Homemade White Bean Chili

The one thing I love about winter is the warm comfort food that comes with it – especially soups and chili. Tonight we decided to mix it up a bit and create a white bean chili. This recipe makes a large pot of chili and fed five of us with leftovers to spare….we all had second helpings, too!

White Bean Chili

Vegan, Gluten-free, Soy-free

What you need:

• 6 cups of cooked white beans (we used navy beans)
• 4 cups of water (can use veggie broth instead)
• 2 vegan bouillon cubes (if using veggie broth, omit bouillon)
• 2 cups of organic diced tomatoes (or you can use one BPA-free can of tomatoes)
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 shallots (peeled and chopped)
• 2 organic green peppers (chopped to your preference)
• 1 large organic carrot, chopped
• 6-7 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tablespoon dried cilantro
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 2 tablespoons of Dr. Fuhrman’s Nutritional Yeast (can use any nutritional yeast, but we prefer his as it does not contain any synthetic folic acid)
• 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

How to:

1. In a large pot, add your cooked white beans and 4 cups of water. Bring to a light boil and then add your two bouillon cubes. If you’re using veggie broth instead, just combine your beans and broth and bring to a light boil.
2. Next add the tomatoes to the pot and cook uncovered over medium heat.
3. While the tomatoes and beans are cooking together, pour your olive oil into a pan and sauté the shallots until they become translucent. Then add the carrots and sauté for another five minutes. Add your peppers, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, paprika, cumin, coriander, chili powder (add more olive oil if needed). Sauté briefly to combine the flavors, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Once those veggies are done, add them to the pot of beans and tomatoes.
5. Add the nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper; stir well. Allow the mixture to cook for about 20-25 minutes, uncovered – to let the flavors absorb. Stir occasionally.
6. Next use a hand immersion blender to puree some of it – this will greatly thicken the mixture. You don’t have to do this step if you prefer a thinner soup-like texture. If you don’t have a hand immersion blender, you can use a high-speed blender to puree some of the chili. If you feel the chili is too thick, you can always add extra water or broth.
7. Top with sliced avocado, cashew cream, sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, or anything else you can think of! Can also serve with tortilla chips or bread.
8. Enjoy!