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    Home » Recipes

    Published: Jan 19, 2022 · Modified: Dec 11, 2022

    Easy Vegan White Chili Chowder

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Easy Vegan White Chili Chowder is my favorite "chili" recipe. It's chili, it's chowder, it's both! This recipe has the simple ingredients of cannellini beans, corn, and potatoes but it's the spices that make it unique. Cinnamon? Yes, please!

    I love soups, stews, chowders and chilis of all kinds but this vegan version of a chowder is one of my favorites.  Years ago, before giving up meat, I had a white turkey chili that had cinnamon in it and I absolutely loved it. I wanted to recreate the flavors in a vegan friendly way.

    bowl of white chili chowder.

    This recipe has the potatoes, corn, and creamy texture of a traditional chowder with a twist of chili flavors. And while it is a creamy soup, there isn't any dairy-free milk or vegan butter in it. Somehow, my kids don't love regular chili. But this recipe is one that they all happily eat. I think it's the lack of tomatoes that makes it more appealing to them. Or maybe it's the cinnamon. Or it's the mellow flavors. Whatever the reason, they love it.

    all ingredients for white chili chowder.

    Making the Chowder

    This chowder comes together quickly. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes.

    pot with sautéed onions.

    Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in the chopped green chile peppers (which are very mild) and the seasonings and stir to combine thoroughly.

    pot with cooked onions and spices.

    Then add in the canned cannellini beans (make sure you drain and rinse the cannellini beans first), the 4 cups of vegetable broth, the potatoes and the corn kernels. I usually use frozen corn but fresh corn from corn cobs would be delicious as well. You would need the kernels from approximately two ears of corn to equal the 1 cup that the recipe calls for.

    pot of chowder with broth being poured in.
    pot of chowder with beans and potatoes added.

    This vegan soup is very versatile as you can also use any type of potatoes - russets, Yukon gold potatoes, and red potatoes all work very well. Bring the pot to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

    pot of white chili chowder before being blended.

    Remove the stock pot from heat and use an immersion blender to puree to your desired consistency. I like to keep a good amount of potato chunks in it. You can also use a regular blender and carefully blend it in batches. If you want your chowder to be extra chunky, you can use a potato masher instead. It probably won't be as creamy this way however.

    pot of white chili chowder after blending.

    You can choose not to puree at all and it will be more like a hearty soup. Serve with some biscuits and a salad for a delicious meal. Need a good biscuit recipe? Check out these Vegan Herb Drop Biscuits. They are so much quicker and easier to make than traditional biscuits that you have to roll out and cut.

    If you have any leftover, store the cooled chowder in an airtight container. It should last up to four days in the refrigerator.

    bowl of white chili chowder with pot behind it.

    FAQ

    Can I turn this into a slow cooker recipes?

    Yes. After sautéing the onions, garlic, chile peppers and spices, transfer it with the remaining ingredients to a slow cooker. You can cook it on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Then you can blend it as stated earlier.

    How can it be creamy if there isn't any non-dairy milk in it?

    The creamy base in this chowder comes from pureeing the potatoes and cannellini beans.

    I love celery. Can I add some to this?

    Sure. I haven't tried it with celery but feel free to add about two stalks worth of celery.

    Can I add some vegan cheese to this?

    If you are a cheese lover, feel free to add some shredded vegan cheese on top.

    I noticed there isn't any nutritional yeast in this recipe. Can I add some?

    I am not a fan of nutritional yeast so I don't usually add it to my cooking. If you love it and want a little extra flavor, feel free to add some to the recipe.

    Summary

    This White Chili Chowder is perfect once the cooler months come around. I enjoy serving it with some cornbread, biscuits, or crusty bread. In a pinch, tortilla chips work well too! Or, how about in a bread bowl? I hope you enjoy it!

    Looking for more vegan soups? Check out:

    • The Best Vegan Mulligatawny Soup
    • White Bean And Kale Soup With Potatoes (Vegan)
    • Easy Vegan Split Pea Soup With Potatoes

    Easy Vegan White Chili Chowder

    This is a delicious cross between white chili and chowder. It's full of cannellini beans, potatoes, corn and cinnamon!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 40 mins
    Course Main Course
    Servings 6
    Calories 290 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 4 oz. can chopped green chile peppers
    • 1 tablespoon cumin
    • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
    • 4 cups vegetable broth
    • 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
    • 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, frozen or canned
    • salt (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.
    • Add onion and sauté for 5 min., stirring occasionally.
    • Add garlic and sauté for 1 min.
    • Add the chopped green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cinnamon and stir to combine thoroughly.
    • Add broth, beans, corn, and potatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 min., stirring occasionally.
    • Use an immersion blender to puree to desired consistency.  You can also use a blender and puree in batches.
    • Salt to taste. Serve with cornbread, biscuits or tortilla chips.

    Notes

    • I love using the frozen roasted corn kernels from Trader Joes.
    • To make this recipe oil-free, sauté the onion in a little veggie broth instead of oil.
    • Serve with shredded cheese for the non-vegans.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 54gProtein: 13gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 642mgPotassium: 1080mgFiber: 10gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 431IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 148mgIron: 6mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      • jencardenas says

        January 31, 2022 at 5:07 pm

        Thank you so much for your comments! If you look at the bottom of the page, you'll see Sign Up for the Newsletter. Or if you're on your phone, there's a Subscribe button at the top of the page. The Newsletter lets you know what's new that's been posted, and also gives some tips and let's you know what's new in Vegan News. Hope that helps! Let me know if you don't see it.

        Reply
    2. Mary says

      February 04, 2022 at 4:00 pm

      5 stars
      I love the cinnamon! This was a big hit in our house and I’ll definitely it let make it again.

      Reply
      • jencardenas says

        February 07, 2022 at 12:10 pm

        Thanks for the comment Mary! It's a favorite in our house.

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Jen! I love all things vegan. I'm a food blogger, recipe developer, and mom of three. My goal is to show how the vegan lifestyle can be easy, delicious and fun.

    You can find out more about my vegan journey by reading Keep Taking Steps to Change for the Better.

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