Low-Fat Vegetarian White Bean Chili

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 06/18/21
Low fat vegetarian white bean chili

​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak 
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total: 35 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
258 Calories
4g Fat
44g Carbs
16g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 258
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 369mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 13g 47%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 16g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 139mg 11%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 803mg 17%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

If you like homemade vegetarian chili recipes, try this vegetarian white bean chili recipe—it's completely meat-free, cholesterol-free and much lower in fat than the usual white bean chili recipes, which often include chicken and turkey.

Instead, this vegetarian white bean chili gets its flavor from plenty of onion, garlic, celery, cumin, cayenne pepper, oregano and canned green chili peppers, as well as some chili powder, of course, and is made with white beans and corn kernels, all topped off with some deliciously melty cheese, if you're not eating vegan. 

Serve up your homemade white bean chili with some garlic bread and a simple side green salad and you've got yourself a quick, healthy, and high-protein meal that the whole family can enjoy. 

All of the ingredients in this recipe are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free, but you'll need to double-check the vegetable broth that you're using, as many brands do contain gluten. Use a gluten-free vegetable broth (or even just swap it out for plain water), if you need this recipe to be completely gluten-free. 

Note that this recipe makes a really big batch, so plan on having plenty of leftovers. Chili freezes well, and there's plenty of creative ways to use up your leftover chili.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 3 stalks celery, chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 1/2 cups corn kernels (frozen and thawed or canned and drained)

  • 1 (4-ounce) can green chile peppers, chopped

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoons chili powder

  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional

  • 5 1/2 cups vegetable broth

  • 5 (14.5-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, undrained

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, celery and garlic, and heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the onions and celery are soft.

    Ingredients for white bean chili
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  2. Add the green chili peppers, corn kernels, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper.

    Add green chilies
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  3. Heat for just a minute or two, then add vegetable broth and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer.

    Heat for a minute
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  4. Allow to cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes.

    Allow to cook
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

  5. Serve your chili topped with a bit of shredded cheese, if you're not eating vegan.

    Serve chili
    ​The Spruce Eats / Anastasiia Tretiak

Tip

  • Like many chili recipes, this one makes quite a bit! Rather than half the recipe, portion out leftovers into individual containers and freeze to take into the office or pack into lunchboxes for healthy homemade lunch for later.

Recipe Variations

  • Instead of vegetable broth, use a combination of vegetable broth and water.
  • Swap the Great Northern beans out for white cannellini beans.