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

FAQs

What are good substitutes for meat in chili? ›

Black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, tofu (for that meaty texture), and a ton of spices including chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt.

I think this may be the third iteration of Trader Joe's vegetarian (really vegan) chili. — at one point, they swapped out the soy for sunflower protein, and now peas are having their day in the sun. So, if you have allergies or sensitivities to peas, proceed with caution.

Tofu or tempeh: cube it small, and you have a high protein substitute for beans in your chili. 1 to 1 ½ cups cubed per can of beans. Lentils: you can have lentils but not beans in your diet? No problem.

White Chili is made with chicken instead of beef, and without a tomato base. White beans and lots of delicious spices are used instead of chili beans or pinto beans. Both have amazing flavors!

With a similar texture, ground chicken or ground turkey can be superb substitutes for ground beef. The poultry is a bit paler than beef, which can change the appearance of some dishes, but they still taste equally delicious.

Chick-fil-A offers a few options for those times you need to feed a bunch of hungry vegans at once. Does Chick-fil-A offer vegan chicken? No, there is no vegan chicken. But since other fast-food chains have introduced plant-based substitutes for chicken, we might see this at Chick-fil-A before long.

This chili is deliciously crafted with black beans, whole grains and plant based meat crumbles for powerful flavor. Each bowl of this vegan chili contains 12 grams of protein, is packed with 30 percent of your daily veggies, and is a good source of fiber.

Yes, all you heat-lovers on a plant-based diet will be happy to hear that hot sauce is generally vegan-friendly.

Is chili healthier with or without beans? ›

"The beans will also bump up the fiber, magnesium, and folic acid, and they may help to increase the body's good (HDL) cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and fight inflammation." Mix and match bean types in your chili for more varied nutrients.

Stir in Some Beans

Instead, use beans in your healthy chili to add fiber and stretch your dish healthfully and inexpensively. You can use one type of beans, such as kidney beans or black beans, or mix several types for a variety.

Best: Pacific Foods Plant-Based Fire Roasted Vegetable Chili

This is because the vegetarian ingredients pack loads of fiber and still meet our minimum protein recommendations. Although this option falls a little short at 8 grams of fiber per cup, eating a full can will fill you up with 15 grams and only 360 calories.

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.

From a restaurant perspective, chili is typically assumed to be a meat dish: chili con carne. This a Spanish term that means “Chili peppers with meat.” Vegetarian chili has been around for a long time, but if a restaurant serves it, it's typically called “vegetarian chili” or “bean chili”.

Like beef broth, chicken broth is a kitchen staple and makes a good substitute if you are all out of the meaty broth. This savory, salty liquid has a milder flavor than beef broth but is a good one-to-one replacement. Chicken broth also has a similar nutrition profile to beef broth, low in calories and high in sodium.

Some whole foods, such as beans, lentils, chickpeas, and mushrooms, contain protein or have a meaty texture and can work well as meat substitutes. Food manufacturers often include these types of food in their vegetarian and vegan products.