Earthy Vegetarian White Bean Chili
Extra thick, hearty and veggie packed white bean chili made with white beans, onion, celery, carrots, Lacinato (Dino) kale, and quinoa.
This chili is filled with earthy herbs and spices of fresh oregano and cumin.
MAKE THIS FOR MEAL PREP
I first started making this healthy vegetable packed chili for my vegetarian and vegan clients. The colors are so beautiful and flavor so fresh and light.
It’s a nice alternative from chicken soup when you are recovering from a cold. It freezers well and is great for meal prep.
USE ALL PARTS OF KALE, STEMS INCLUDED
I am an advocate of no food waste. I like to look for ways to use all my food scraps. I save the ends of carrots and celery, and freeze them for bone broth.
I use the stems of the kale, along with the leaves in this dish. The health benefits of kale span beyond its leaves. There is no reason to de-stem and waste perfectly good food.
The stems get soft during the cooking process and provide a great texture to the chili. If you are someone who dislikes the kale stem, I ask that you give it a try one more time. If not, think about the ways you can re-use those stems…add to your smoothie, a green juice, or add to your compost.
HAVE IT YOUR WAY
If you would like a thicker chili, add 1 cup of quinoa instead of ½ cup.
Still looking to make this soup more hearty? Feel free to substitute vegetable broth for chicken bone broth and add shredded chicken before serving.
You can make your own shredded chicken or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken from your local health food store or market
WHEN YOU DON’T WANT CANNED BEANS
I like to cook with freshly prepared beans as often as possible. When I have the time, I simply soak the beans overnight.
One cup of dried white beans will be enough when cooked for this recipe.
After soaking the beans overnight, simmer them on the stove for 45 minutes with a bay leaf or kombu seaweed (both aid digestion of beans). Drain and add to the recipe as directed. Whole foods pioneer and James Beard award winning cookbook author, Rebecca Wood, has great tips on her site for preparing beans and legumes from scratch.
Don’t have time to make your own? No judgement here. We are all busy. Make sure to drain and wash your beans well before adding to this chili.
IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THE FOLLOWING
- Bright & Healthy Lemon Coriander Soup
- Smoky White Bean & Collard Greens Soup
- Rustic Winter Minestrone Soup with Quick Basil Pesto
- Red Lentil, Carrot & Spinach Soup
- Detox Chickpea & Celery Soup
CHEF TIP
Trim 2-3 inches off the ends of the kale and discard. Chop the remaining stems into ½ -inch pieces, and the leaves into 1-inch pieces.
The stems will soften while cooking and make for great texture in the chili. Plus they are full of fiber and vitamin K.
If you make this recipe, please let me know. Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #starseedkitchen #highvibrationalfood.
Print
Earthy Vegetarian White Bean Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Healthy
Description
Extra thick, hearty and vegetable packed White Bean Chili is easy to make with earthy herbs and spices of fresh oregano and cumin.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large white onion, medium diced
- 3 carrots, quartered (2 cups)
- 4 celery ribs, diced (2 cups)
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 2 15-oz cans white cannellini beans (3 ½ cups) drained and rinsed
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ cup uncooked white quinoa, rinsed
- 1 bunch Lacinato (Dino) kale, stems trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
Instructions
- Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft (about 8-10 minutes). Add cumin and sea salt to activate (30 seconds).
- Add broth, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Trim 3 inches off the ends of the kale and discard, Chop kale and remaining stems into 1-inch pieces. Stir in kale and quinoa. Cover and simmer till quinoa is cook through, 15 minutes.
- Stir in oregano. Garnish with extra virgin olive oil to serve.
Notes
- Trim 2-3 inches off the ends of the kale and discard. Chop the remaining stems into ½ -inch pieces, and the leaves into 1-inch pieces.
- The stems will soften while cooking and make for great texture in the chili. Plus they are full of fiber and vitamin K.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, I’m Whitney Aronoff, a Holistic Chef based in Laguna Beach, California. I graduated from Southern Methodist University with a degree in Communications, and went on to the health supportive culinary school, The Natural Gourmet Institute, in New York City. I work as a personal chef and teach cooking classes, with a focus on healthy, whole foods cooking.
My goal is to help people feel their best by sharing the delicious, healthy recipes I prepare weekly for my clients. I want you to have the energy to live your best life and fulfil your dreams. As we become more conscious and make more quality food choices, our body, mind, soul and the planet benefits.
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