Back in our recipe contest days, Pam Georges submitted this vegan white chili recipe. It’s made lightly creamy with thickened milk beverage and a big dollop of sour cream. The beans also let off some starch as they cook, naturally thickening the soup.
Vegan White Chili that’s Lightly Creamy and oh-so Comforting
Here are some additional recipe notes and ingredient suggestions:
- Serving Tips: Dishes like this need to be served with vegan cornbread, crackers, or crusty bread to soak up the goodness. Or if your local grocer offers sourdough mini rounds, you can make your own bread bowls!
- Milk Beverage: We like coconut milk beverage because it cooks well. You can use another unsweetened plain dairy-free milk beverage, but keep in mind that some brands don’t perform as well when cooked. If your soup curdles, thickens oddly, or seems more watery, the culprit is likely your milk beverage.
- Sour Cream Alternative: You can find the best brand for your needs in our dairy-free cream reviews, or make your own! My favorite for this vegan white chili is Cashew Sour Cream, but the Tofu Sour Cream also works well and adds thickness.
Special Diet Notes: Creamy Vegan White Chili
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, plant-based, and vegetarian. Just be sure to choose the butter alternative, broth, and sour cream alternative that suit your dietary needs.
- ¼ cup dairy-free buttery spread
- ½ small onion, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground oregano
- 5 cups vegan "chicken" broth
- 4 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 large bay leaf
- Salt, to taste
- White pepper, to taste
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup dairy-free sour cream alternative
- Melt the butter alternative in a medium-large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add the diced carrot, cumin, chili powder, and oregano, and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add the broth, beans, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for about 40 to 60 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.
- Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the milk beverage and starch until the starch dissolves.
- Bring the soup back to a boil, and stir in the starch-milk beverage mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
- Stir in the sour cream alternative and serve.