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Creamy Vegetarian White Chili recipe that is cozy and filling (with vegan option). Ideal for healthy weeknight meals or chilly afternoons.
First post of 2017 – woot woot! How are you all feeling? Refreshed? Excited? Or overwhelmed at the thought of all the things you put off at the end of 2016? I’m honestly feeling a little bit of all three. Instead of getting a head start on my taxes and working ahead on freelance projects, I’ve been spending most of my free time researching what to do / eat / see on our west coast trip next month.
I’m headed out to the west for a weekend blog retreat but it seemed silly to fly so far just for two days so Wyatt is going to meet me out there for a week of adventuring afterwards. We’ll be traveling down the coast, starting in SF, making our way through Big Sur, and then eventually ending up in LA. Knowing I want to see the ocean, cliffs, and Redwoods is the easy part – trying to figure out how to cram everything into 48 hours in LA / SF has been the trickier part…
I’m what you would call a bit of an over-planner (and really love it) so I have an Evernote going of our trip that is broken up into 4 hours segments (yup – I’m crazy, I know). Is it too crazy to plan 3 breakfasts in one day? Because the brunch scene in SF seems pretty insane according to Pinterest. Also, got any suggestions for us? Where are the best vegetarian places to eat in SF and LA? Please let me know because I don’t want to miss ANYTHING!
Okay, now back to why you came here – this Creamy Vegetarian White Chili! One of my 2017 goals is to share more vegetarian main recipes with you all and this chili fits the bill. I make this vegetarian chili recipe often in the winter and was honestly starting to fill a bit burnt out on it. Then, the other week, I came across this chicken white chili recipe and just knew I had to develop a veg version. Honestly, I didn’t even know ‘white chili’ was a thing until I saw this recipe! All the amazing flavor and spices of chili + creaminess? Sign me up! And you know what? It didn’t disappoint. Loaded with tons of nutrient-rich veggies, protein-packed beans, and flavorful spices, I can already tell this is going to become a regular in our house.
Love the sound of this but want to make it vegan? Swap in your favorite non-flavored dairy-free milk for the whole milk in the recipe. Also, feel free to add as many or as little toppings as you’d like. I personally prefer lots of texture and variety in my bowl but it would also be delicious if you wanted to keep it simple with just a little cilantro and pepper. Lastly, if you have the time, don’t forget to make it with a side of cornbread or a veggie bread loaf!
Creamy Vegetarian White Chili recipe below:
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 white onion , diced
- 1 green bell pepper , diced small
- 1 jalapeno , diced
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 3 15- ounce cans Great Northern beans , drained and rinsed
- 1 4- ounce can chopped green chilies
- 3/4 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups warmed whole milk (use non-dairy if wanting to make the recipe vegan)
- Salt / Pepper , to taste
- Lime juice , to taste
- garnish options: cilantro , avocado, tortilla chips, pickled jalapenos, radish slices, hot sauce
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Heat olive oil over medium in a large stock pot.
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Add onion, pepper, and jalapeno and saute for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft and onions translucent.
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Add garlic and cumin and saute for another 30 seconds.
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Next, add flour and toss until the vegetables are coated. Slowly add in vegetable stock, while stirring, and then add in beans, green chilies, and corn.
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Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to medium-low and let simmer for 15 minutes.
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Stir in warm milk and let simmer for another 2 minutes.
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Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Divide between serving bowls and garnish before serving.
113 Comments
Karl Cooks
This looks so warming and beautiful <3
Shellywest
Karl CooksAw thanks, Karlie!
Kristin
I’ve lived in SF & currently living in LA. Two great cities to be a vegetarian in. I would definitely recommend Gracias Madre for phenomenal vegan Mexican cuisine. There is a location in SF’s mission district and in LA’s West Hollywood.
Shellywest
KristinThanks, Kristin! I think I might hit it up in West Hollywood because I’ve received a ton of recs for SF but not many for LA which I’m of kind surprised by.
Kyleigh
ShellywestThere’s also a really cute vegan place called Elderberries on Sunset. Crossroads has great veg options and if you’re looking for something sweet- pomegranite is SO good.
Lisa
In San Francisco, Ike’s Cafe is great for sandwiches and Gracias Madre is great for Mexican food! Do you mind sharing where you got that beautiful bowl from?
Shellywest
LisaThanks for the recs, Lisa! I’ve had a few mention Gracias Madres so I’ll definitely be going there. And of course on the bowl – it was a holiday splurge to myself from Herriot Grace (I’d buy the entire store if my wallet could handle it!): https://herriottgrace.com/
Maria Lopez
LisaOmg I love Ike’s! We just moved out of state we have no good food options here
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes
I think three brunches a day sounds perfectly reasonable given the circumstances. Lol. Beautiful variation of white chili. Sounds (and looks) amazing!
sweetkabocha
It looks so satisfying and comforting!
By the way, for Sf I have a few recommendations here http://sweetkabocha.com/san-francisco-vegan-guide-1-edition/ ^_^
Have a wonderful trip!
Shellywest
sweetkabochaoh my and it’s a VEGAN guide! Yes yes yes – can’t wait to dig in! Thank you!
sweetkabocha
ShellywestYou’re more than welcome!! Unfortunately the weather is going to be quite bad 🙁
Michelle @ Hummingbird High
A white chili! Yum.
I used to live in SF! I really recommend Al’s Place; it’s not entirely vegetarian, but the menu is pretty vegetable focused and just really incredible. Plus, a lot of the taquerias in the Mission have vegetarian options and are pretty amazing. Hope you guys have fun! xo
Shellywest
Michelle @ Hummingbird HighThanks for the recs, Michelle! Just looked up Al’s menu and it looks amazinggg! <3
Mara
The chili looks amazing.
Just one note, the list of ingredients is missing the flour. How much did you use?
Thank you.
Shellywest
MaraThanks for catching, Mara! It should be 1/4 cup all-purpose flour and I have now added it to the recipe.
Grace W
I just made this and YUM! So warming and delicious!
Have a great time on your trip!
Shellywest
Grace WYay! Thanks, Grace!
Abby @ Heart of a Baker
I’m 100% in support of all those meals on a vacation, that’s what it’s for right?! I’ve been needing a good white chili recipe, so this looks perfect for these cold temps we’ve been having!
WillCookForFriends
Wait, white chili is a thing? This sounds so freakin’ good!! And I’m jealous of your trip to the coast coming up. I’ve been to the Oregon coast and it’s one of my favorite places on earth, but sadly I’m no help at all for California. I bet your trip is going to be wonderful, though. I trust you’ll share tons of pics when you return? 😉
Shellywest
WillCookForFriendsOh you know it! I’m planning to bring TWO cameras because I’m a crazy person. ha!
Vibrant Bean
This looks so yum!! Adding it to our meal planning for next week 🙂
Shellywest
Vibrant BeanThank you, Gina! 🙂
Considering The Radish
Until this moment I had not heard of white chili, but it sounds delicious. And this one in particular looks amazing. I wish I had a bowl right now to hunker down with.
Shellywest
Considering The RadishHa I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one this was new to, Allyson. So so so good though! Very glad to have discovered it. Hope you’ve been well!
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Diana
Dosa’s for great Indian food w/lots of veg options. Yes to Gracias Madre (all veg) Although Slanted Door (Vietnamese) isn’t entirely veg they have wonderful veg options.
Shellywest
DianaThank you for these recs, Diana! Indian food is my favorrrrrrite! And yes – I’ve been getting lots of suggestions for Gracias Madre! I don’t think I’ve ever had Vietnamese either!
Nicole @ Kneading Home
This looks so good! I want to try it with cashew or almond milk.
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[…] vegetarian white chili, perfect for cold days! […]
Gabi Valladares
YUM! I grew up with my mom who’s vegetarian, so I always feel like I’m still on the lookout for veg options. This chili looks so good! And she’d be able to enjoy it with her meat-eating family 😉
Kirby Bittner
Your trip sounds amazing (as does the chili)- I’ve lived in California all my life and have yet to make the legendary coastal drive. But I can assure you, you’re going to love it.
As far as LA goes, it’s nearly impossible to find a menu that doesn’t accommodate vegetarians. I moved here last year and so far my fav places have been: Sqirl Kitchen in Silverlake-ish (a total hipster haven so get ready to stand in line), Sage Vegan Bistro (buffalo cauliflower ON POINT), Trejo’s Tacos, Wusrtküsh for sausages, Mercado, Pho Cafe (bring cash), Ramen Hood, and then Crossroads does the Impossible Burger that I have yet to try.
Have so much fun on your vacation!
Marla Jirak
Great chili and I added other vegetables such as zucchini carrots and celery
. I added the zucchini as one of the last vegetables. Good tasting recipe. Thanks!
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Jodi
Can this be made in a slow cooker? Maybe make as written and then just add milk before serving or would the flour mixture not fare well in a slow cooker?
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Wilma Klinedinst
What a beautiful presentation with all the accompaniments. I love that you veganized the original recipe. I found the chili to be more soup like needing more spiciness. I plan to make it again using about half the broth and soy milk and keeping everything else the same. Definitely worth another try. 🙂
Crystal Polis
Wilma KlinedinstI agree with this reviewer. I will likely make again too, with less broth and milk and maybe throw in a couple more veggies like carrots and zucchini as another reviewer did.
madhusudan
vegetarian food is pure food helps to regain pure and clear mind
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Julie
I made this tonight and my husband and I loved the flavors. I can’t wait to take the leftovers for lunch tomorrow! I know that I will make it again and I think that I can get away with using less milk. A few less calories can’t hurt, right?! I would love to know if you have ever tried to adapt the recipe for a crockpot and, if so, what suggestions you may have? I am thinking saving the milk and flour until the end of the cooking time but am not sure how I may adjust the total liquid volume or if this is just a bad idea.
Shellywest
JulieYay! So glad it was a success for you! I actually have not tried a slow cooker version yet BUT your comment is inspiring me to. I’m adding it to the list of recipes to work on developing! Let me know if you try it out and how it ends up for you. I do agree that you’d probably put everything but the milk into the slow cooker (maybe even the flour?) and then just add the milk at the very end.
Janette
This sounds so delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to try!
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Sabrina B,
this is really nice, love how different this is from most chili recipes, beyond it being vegetarian, saw this in a new post on foodiecrush featuring a collection of chili recipes, this certainly is one of the most interesting recipes in the collection, thank you for this recipe!
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Kelly M.
Can this soup be frozen?
Meaghan
Kelly M.Good question! I would love to know the answer, too. Anybody have any experience with freezing this chili?
Amy
MeaghanIt freezes beautifully! Just as delicious when thawed as it was fresh. 🙂
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Lindsey
Just made this and the taste is great, but followed directions to a t and mine is more soupy than thick…mine definitely looks different from the picture, any thought of why? Should I use more flour than the 1/4 cup? Thanks!!
John
When does the corn go into the recipe?
Leah
I actually made this in my instant pot the other day and it turned out well! I cooked it on manual pressure for 9 minutes and added the milk in afterwards. Super easy!
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Patty
I am not very good at cooking, yet this turned out great. Recipe is easy to follow, relatively healthy and very filling. Garnished with heavy cilantro and also topped with parmesan. I think using good dairy is key. I used an excellent brand of organic milk from a family farm. Worth the extra $
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Jackie
For non-dairy version, would you suggest coconut or unsweetened almond milk? I have a bag of dry northern beans. Do I need to soak these overnight? This looks delicious btw. Can’t wait to try it.
Alle
JackieHi, I’d recommend coconut milk, compliments the recipe nicely, also, definitely soak those beans overnight or youlll be boiling them forever!
Rebecca
This is great! I puréed two cans of beans with two pickled jalapeños and just one can wholes, omitted the jalapeños in the soup, used about 2 cups stock and omitted milk. The beans made up the creaminess. Oh and added carrots and a red pepper and paprika.
Terri Beverly
I have all the ingrefients for the Creamy White Chili.. I am making it tomorrow.. I will let u know how it turns out. However this is my first time buying beans in a can I always get the bag to make fresh Bean Soups so I’m anxious to see how this turns out.
lgrosvenor
This is more soup than chili. Not at all thick.
Tracy
Made this last night, the flavours are even better today. The flavours are delicious. I opted for the vegan version using almond milk, served with diced avocado. It is more a soup, but this recipe is a keeper. Thank you.
Cindy
This is a fantastic recipe! It’s going in my handwritten book. I agree that it’s very thin and not” chili like”. But that’s easily remedied by leaving out some of the liquids.
Stacey
I wanted to love this, but it was watery and missing a depth of flavor. I followed the directions exactly as stated. Maybe heavy whipping cream instead of milk and some more seasoning would help.
Christie
Has anyone tried to add quinoa to this recipe?
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Guro
Super delicious and easy! Trying to eat different kinds of beans and this is a great recipe for white ones, so thanks a lot. Will definitely be making it again :*
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Lori A Johnson
This is really good!! I made a few changes due to what I had on hand and to taste. 3 large stalks of celery chopped small, red pepper instead of green and 3 different types of white beans, more garlic and only 2 cups of milk. I added fresh chopped cilantro & parsley to the pot at the end, about 1/2 cup. I added only a 1/4 of a large jalapeno and it’s a good thing. I like it hot but this little bit with seeds was too hot. I should have known better than to add the seeds. I will eat the whole lot but it will definitely clear our sinus’s! I hope my 11 year old will be able to eat it tomorrow. Next time I will try to add plant based milk but wonder what type would be best. I am afraid it will not taste as good but have to try it since I am mainly a WFPB eater. Any suggestions? I wonder how coconut milk with taste? Thanks for the recipe. I just love it and highly recommend it!
Sarah
Lori A JohnsonI doubled the recipe and used half of a can of unsweetened coconut milk and about one.5 or 2 cups of unsweetened soy milk. It was very good
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Sarah
I made this Vegan/WFPB and it was great. I doubled the recipe, used half a can of unsweetened coconut milk and about 2 cups unsweetened soy milk. Added 2 tbsp oregano. Would be nice with cayenne for kick but I didn’t do that bc of the kids. Next time, I will add veggies.
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Ben
Awesome recipe!!!! So happy with it
Heather
Made this tonight, turned out really yummy. I did a cup less of the vegetable brother after reading it was watery for some, came the same amount of milk. I also made cornbread with mine, it was delish!
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Amy
This looks like the perfect winter recipe! Cannot wait to make it!
Ellen
This was an INCREDIBLE dish!!! I absolutely loved it! I tweaked it a little by substituting jalepenos with Trader Joe’s Sweet and Spicy pickled jalapenos (this was killer!), adding kale and carrots, and reducing the broth so it was thicker. Adding avocado and cilantro were also key! I shared it with a friend and she and her husband raved about it!
Tonami Jones
Love the recipe, made a few substitutions, but still turned out great ( Pinto beans instead of Northern beans )
Amy
This recipe looks delicious! I need a bowl right now since it’s so cold here today in NC. This chili looks so warming and comforting. Adding it to my list for next weeks meals.
Olga
It looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!
Anna
This sounds yummy! I would definitely make it again! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Shellywest
AnnaThanks for making it! So glad you enjoyed it!
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K Courtney
I made this on a cold wintery day. Followed almost all the directions with a few tweaks. I didn’t have frozen corn so I used peas and added celery with the onion. Gluten free flour works just fine. Only 2 cans of beans. Instead of Milk I used cream of mushroom soup.
It turned out delicious!!
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culinary wonder
The recipe and photo look amazing, However, the lack of seasoning left bland as hell. added much more Cumin, jalapeno, salt and pepper also I followed recipe to the T and was watery, not creamy at all, had to add flour to make even a little like creamy chili . I am sure in the end it will be delicious but what a bummer I had to save it .
I do so appreciate the vegetarian recipe’s maybe I will put on some myself.
Thanks
Rocco Tavani
Can I make this the day before serving?
lilly b.
Turned out super delicious and creamy. Super easy recipe that had a ton of flavor. Yum!
Katrina Zapora
Wonderful recipe! I’m not actually vegan, but love trying new healthy, hearty soup recipes. This one moved to the top of my list as a favorite!!