Vegetarian green chili is so easy to make and perfect for a hearty meal. Great for lunch, dinner and even better the next day! Great for meal prep too! This vegan green chili is made with simple ingredients and is so flavorful and super filling.
Why you will love this recipe
- Versatile – this vegetarian green chili can be served over rice, quinoa, eggs, burritos or nachos for a super simple meal anytime.
- Simple ingredients – this vegan green chili is made with super simple ingredients that you can find in most grocery stores. Be sure to check out the substitutions list below if you are missing an ingredient or two.
- Great for meal prep – This recipe can easily be doubled, making it perfect for meal prep! It can even be made as a freezer meal.
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Ingredients
- Onion and garlic – onions and garlic create a super flavorful base for the chili. Be sure to allow to the onions to cook for a few minutes before adding the garlic and peppers so they can create a deep flavor for the chili.
- Poblano pepper – poblano peppers are packed with flavor and relatively mild peppers. These dark green chilis add color and flavor to the green chili.
- Jalapeno – jalapeno peppers add a kick of spice to the chili. Add more jalapeno for a spicy chili, or just add one for a milder chili.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes – these spices help to create a deep flavor for the chili. The cumin creates a smoky flavor, while the garlic powder gives the green chili a slight umami flavor. The red pepper flakes add some spice to the chili.
- Vegetable broth – vegetable broth helps to add a deep flavor to the dish. I always use vegetable broth instead of water in quick cooking dishes like this 20 minute green chili as it’s an easy way to add intense flavor to the dish. You could also use chicken broth or stock.
- Salsa verde – salsa verde gives this vegan green chili it’s flavor. Salsa verde is usually contains tomatillos, green chiles, garlic and lime juice. The tomatillos give the salsa verde a unique flavor as they are slightly tart and pair really well with the cumin and red pepper flakes.
- White beans – white beans help make this chili super filling and are so easy to use and budget friendly. Use whatever white beans you have on hand, cannellini beans, great northern white beans, butter beans, or navy beans. You can also use black beans or pinto beans in place of the white beans.
Top tips
- To make the chili a bit thicker in texture, smash some of the beans with a potato masher or a fork.
- For extra green chili flavor, add 1-2 cans of hatch green chilis.
- To make the chili even more filling, add rice or quinoa to the pot. Add about 1.25 cups of water or vegetable broth per cup of rice or quinoa. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes or until the rice or quinoa is cooked.
Topping ideas
- Avocado
- Cilantro or green onion
- Fresh or pickled jalapenos
- Cheese
- Tortilla chips
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
How to serve
How to make vegan green chili in the instant pot
- Chop the veggies (onion, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers)
- Saute the onions, garlic, and peppers in the instant pot 3-5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and turn on high pressure for 2 minutes.
- Allow the instant pot to come up to pressure, cook then naturally release pressure at least 10 minutes.
What are the best white beans to use
You can use whatever beans you have on hand including:
- Cannellini beans
- Great northern white beans
- Butter beans
- Navy beans
I don’t recommend chickpeas since they don’t have the same creamy texture as the other white beans listed above. You can also use black beans, pinto beans or red kidney beans.
Is vegan green chili good for meal prep?
Yes this green chili is great for meal prep. You can easily double or triple this recipe to make a large batch to enjoy the entire week. It reheats well and can even be frozen to serve later in the next 3 months.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover vegetarian green chili in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight containers.
- Reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat on the stove over medium low heat, covered until it’s hot.
- Freezer: Freeze leftover green chili for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container. The best way to freeze this chili is to portion it out in 1 or 2 cup portions using Soupercubes. Once frozen, you can transfer the cubes to a freezer safe bag or container. Defrost in the fridge overnight or add the frozen block to a pot, covered and cook on low heat until heated through.
Substitutions
- Onion and garlic – you can use white onions, yellow onions, red onions or shallots in place of the onions. If you don’t have onions on hand, you can simply omit them. If you don’t have garlic, you can add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic or simply omit it.
- Poblano pepper – if you don’t have poblano pepper, you can use bell peppers (red, yellow, orange or green).
- Jalapeno – jalapeno peppers are a great way to add spice to the chili. You can use fresh, canned or pickled jalapeno in this recipe. If you don’t have them on hand, you can simply omit them from the recipe.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes – these spices help to create a deep flavor for the chili. If you don’t have one of these spices on hand, you can simply omit it.
- Vegetable broth – vegetable broth helps to add a deep flavor to the dish. You could also use chicken broth, chicken stock or if you don’t have any broth on hand, you can use water.
- Salsa verde – salsa verde gives this vegan green chili it’s flavor. If you don’t have salsa verde on hand, you can use 2 cans of roasted green chile and the juice of 1 lime.
- White beans –Use whatever white beans you have on hand, cannellini beans, great northern white beans, butter beans, or navy beans. You can also use black beans, kidney beans or pinto beans in place of the white beans.
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Chop the onion, garlic, poblano peppers and jalapeno.
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Preheat a large pot over medium heat. When hot, spray with olive oil or avocado oil spray and add the onions. Cook 2-3 minutes.
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Add the garlic, poblano peppers and jalapeno and cook 3-4 minutes.
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Add spices to the pot and stir well. Cook 1 minute to toast the spices.
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Add the rest of the ingredients (scrape the bottom of the pot with about 1/2 cup of the broth before adding the rest of the ingredients). Stir well.
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Cover and bring to a simmer to heat through.
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Optional: Right before serving, mash some of the white beans to help thicken the soup.
Top tips
- To make the chili a bit thicker in texture, smash some of the beans with a potato masher or a fork.
- For extra green chili flavor, add 1-2 cans of hatch green chilis.
- To make the chili even more filling, add rice or quinoa to the pot. Add about 1.25 cups of water or vegetable broth per cup of rice or quinoa. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes or until the rice or quinoa is cooked.
How to make vegan green chili in the instant pot
- Chop the veggies (onion, garlic, poblano peppers, jalapeno peppers)
- Saute the onions, garlic, and peppers in the instant pot 3-5 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and turn on high pressure for 2 minutes.
- Allow the instant pot to come up to pressure, cook then naturally release pressure at least 10 minutes.
Storing leftovers
- Fridge: Store leftover vegetarian green chili in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight containers.
- Reheat in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes. You can also reheat on the stove over medium low heat, covered until it’s hot.
- Freezer: Freeze leftover green chili for up to 3 months in a freezer safe bag or container. The best way to freeze this chili is to portion it out in 1 or 2 cup portions using Soupercubes. Once frozen, you can transfer the cubes to a freezer safe bag or container. Defrost in the fridge overnight or add the frozen block to a pot, covered and cook on low heat until heated through.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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