Vegan White Chickpea Chili
This White Chickpea Chili is a vegan twist on the ever popular white chicken chili. It’s loaded with veggies, beans and plenty of spice in a broth of coconut milk, vegetable broth, and salsa verde. Make room in your monthly meal rotation for this 30 minute dinner!
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You Will Love This
- If you’re a chili lover like me, it’s fun to try something a little different than your traditional tomato-based chili recipe. Although I enjoy classic red chilis (as evidenced by the wide variety of chilies on my site including Shredded Short Rib Chili, Creamy Enchilada Chicken Chili, and Vegan Black Bean Chili) but I love the unique flavors that this white chickpea chili has and it’s fun to switch it up with some plant-based meals.
- You won’t even miss the chicken, I promise! This type of white chili is typically made with chicken breast, but in this recipe, I’ve replaced the chicken with chickpeas, and I’m telling you – it’s AMAZING. Chickpeas can literally replace any meat in any of your favorite dishes and they really shine in this chili. A few of my other favorites that showcase chickpeas instead of meat include my BBQ Chickpea Sandwich, Creamy Chickpea Noodle Soup, Greek Chickpea Gyros, Sheet Pan Chickpea Fajitas, and BBQ Chickpea Pizza. If you’re looking to add more vegan meals to your family dinner rotation – try switching out the meat in the dish for chickpeas!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Yellow Onion – You can use white or red onion in place of the yellow onion if you prefer.
- Red Bell Pepper – You can use any color of bell pepper for this chickpea chili. I love the flavor of red bell pepper.
- Jalapeno – You can omit the jalapeno if you don’t have any on hand but it adds delicious flavor. If you like a real spicy chili, don’t remove all the seeds and ribs.
- Garlic – I like to use fresh garlic but if you don’t have any in the pantry, you can use about 3/4 of a teaspoon or more in place of the fresh garlic.
- Spices – Cumin, chili powder, ground coriander, and dried oregano combine to create a delicious layering of flavors.
- Garbanzo Beans – Also known as chickpeas, the garbanzo beans replace the chicken breast that is usually used in white chili.
- Pinto Beans – You can use any type of bean for this recipe – black beans, kidney beans, or even Great Northern beans, but I love the flavor and creamy texture of pinto beans.
- Salsa Verde – I like to use green salsa (salsa verde) for this recipe because it has a little kick. You could also use red salsa in this chickpea chili recipe.
- Coconut Milk – The coconut milk is going to give this chili a deliciously creamy texture. If you aren’t worried about this soup being vegan, you can substitute about half the amount with heavy cream.
- Vegetable Broth – If you aren’t keeping this chili vegan or vegetarian, use chicken broth in place of the veggie broth.
Instructions
Sauté onion, red pepper, and jalapeno in oil along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper for 5 minutes.
Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently for another minute.
Add a splash of vegetable broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom.
Add garbanzo beans, pinto beans, salsa verde, coconut milk, and vegetable broth along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in fresh lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Garnish with your favorite toppings – don’t forget the homemade fried tortilla strips – and enjoy!
Tips
- This chickpea chili has a bit of a kick to it! Our family enjoys the amount of spice, although for our daughter we added a scoop of sour cream and mixed it in just to mellow it out a bit. If you’d like a more mild chili, try using mild green salsa and omitting the chili powder.
- If you like a thicker chili, try adding less vegetable broth. The coconut milk will make the chili super creamy and then the vegetable broth helps to thin that out a bit, but if you want a creamier chili, add less vegetable broth – you can always add more later!
- Be sure to moderately salt this chili! The ingredient list is simple, and while it does have a few spices in it, salt is going to go a long way in boosting the overall flavors of the dish. I recommend using Kosher salt to season as you have more control over how much you add. It’s easy to get heavy handed with traditional table salt and add too much.
Make Ahead, Storage, Freezing, Reheating Instructions
- Make Ahead: This chickpea chili is a delicious make ahead meal! It’s perfect for Sunday night meal prep and will taste great throughout the week!
- Storage: Store this chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Before eating, thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheating: I like to reheat this chili in a saucepan over medium heat. You may need to add a bit of broth to loosen it up. Cook, stirring frequently, until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Try these easy soups next!
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Vegan White Chickpea Chili
This White Chickpea Chili is a vegan twist on the ever popular white chicken chili. It’s loaded with veggies, beans and plenty of spice in a broth of coconut milk, vegetable broth, and salsa verde. Make room in your monthly meal rotation for this family favorite!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
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- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, petite diced
- 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 (15 oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 16 oz. salsa verde (green salsa)
- 1 (13.5 oz.) full fat coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- juice of 1 lime (about 2 tablespoons)
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
Serve with:
- tortilla strips
- sour cream
- crumbled cotija cheese
- fresh chopped cilantro
- sliced jalapeno
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat.
- Add onion, red pepper, and jalapeno along with a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, chili powder, coriander, and oregano and cook, stirring frequently for another minute.
- Add a splash of vegetable broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom.
- Add garbanzo beans, pinto beans, salsa verde, coconut milk, and remaining vegetable broth along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper.
- Stir to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in fresh lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings – don’t forget the homemade fried tortilla strips – and enjoy!
Love this version of chili! I think needs a bit more vegetables tho. I added mushrooms and corn. Changed one can of garbanzo beans to white beans. The flavor was excellent, the lime really seals the deal at the end.
This is exceptional! I just found the recipe and made it for game night with friends. It was a hit. I was asked for the recipe. I followed the recipe and made no changes. I will be making this again, and again. Thank you!!
I love this recipe. My salsa is spicy so I cut back on the chili powder. I also like to add a can of black beans. What I think takes this next level is the addition of vegan chorizo. It adds a depth of flavor and gorgeous color. I use one package of Trader Joe’s Vegan (Soy) Chorizo – cooked first, then added when simmering.
Very delicious! This is a simple and healthy meal to make during the week.
So delicious! I was a little unsure too about the coconut milk but it was an unexpected delight! I made this exactly as directed which was a hit and a second time in the slow cooker which worked great too! Kids loved it! Husband loved it! Vegan household win!!!
How long did you have it in the slow cooker?
We have made this several times and our entire family (including somewhat picky kids) loves it. One thing that I like about it is that it is super quick to put together! Thanks for a great recipe!
I hate chilli in all forms but totally love ginger. Any suggestions as to how much grated ginger to use as a substitute?
This was great! Definitely going to be a staple for my family. I tested it as a vegan meal for my parents & they enjoyed it. (Still added sour cream;)
I only used half a jalapeño cause we don’t handle spice well. Love how fast & flavorful it was. Thank you!
Love this! So glad you enjoyed this recipe – thanks for leaving a review!
This recipe exceeded my expectations! Wow. Delicious 👍🏻
I am so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Stef. Thank you for leaving a review – I really appreciate it!
Omg this was the best soup ever!!! I love spicy!!!
Excellent vegan chili!
Wasn’t sure what to expect with coconut milk but very creative and flavorful!
I hear you! The coconut milk gives it that creamy texture and some fat but it doesn’t impart a ton of flavor because of the other spices!! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Barb! Thanks for leaving a review!
Easy to make but be careful what salsa verde you buy! That is what made it almost unbearable!!
Yes! Some salsa verde can be quite spicy. Be sure to test yours out before adding it to the pot. If you find that the soup is too spicy, try adding extra coconut milk or squeeze of lime juice.
Do you know how many grams are in a serving by chance?!
I don’t unfortunately! Honestly, I don’t love to put nutrition facts in my recipes but have to do it for SEO/Google purposes. I would guess that a serving of this soup is about 1.5 cups or so if that helps!
Have made this several times and it is always a hit! Just curious what you serve with it? Thanks so much for this great recipe!
I actually love to serve this chili with cornbread! The sweet cornbread pairs really well with the slight spice from the salsa verde! Great question, Holly!
Is it normal that there are no chickpea’s in the ingredient list or instructions?
Chickpeas are garbanzo beans.
Thank you! That clears things up 🙂
Easy and Delicious!
So delicious! I have made this many times, following the recipe without changes. Even my meat eating boyfriend loves it!
Another tip to make a soup thicker, remove one cup of the soup and blend it smooth, then add it back to the pot! Cashew cream also works great for a sour cream substitute if you want to keep it vegan.
I was wondering when someone would bring up the non-vegan toppings. Thanks for the sub tip – I am not vegan but some friends are and I try to be respectful of their dietary preferences when they come over!
When I create a vegan recipe, I don’t put the word vegan in front of every ingredient as it would be redundant. It is implied that it is vegan sour cream and vegan cheese. Those who follow a vegan diet know that in order to keep this soup vegan they need to avoid animal products when topping it. There is always someone (usually someone who isn’t vegan) that likes to point out the “non-vegan” ingredients which make me wonder if they know that you can get a vegan version of just about anything these days! Those who are cooking for vegans should educate themselves on whether ingredients are vegan or not.
This is a world-class recipe. After the first time I tried it, it went into my weekly rotation. I’ve replaced the coconut milk and veg stock with equal measures of half and half and chicken stock and served it to company. It’s that good. For my weekly lunches I leave it vegan. It has SO much flavor. Cut corn tortillas into strips, toss them in some veg oil and bake them on a sheet pan for a delicious topping.