What’s for dinner? It’s a question that gets asked on a nearly daily basis in my house, and I bet it’s asked frequently in your house too.
Mom and I cook dinner almost every single night. And I love what we make pretty much every single night. In fact, I basically never eat out because restaurant food disappoints me more often than not, when what I make does not. I simply love home cooking and knowing all the ingredients in my food.
Fish is a staple dinner food for me, along with a simple salad or roasted or steamed vegetables. Breakfast for dinner is another favorite. Scrambled eggs and kale chips are always a hit. There’s quinoa, soup, and chickpeas too.
But some days, I get bored. I tend to repeat my favorite meals over and over again without tiring of them. That is, until a craving for something different, something new, something exciting strikes.
I recently placed a huge Bob’s Red Mill order, which included some dried cannellini beans. I’ll admit I wasn’t entirely sure what to do with them until I saw Brown Eyed Baker’s while chicken chili recipe.
I switched it up a bit to accommodate the dried beans, suit my tastes (I don’t like chicken), and use what I had in the pantry. The end result was a gluten free, vegan chili that I still can’t stop thinking about. I loved the hearty vegetables, creamy beans, and the warm spice of the broth. The portion in the freezer is bound to be on the dinner table again before long.
Vegan White Bean Chili
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion (I used a red onion), chopped
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 Anaheim pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 head garlic, cloves peeled and cut in half
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 ½ cups dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 12 cremini mushrooms, sliced
Instructions
- Heat a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil. Then add the onions, peppers, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, turmeric, and black pepper. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and the spices are very fragrant, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 1 minute.
- Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot. Add the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Place a lid on the pot and cook for about 1 hour 15 minutes. Occasionally check on and stir the chili during this time.
- Add the carrots and mushrooms and cook an additional 15 minutes with the lid on. Before serving, check to make sure the beans are tender. Serve with garnishes of your choosing. I really enjoyed sliced avocado, cilantro, parsley, and fresh lemon wedges. Chili may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Good stuff! I make vegan chili all the time, simply because I so love beans in chili. This is such a nice dish — thanks so much.
I too love, love beans….any kind. This sounds wonderful and again am thinking I want to do vegetarian….for my health. Not vegan as I will eat fish and eggs but I think no meat or chicken. This will be right up my alley!!
Awesome that you’re going to try to be vegetarian again. Good luck!
Mmm this looks so good. I love a good chili!! Bob’s red mill products are the best – I buy them all the time.
I love white bean chili as an alternative to red chili! It feels somehow more indulgent even though it really isn’t. What a great vegan version!
This kind of meal is quite common here in Spain and I must say I love it.. I actually love all kind of beans! Happy weekend ahead.. 🙂 xoxo
Squirrel and I stopped going out to eat after we had one too many meals that weren’t up to our standards. Now we eat at home, and the food is guaranteed delicious. Love this chili. It looks so hearty.
Totally agree! It drives my mom nuts that I hate to go out to eat, but I have had so many experiences that were bad that it’s just not worth the time, money, or calories.
Cannelini beans are my favorite bean and this looks like a good recipe! I love to go out to eat as I love to discover new places. Lately, though everything seems to be pretty mediocre!
My wife and I have been working on eating healthier meals, and this chili looks like a welcome addition to our new and improved diets. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Loren, and thanks for visiting 🙂
My wife and I are obsessed with chili. It’s such a great dinner option because you can make a huge batch of it, freeze portion sizes, and boom… instant dinner whenever you need it!
Yes! Love freezer meals!
I am embarrassed to say that I just recently tried chili for the first time, now I am absolutely obsessed with it! This version sounds just delicious! I will have to try it soon 🙂
Our family is also a big fan of breakfast for dinner, it’s just so much fun! Great post Laura!
I never used to like chili at all. I’d taste it here and there, but I wouldn’t sit down to a bowl. I really like this version because it doesn’t have tomatoes, and I don’t like cooked tomatoes. Have a great weekend, Jessica!
This chili looks so warm and comforting! I’m sooo glad to have stumbled upon your blog, since I can also relate to the dual obsession with writing and baking. Oh, I can’t think of what to write next, time to make some cookies…no? 🙂
I’m glad you found my blog too! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Great chili! I adore cannellini beans, and I think they are especially good in chili – a twist on the usual pinto beans. Have a wonderful weekend!
Thanks, Adri, and thanks for visiting!
I adore white beans, but for some odd reason never seem to use them!! This chili looks delicious, perfect for a rainy night in!!
Yes! I keep craving it in this rainy, chilly spring. Thanks, Elizabeth!