- Tools: You’ll need a large soup pot or Dutch oven, and an immersion blender, or a regular blender if you don’t have an immersion.
- Serve with: This chili pairs perfectly with cornbread, tortilla chips, or warm flour tortillas and a variety of toppings.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving chili like this with a variety of toppings so everyone can customize their bowl so it’s just how they like it!
- Extra lime wedges
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar cheese (use vegan cheese if needed)
- Sliced avocado or guacamole
- Chopped onions (red) or sliced green onions
- Chopped cilantro
- Frozen (but thawed) corn
- Pickled jalapeno peppers or salsa
- Hot sauce
- Tortilla chips, tortilla strips, corn chips, or cornbread
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer and founder of My Everyday Table, where she helps busy families take the stress out of weeknight dinners. With a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily specializes in simple, nourishing recipes and weekly meal plans that actually work for everyday life. She’s a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor who believes delicious food and good nutrition go hand in hand.
Get started: Weeknight Dinners Guide | Weekly Meal Plans | About Emily
More Easy Vegetarian Recipes
If you like this recipe for vegan white chili, you might also like some of these other vegetarian recipes:
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
This post may contain affiliate links. They do not add any charge to you, but I will make a very small commission from them. I only link to products I use and recommend. Thank you for your support!