Healthy White Bean Chili with Greek Yogurt

Mega flavorful, filling, and perfectly thick vegetarian White Bean Chili! Made in one pot with canned white beans, green chiles, corn, cilantro, and Greek yogurt for creaminess and protein (no sour cream!). On the table in under an hour, you'll crave this fuss-free meal perfect for chilly nights or football games! Serve hot with plenty of tortilla chips, cheese, and my fave skillet cornbread.

My soul needed this steamy chili like you wouldn't believe! Like my vegetarian Sweet Potato Chili, it's a hug in a bowl with mega flavor that makes the coziest meal on cooler days.

My friend's mom growing up made a mean white chicken chili. It reminds me of high school football and low-rise jeans and getting my first flip phone and ya know, the glory days!

The low down on star ingredients

• White beans: I use Great Northern beans, but cannelini also work. I developed this recipe to use white beans but I've successfully made it with chickpeas, too.
• Green chiles: Canned fire-roasted green chiles are a must here. Don't skip them--they add so much flavor to white chili! We're not draining them since the liquid is packed with spices.
• Spices: We're using oregano, coriander (dried cilantro, which is also my secret weapon for the best guacamole), and cumin to spice up our chili. If you want more heat, you can add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
• Broth: Using a rich, flavorful liquid makes a huge difference in whether your chili is delish or not. Chicken or vegetable broth work great. Better Than Bouillon base is my favorite because I can whip up broth whenever I need it and it's much more affordable than cartons of broth.
• Plain Greek yogurt: For richness and creaminess. The higher in fat it is, the better the texture will be. I developed this recipe with whole milk Greek yogurt and also tested it with low fat--whole milk was better by far! You could also use sour cream or 4oz cream cheese. To make it vegan, use 4oz dairy-free cream cheese instead of yogurt. I wouldn't recommend vegan yogurt here as they're usually thin.
• Cilantro: Much needed herby goodness to bring everything to life.
• Lime: A bright acidic touch that balances all the flavors. It took a bit of trial and error to get the perfect punch with the yogurt tang so it wasn't too bright, but half a lime was spot on.

Let' make it!

This soup yields four good-sized bowls of soup. If you're feeding a crowd, you can easily double it!

Blend a can of beans with a cup of broth to thicken the chili. Cook onion and garlic.

Add corn, chiles, remaining beans, broth, and the blended.

Simmer!

Stir in cilantro, yogurt and lime juice. Dig in!

And it's good for me, too?!

As a dietitian, I go nuts for chili every fall not only because it's a delish and filling hug in a bowl, but also because it's packed with fiber for gut health and is an easy way to get a few servings of vitamin-rich veggies. Talk about a wholesome dinner idea!

Chili is a stellar canvas for heart-healthy toppings like avocado and cilantro, too. Winning!

Soup season forever and ever!!

Healthy White Bean Chili with Greek Yogurt

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews

• Author: Alexis Joseph
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Soups
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Mega flavorful, filling, and perfectly thick vegetarian White Bean Chili! Made in one pot with canned white beans, green chiles, corn, cilantro, and Greek yogurt for creaminess and protein (no sour cream!). On the table in under an hour, you'll crave this fuss-free meal perfect for chilly nights or football games! Serve hot with plenty of tortilla chips, cheese, and my fave skillet cornbread.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 cups corn (I used frozen)
• 2 (4oz) cans mild green chilis (or try one hot!), not drained
• 3 (15oz) can Great Northern or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups vegetable broth (I use 3 cups water + 3 tsp Better than Bouillon)
• heaping ½ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• ½ lime, juiced
• 2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole milk/full fat is best)
• salt and pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Measure out yogurt and set aside on the counter so it can come to room temperature.
2. Place 1 can of drained and rinsed beans in a blender. Add 1 cup of broth and blend until mostly smooth. (You can also mash with a potato masher and do this in a bowl if you don't have a blender.) This helps thicken the chili. Set aside. 
3. Warm oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add onion and a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add cumin, coriander and oregano and cook for 1 minute. Add corn, chiles, remaining 2 cans of beans, remaining 2 cups broth, and the blended bean mixture.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
5. Stir in cilantro, yogurt, lime juice, and soy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I added ½ tsp salt) and enjoy topped with tortilla chips, cheese, and/or avocado! 

Notes

Slow cooker: Blend beans per step 2 of the recipe.  Add oil, onion, garlic, spices, corn (thaw first), chiles, whole beans and blended beans, and broth to slow cooker. Stir to combine and cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours. Turn off slow cooker and follow step 5, ensuring yogurt is room temp before adding.