This Vegan White Chili is the perfect cozy soup for the chili lover. Made with simple ingredients like white beans, cashew cream, corn, potatoes, green chilis and your favorite vegan chicken. I'll show you how to make it on the stove, instant pot or slow cooker.
There's nothing more comforting when the weather starts to get colder, than a big pot of chili. It's the perfect dinner to feed a large crowd as well. I love making this for my local vegan potlucks.
While red chili is tomato based, traditional white chicken chili is usually made with chicken, broth, green chilies, white beans and some sort of sour cream or cream cheese.
We're easily swapping out the chicken for a plant based chicken, or soy curls. This creamy chili tastes amazing and hearty without any animal products.
If you'd like more easy vegan chili recipes, make sure to check out my Vegan Three Bean Chili, Vegan Instant Pot Chili and this Vegan Black Bean Soup Panera Bread Copycat Recipe next!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- comforting one pot dinner
- vegan, vegetarian, dairy free, gluten free
- hearty and filling
- easy one pot recipe that's great for meal prep
🍠 Ingredients & substitutions
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full list of ingredients.
Great northern beans - Creamy white beans add an amazing flavor and tons of protein to this white vegan chili. You can also use cannellini beans or navy beans. Pinto beans also work, but this would be my last choice, since they have a stronger flavor than white beans. Using canned beans makes this recipe easier, or you can easily cook your own dried beans for half the price!
Seasonings - This vegan chili is packed with flavor, thanks to the green chilies, cumin, paprika, oregano, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, garlic and yellow onion.
Salsa verde - In addition to the canned green chiles, I love adding in a small jar of salsa verde. This adds a nice balance to the earthy flavors in the chili. I used Trader Joe's salsa, but use whatever you can find at your local grocery store.
Corn and potatoes - These vegetables add a nice heartiness to the soup. You can also add in carrots and celery if you really want to level-up your veggie game.
Homemade vegan heavy cream (cashew cream) - This is really easy to make with just raw cashews and a blender. You can also use a vegan sour cream like Toffuti brand, vegan cream cheese or canned full-fat coconut milk.
Vegan chicken - I love using Gardein brand or Beyond Meat chicken. You can also make your own Vegan Seitan Chicken or use soy curls, but make sure to rehydrate them in warm water for at least 10 minutes first. You can also use mushrooms, since they have a nice chewy flavor, like chicken.
No-chicken broth - a vegan chicken broth will add a nice depth of flavor to this chili. You can also use any vegetable broth or bouillon that you have on hand.
Toppings - Fresh lime juice, fresh cilantro, jalapeno pepper, tortilla chips, vegan cheese and sour cream all add an amazing zing of flavor that brings the whole dish together.
🍴 Directions
Make sure to scroll to the recipe card for full step-by-step instructions.
Step one: Add olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. Add in the vegan chicken and sauté until slightly golden brown. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Step two: Add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add in all of the seasonings and sauté for 1 minute to allow their flavors to deepen.
Step three: Add in the great northern beans and the rest of the ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes.
Step four: Use an immersion blender, or potato masher to blend a little bit of the soup. Add in the vegan cream and vegan chicken. Top with lime wedges and your favorite toppings.
✨ Expert tips
Bloom the spices - let the spices sauté in the oil before adding any broth. This helps to deepen their flavor.
Don't skip blending - this will make this super creamy and have an amazing chili texture. Use an immersion blender or potato masher if you don't want to transfer a couple scoops of the soup to a high-speed blender.
Don't forget the toppings - the toppings are what bring the whole soup together. Tortilla chips add a nice crunchy texture on top.
Add some heat - if you'd like this to be spicier, add in a jalapeño pepper.
💥 Storing & reheating
Fridge - This vegetarian white chili will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. This will thicken as it cools, so add in a splash of vegetable stock or liquid when reheating.
🍞 Serving suggestions
This is a very hearty chili, but if you'd like to fill up even more, serve this with a Crispy Oven Baked Potato, Crispy Tofu Wrap or 3 Ingredient Homemade Bread.
❓Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just sauté the onions and garlic. Add in all of the ingredients except for the toppings and vegan chicken and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Blend part of the soup with an immersion blender. Sauté the vegan chicken and add that in with the vegan cream, lime juice and cilantro. Top with your favorite toppings.
Yes! This creamy chili freezes very well. Just store in a freezer-safe container for up to three months.
Yes! Just sauté the onions and transfer them to your slow cooker. Add in all of the ingredients except for the toppings and vegan chicken and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 6 hours. Blend part of the soup with an immersion blender. Sauté the vegan chicken and add that in with the vegan cream, lime juice and cilantro. Top with your favorite toppings.
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📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan White Chili
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2½ cups vegan chicken (see notes for substitutions)
- 1 small yellow onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 30 ounces (2 cans) great northern beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 large potato (peeled and diced)
- 7 ounce can of green chilies
- 1¼ cup frozen corn
- ½ lime (juiced)
- 12 ounces salsa verde
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
- 4 cups no-chicken broth
Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Toppings
- tortilla chips, vegan cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado
Instructions
- Add the raw cashews to a large mug and cover with boiled water. Let them soak for 10 minutes. Drain and add the cashews to a blender with ½ cup of water and blend until smooth. Set aside.½ cup raw cashews
- Add a teaspoon of oil to a large pot on medium heat. Let the pan heat up for one minute. Add in the vegan chicken and sauté until crispy and golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.2½ cups vegan chicken
- Add oil to the pan and heat it for one minute. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small yellow onion
- Add the spices and garlic let them sauté with the onions for one minute.2 teaspoons ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Add in the broth to deglaze the pan and scrape any bits that got stuck to the bottom. Add the beans, vegetables, nutritional yeast, chilies and salsa. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat to a simmer. Cover partially with a lid and let the chili simmer for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.30 ounces (2 cans) great northern beans, 7 ounce can of green chilies, 4 cups no-chicken broth, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 large potato, 12 ounces salsa verde, 1¼ cup frozen corn
- Add in the cashew cream and let it thicken for one minute while stirring. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup for one minute, or transfer a cup of chili to a blender, blend it up and return it to the pot to help the chili thicken.
- Add in the vegan chicken, lime juice and cilantro and stir. Top with your favorite toppings.½ lime, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, vegan cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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