Ready in just 30 minutes, this one-pot vegan white chili is simple to make, easy to customize, and delicious! We use king oyster mushrooms instead of chicken and simmer them with various veggies and herbs to create a flavor-packed and filling dish. Whether you serve it for lunch or dinner, you will not want to stop after the first serving!
We love chili because it is the perfect meal for “chilly” days and any other day of the year! It is also incredibly versatile and can have many different flavors and styles. Be sure to check out some of our other easy vegan chili recipes, such as our quinoa sweet potato chili and the best vegan chili recipe!
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What to expect?
This protein-packed, fully loaded vegan white chicken chili recipe uses king oyster mushrooms instead of the typical shredded chicken to add texture and umami flavor. We then combine it with white beans, sweet corn, chopped celery, veggie broth, and various delicious herbs and spices before simmering it to perfection.
The result is a creamy, spicy, filling chili that can be customized and used in numerous ways! Check the end of this recipe for the many different variations and serving ideas.
Here is why you will love this recipe:
- You can prepare an easy one-pot meal in just half an hour.
- No fancy ingredients are required! You can find everything in your pantry or your local grocery store.
- It is filling and nutritious, perfect for lunch or dinner.
- It freezes well and is excellent for batch cooking.
- It is highly versatile and customizable — there are many ways to prepare and serve this delicious vegan white chili!
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Ingredients
This vegan white chili recipe uses king oyster mushrooms as a vegan substitute for chicken, white beans, and various vegetables and herbs. However, there are plenty of other ways to customize its ingredients! We provide more ingredient and recipe ideas in the Variations and Serving Ideas section below.
- King oyster mushrooms
- Onion
- Garlic cloves
- Vegetable broth
- Vegan sour cream – If you need a nut-free vegan sour cream recipe.
- White beans – You can use cannellini beans, navy beans, great northern beans, baby lima beans, butter beans, garbanzo beans, or pinto beans
- Sweet corn (canned)
- Celery stalk
- Green chili peppers
- Ground cumin
- Oregano
- Cilantro
- Lime juice
- Nutritional yeast
- Bay leaves
- Cornstarch
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
Preparing ingredients
- Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic clove.
- Peel and slice the celery stalks.
- Wash and slice green chili peppers.
- Using a fork, tear apart the stem of the king oyster mushrooms. Cut the top part of the mushrooms to a similar size.
Making vegan white chili
- Preheat your Dutch oven (or stockpot) over medium heat. Add the olive oil and the finely chopped onion. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes until the onion is tender.
- Add the finely chopped garlic. Stir and cook the mixture for one minute.
- Add the chopped celery, shredded king oyster mushrooms, green chili peppers, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the cumin, chopped cilantro, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth, then bring the chili to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the canned white beans and sweet corn. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix the vegan sour cream with the cornstarch. Add a small amount of the warm liquid from the chili and mix it well until it becomes a slurry. Add the slurry to the boiling chili and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens.
Cooking tips
- Thickening the chili – We use cornstarch to thicken the chili in this recipe. However, there are many ways to do so, as we discuss in our guide to thickening soups. Add more cornstarch if you want it thicker.
- Make a slurry – Do not add cornstarch to hot chili. Instead, you will want to make a slurry, as discussed in Steps 7 and 8 of the recipe.
- Precook dry beans – If using dry beans, precook them before adding them to the chili.
- Cut the vegetables evenly – Make sure to cut the vegetables evenly so that they soften at the same time while cooking. We like to add the carrots first, as they require more cooking time. We then add the bell pepper, celery, canned beans, and corn.
- Stir frequently – To prevent the chili sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot, keep it on medium heat and stir frequently.
Variations
One of the best things about this savory vegan white chili is that it is incredibly versatile and customizable to your taste. You can load it with more veggies and protein or make it as spicy or mild as you wish! Below we share several ways to try:
- Other mushrooms – We recommend king oyster mushrooms for the best results; however, you can try different oyster mushroom types. Here is where to buy them. You can also try one of the many other oyster mushroom substitutes.
- Other chicken or protein substitutes: Instead of king oyster mushrooms, try soy curls as your chicken substitute. However, the shreds will be much larger, and the texture will be firmer. As another protein alternative, you can also use chickpeas, tempeh, TVP, or cubed firm/extra-firm tofu.
- Different beans or legumes: There is a wide variety of beans you can use for this recipe, including pinto beans, black beans, and red kidney beans. You can also use chickpeas or a mix of the above beans!
- Other herbs: Add ground coriander and dried oregano for additional flavor.
- More veggies: For added nutrition, add in butternut squash, sweet potato, mushroom, red lentil, eggplant, or leafy greens such as spinach or kale.
- More heat: If you like your chili spicy, add some heat to the mix. Some options (depending on the level of spiciness you prefer) include mild chili powder, sriracha chili paste, hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or freshly chopped raw chili peppers.
Serving ideas
This one-pot meal is filling and delicious on its own, but if you want to take it to the next level by combining it with other sides or creating a brand new dish! Here are a few serving ideas to try:
- With toppings: Top it with sour cream or avocado, or sprinkle it with vegan shredded cheese, vegan bacon bits, chopped cilantro, spring onion, or scallions. Squeeze a bit of lime juice over the top for a tangy twist!
- Alongside chips or crackers: Serve it with a side of tortilla tips or crackers for dipping.
- Mexican-style: One of our favorite ways to eat this chili is on top of a soft tortilla wrap with rice, vegan sour cream, guacamole, and shredded vegan cheese. Try it with our grain-free red lentil tortillas!
- Chili Nachos: Serve it over tortilla chips with our vegan nacho cheese sauce or creamy vegan queso dip for a delicious game day appetizer.
- Chili bread bowl: Serve it in a flaky bowl topped with your favorite toppings.
- Baked potato: Make a loaded baked potato using vegan white chili as the topping.
- Stuffed mushrooms: Add the chili to large mushrooms as we do in our vegan stuffed portabello mushrooms recipe.
- Other sides: Try it with other popular side dishes for chili, such as our easy vegan coleslaw, veggie fries, or cauliflower rice. You can also serve it alongside biscuits or a slice of cornbread!
Storing tips
Most stews, soups, and casseroles taste better the next day, and this vegan white chili is no exception! It is also great for batch cooking. It is important to note that you must wait for the chili to cool before storing it.
Fridge: Once cooled, store your chili leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Chili can be stored in the freezer if you have not already added the fresh cilantro or coriander. Once cooled, store individual servings in freezer-friendly containers or Ziplock bags. Make sure to leave some space at the top of each container. Freeze for 2-3 months.
Reheating: Reheat refrigerated chili in a microwave or a small pot. Adding a small amount of water may be necessary to loosen it. Defrost frozen chili in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
FAQs
Black beans, red kidney beans, and cannellini beans are the most popular. However, you can also use pinto beans, lima beans, and chickpeas for chili. If you want to make white chili, use white beans, not to discolor your chili.
Our vegan white chili recipe is gluten-free. However, checking for certified gluten-free products and sides before using them is best. Most soft and corn flour tortillas are vegan, but not gluten-free. If serving your chili with tortillas, we recommend these coconut flour tortillas or these multi-grain tortillas. Or, you can try our homemade flourless grain-free tortilla made from red lentils and buckwheat.
More vegan Mexican recipes
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Vegan White Chili
Ingredients
- 6 oz King oyster mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 cup Veggie broth
- ½ cup Vegan sour cream
- 28 oz Cannellini or White beans
- 12 oz Sweet corn (canned)
- 2 Celery stalk
- 1 Green chili peppers or to taste
- 1 tsp Cumin
- ½ tsp Oregano chopped
- ½ tsp Cilantro
- 1 Tbsp Lime juice
- 1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Toppings
- Avocado
- Shredded vegan cheese
- Freshly chopped cilantro
- Tortilla chips (5-oz bag)
- Scallion
Instructions
Preparing the ingredients
- Peel and chop the onion and garlic (finely).
- Peel and slice the celery stalks.
- Wash and slice green chili peppers.
- With the help of a fork, tear apart the stem of the king oyster mushrooms. Cut the top part as well to a similar size.
Making vegan white chili
- Preheat your Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil and chopped onion. Cook them for approx. 2-3 minutes until they are tender.
- Add finely chopped garlic. Stir and cook for a minute.
- Add chopped celery, shredded king oyster mushrooms, green chili slices, and bay leaves. Stir and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
- Add cumin, oregano, cilantro, nutritional yeast, salt, and black pepper. Stir well. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth. Bring the stew to a boil.
- Add canned white beans and sweet corn. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix vegan sour cream with cornstarch. Add some warm liquid from the chili and mix it well. Add this slurry to the boiling chili and simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens.
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