This vegan white bean chili recipe is made with jackfruit, white beans, and green chilis- in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. A fast and easy dinner recipe can be made in 30 minutes! Serve with Vegan Cornbread Muffins!
Hey friends, here’s another weeknight dinner recipe that is fast, easy and vegan. Make this flavorful Jackfruit Chili in your Instant Pot or on your stovetop. Either way, it comes together in about 30 minutes. The leftovers can be reheated for midweek meals.
Why You’ll Love This!
- Quick & easy! This 30-minute vegan chili recipe can be made in the instant pot for ease, or on the stovetop. Either way it comes together quickly with minimal hands-on cooking required.
- Simple pantry ingredients. The recipe calls for canned beans, jackfruit, and chiles, making this an easy recipe to toss together in a pinch, especially if you already have these ingredients on hand!
- Vegan and gluten-free. The jackfruit imitates the look and feel of shredded chicken, but is a delicious plant-based ingredient that adds lovely texture to this chili. This soup is naturally gluten-free, making it the perfect comforting meal to serve a crowd with dietary restrictions.
- Perfect for leftovers. This vegan jackfruit chili tastes even better the next day as the flavors weave together even more. Make a large batch and enjoy throughout the week!
- Warm & cozy! Chili is the ultimate comfort food on crisp, cold nights. We especially love the creamy texture, fragrant aromas, and hints of spice in this vegan chili.
What is Jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a large fruit grown in tropical climates. On its own it does not have a lot of flavor except for a mild sweetness. However, it absorbs flavor well, making it the perfect ingredient for this chili. Its unique texture mimics shredded chicken or pulled pork, which is why it is used in so many “meaty” vegan recipes!
You will usually find it canned at the grocery store near other canned goods like beans and vegetables.
Ingredients in VeGan White bean Chili
- Olive oil: Adds richness and depth of flavor to the chili.
- Onion: Brings savory sweetness and aroma to the chili.
- Garlic cloves: Contribute a strong and pungent flavor to enhance the overall taste of the chili.
- Poblano pepper: Provides a mild heat and earthy flavor to the chili. You can sub a 4-ounce can of diced green chilies.
- White beans: Add creaminess and a hearty texture to the chili, as well as protein and fiber. You can use Great Northern beans, navy beans, or cannellini beans. Sub pinto, black, or red beans if desired.
- Canned jackfruit: The drained and sliced jackfruit mimics the texture of shredded chicken and adds a meaty and slightly sweet component to the chili. Make sure you use young jackfruit.
- Vegetable broth: Acts as the base of the chili, providing moisture and enhancing the overall flavor.
- Homemade Chili Seasoning: The combination of chili powder, ground cumin, coriander, dried oregano, granulated garlic, salt, sugar (or maple syrup), black pepper, and ground chipotle powder (optional) adds a robust and well-balanced blend of spices to give the chili its distinct chili flavor.
- Optional additions: Frozen corn adds sweetness, and chopped kale or spinach adds an extra boost of nutrients and leafy green texture.
- Garnish: Avocado, cilantro, scallions, grated radish, red onion, grated vegan cheese (or regular), vegan sour cream (or regular), or a drizzle of olive oil provide a range of flavors and textures to enhance the presentation and taste of the chili.
How to Make White Bean Chili
If cooking this on the stovetop, reference the notes for complete instructions.
Set Instant Pot to “Saute” and heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion and garlic and fresh poblano ( if using) and saute 3 minutes until fragrant.
Drain the jackfruit and slice through the core. You are welcome to discard the dense core if you like, but I hate wasting it and find it breaks down enough if you cut it thinly.
Add canned green chiles, canned beans and jackfruit. Add the veggie broth, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add all the spices, sugar and salt to the jackfruit and bean mixture. Season generously with Homemade Chili Seasoning.
Give a stir and set Instant Pot to High for 10 minutes. Manually or naturally release.
Stir in corn and chopped kale and cover for 5 minutes on warm setting. Taste and add more salt if needed.
The jackfruit will take on a “shredded chicken” look and feel.
Top the vegan White bean Chili with avocado, cilantro, radishes, crushed tortilla chips, vegan cheese, or vegan sour cream (or yogurt).
Serving Suggestions
One of the things we love most about chili is how it lends itself to so many colorful toppings with all sorts of textures! Here are some ideas on what you can top your White Bean Chili with:
- Avocado
- Fresh cilantro
- Scallions
- Grated radish
- Grated red onion
- Vegan cheese (or regular)
- Vegan sour cream (or regular)
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Cashew cream
- Drizzle of olive oil
- And Vegan Cornbread Muffins!
The options are endless here, so get creative and have fun with it!
Storage
To store leftovers, let the chili cool completely. Then place in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
You can freeze the chili for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Health Benefits of Jackfruit
- Excellent source of vitamins! It is particularly rich in vitamin A and C, as well as potassium.
- Good source of plant-based fiber.
- Rich in carotenoids, which support eye health.
Expert Tips
- Read your jackfruit label. Make sure to buy jackfruit in water or brine. Some canned jackfruit comes in a syrup. You don’t want this!
- Don’t waste time cutting off the core of the jackfruit. When slow-cooked in this chili recipe, the core will get soft and tender. There’s no need to spend time removing it or wasting it.
- Use homemade chili seasoning. Explore your spice rack and create your own homemade chili seasoning that you can use in this recipe and others! It’s fun to make and so flavorful to create with the rich spices you have on hand.
- To thicken the soup: Use an immersion blender to just partially blend a portion of the soup. Be careful to only do a little bit in order to preserve the texture of the ingredients.
- Recipe variations: To add an extra creamy component, drizzle in a little full fat coconut milk or add russet or sweet potatoes! For even more protein and texture, try adding brown rice.
FAQs
Slow cooking jackfruit in soup or stew is the best way to prepare it as it will fully absorb all of the delicious flavors while achieving a tender texture.
Yes! Read the label and look for young green jackfruit, not ripe jackfruit. Thaw it and slice it as instructed in the recipe directions.
A type of chili that uses white beans and typically doesn’t include tomatoes.
Hope you enjoy this White Bean Chili with Jackfruit! Make it in your Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Vegan and gluten-free, this fast and easy dinner recipe can be made in 30 minutes!
Other recipes you may like!
For more vegan Dinner Recipes visit 40 Mouthwatering Vegan Dinner Recipes.
For more Mexican Recipes, visit 35 Fresh and Tasty Mexican Recipes!
30-Minute Vegan White Bean Chili With Jackfruit
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: vegan, soup, stew, chili
- Method: instant pot, stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Description
An easy recipe for Vegan White Bean Chili that can be made in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop. Vegan and gluten-free, this fast and easy dinner recipe takes just 30 minutes to make!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- one onion, chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped (or sub a 4-ounce can diced green chilies)
- 2 x 14-ounce cans white beans (3 cups cooked- or sub other bean- pinto, black, red)
- 16 ounces canned jackfruit, drained, core sliced through ( see photos)
- 3 cups veggie broth (see notes)
Homemade Chili Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon coriander
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or maple syrup)
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4– 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder (optional)
Additions:
- 1 cup frozen corn (optional)
- large handful chopped kale (optional, sub spinach)
Garnish: avocado, cilantro, scallions, grated radish, red onion, grated vegan cheese (or regular), vegan sour cream (or regular) or even a drizzle of olive oil.
Instructions
See notes for stove top version:
- Set Instant Pot to “Saute” and heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add onion and garlic and fresh poblano ( if using) and saute 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add canned chilies, canned beans and jackfruit. Add the veggie broth, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add all the spices, sugar and salt.
- Give a stir and set Instant Pot to High for 10 minutes. Manually or naturally release.
- Stir in corn and chopped kale and cover for 5 minutes on warm setting. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Serve in bowls with diced avocado, cilantro (or scallions), radishes, tortilla strips and any of the additional garnishes.(The garnishes really make this shine!)
Notes
If leaving out the corn and kale, reduce broth by 1/2 cup.
Stovetop Directions:
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add onion and garlic and fresh poblano (if using) and saute 3-4 minutes until fragrant.
- Add canned chilies, canned beans and jackfruit. Add the veggie broth, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add all the spices, sugar and salt.
- Give a stir and bring to a simmier. Cover, and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
- Stir in corn and chopped kale, cover, simmer for 5 minutes on low. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Serve in bowls with diced avocado, cilantro (or scallions), radishes and any of the additional garnishes.(The garnishes really make this shine!)
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cup- without garnish
- Calories: 277
- Sugar: 5.4 g
- Sodium: 762.8 mg
- Fat: 6.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 50.3 g
- Fiber: 8.3 g
- Protein: 8.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Delicious and quick to make. I added some lime (about juice of 1 lime) and next time I make it I’ll add carrots and/or celery for more veggies, especially after I used canned jalapenos.
Glad you enjoyed Kimberly!
I made a pot of this for lunch for the week and it’s excellent. Tastes even better the next day!
Great to hear Jennifer!