Vegetarian White Bean Chili

Loaded with navy and pinto beans, this meatless white chili is easy, creamy, and just the right amount of spicy.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 501kcal

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion diced
1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt more to taste
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 4-ounce can green chiles
2 15-ounce cans pinto beans drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can navy beans drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup sour cream more for serving
Toppings cilantro, lime, avocado, tomatoes, shredded cheese, jalapeno, onions, or tortilla chips

Warm the olive oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the onion and jalapeno and cook for a few minutes until tender. Stir in the garlic, cumin, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook for one more minute until fragrant. Stir the veggies in the cornstarch until coated.
Add the green chiles, drained and rinsed pinto and navy beans, and vegetable broth to the pot. Increase heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a rapid simmer. Let the chili simmer for 15 minutes until thickened. You can use 3 cups instead of 4 cups broth and/or simmer it for longer if you want it to be thicker.
A few minutes before the chili is finished, prepare the sour cream. Place it in a small bowl and add a couple tablespoons of the chili broth. Mix the broth into the sour cream, adding a few more spoonfuls of broth one at a time, until the sour cream is warm. Then, stir this mixture into the chili. This prevents you from adding cold sour cream to hot chili which can cause it to get grainy or lose its creaminess.
Serve the chili with toppings of choice: cilantro, lime juice, tortilla chips, avocado, cheese, more sour cream, onions, jalapeno, or tomatoes. It also goes great with cornbread!
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Substitutions or additions: You can sub Great Northern or Cannellini beans or use my Instant Pot Pinto Beans in place of canned ones if desired. For less spice, omit the jalapeno or cayenne pepper and choose mild green chiles over hot ones. For more spice, add a second jalapeno, increase the cayenne, and/or choose hot green chiles. You can also add shredded chicken if desired.
Leftovers, freezing, and reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan until warmed through. To freeze the chili, let it cool completely then transfer to airtight containers. Store in the freezer and enjoy within a few months for best results. You can reheat the chili from frozen in a saucepan with a lid (stir it frequently to prevent scorching) or let it thaw overnight in the fridge.