Creamy Healthy Vegetarian White Chili Recipe (with vegan option) (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between chili and white chili? ›

There's your red. On the other hand, white versions are made with chicken instead of beef, and without tomatoes but with beans (usually white beans) and tons of flavor from green chilies.

As a Dietitian, I love a one bowl meal that has complex carbs, protein, plenty of veggies, and healthy fat all in one. This chili is packed with plant protein and filling fiber from beans and veggies, making it crazy hearty. Regular consumption of beans can help lower cardiovascular risk.

Chili should be thick and hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but sometimes there's just a bit more liquid than you want in the pot. While you can simply keep simmering the chili, that method risks overcooking softer ingredients like the beans, losing all your nice texture to mushy monotony.

6. Add oats: If you don't have any leftover vegetables or beans, use quick oats to thicken your chili. Adding oats to your chili is also a healthy alternative to cornstarch and all-purpose flour.

Cornmeal: Add a tablespoon of cornmeal or masa harina while stirring continuously. Mashed Beans: Mash a portion of the beans and stir them into the chili to thicken it. Crushed Tortilla Chips: Crushed tortilla chips can also be added as a thickening agent.

Green chillies have higher water content and zero calories which makes them a healthy choice for those who are trying to shed some pounds. Green chillies are a rich source of beta–carotene, antioxidants and endorrphins while red chilies consumed in excess can cause internal inflammation which results in peptic ulcers.

Stirred into the pot right before serving, a spoonful of vinegar brightens up the finished product, and gives it that full, rounded taste that was missing. Even if the chili recipe you're using doesn't call for vinegar, go ahead and add it anyway. You won't actually taste the tang or sharp flavor of the vinegar.

This Vegan Chili is a moderately-spiced, tomato-y stew loaded with chunks of celery, onion, green bell pepper, and carrot. Spices like ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic, and cayenne pepper add some body to the chili, while kidney beans and pinto beans give a hearty and creamy texture.

Vegetables. Bell peppers, sweet potatoes, carrots, and celery help make this chili incredibly nutritious and flavorful. The varying textures of these veggies also create a wonderful chili consistency. Tomato Sauce + Diced Tomatoes.

Eating too much red chili, which makes our food hot and spicy, can cause heartburn or digestive problems. It doesn't stop there; it can also cause serious health problems.”

What adds depth of flavor to chili? ›

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

Cornmeal is one of our go-to thickening agents for chili. Unlike all-purpose flour, this Southern pantry staple adds a subtle earthy flavor to the chili in addition to thickening it up. You can use white or yellow cornmeal that is fine to medium-grain.

Tomato paste. This is probably the easiest and maybe most common addition to add thickness to a chili recipe. Tomato paste is super thick and not only adds texture but adds a richer and deeper flavor to chili.

Make a cornstarch slurry: Mix together 1 tablespoon each of cornstarch and cold water, stirring well to remove any lumps. Then, stir the slurry into your chili and let it simmer for another 10 minutes to fully thicken.

It can help but I prefer using flour for chili. The texture is better. I was also worried about the texture of the cornstarch slurry. It would definitely thicken it, but I am not sure it would be the texture that I want for chili.

The good news is there are lots of easy ways to thicken up your chili with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry— flour, cornmeal, pureed beans, cornstarch, or even crushed tortilla chips will help do the job, along with some good old extra simmering time.

All-purpose flour and cornstarch are useful for thickening chili, as well as sauces, soups, and stews. However, you'll want to avoid adding these ingredients directly to your recipe, as this will result in clumps. Instead, create a slurry and add it slowly to help the thickener fully incorporate.