Tempeh White Bean Chili

Load up on the ultimate bowl of protein and flavor with this Tempeh White Bean Chili recipe. It’s made with chickpeas, lime juice, and sauerkraut for an interesting combo that totally hits the spot!

I’m really excited about this one, because I have a feeling that even the biggest of chili connoisseurs haven’t tried this combo – sauerkraut. in. chili. You heard it here first, folks! Actually, that’s probably too bold a statement, as people have been enjoying sauerkraut in their chili for ages. But having just made it with my own homemade ‘kraut, I’m so excited to share this one.

This white bean chili is made with white beans (obviously), tempeh, lime juice, and chickpeas. It is absolutely decked out in flavor, and the sauerkraut is like icing on the cake!

Here’s What You’ll Need

• Tempeh: Begin with 8 oz of tempeh. We’ll grate this then panfry it to create a ground turkey-like base. (What even is tempeh? Answers here!)
• Flavor Base: Dice up a medium white or yellow onion and mince 4 cloves of garlic. We’ll saute these with a splash of oil to create the flavor base of this chili!
• Spices: Next, add major flavor with 1 teaspoon of each cumin, coriander, and oregano, along with ½ teaspoon of salt and white pepper.
• Beans: Next, add extra oomph by including 2 cans of cannellini beans, drained. If preferred, feel free to sub one or both of the cans of cannellini beans for navy beans!
• Chickpeas: Follow that up with 1 can of drained chickpeas.
• Broth: Next, soupify this dish with 4 cups of veggie broth.
• Sauerkraut: 2 cups of sauerkraut will add a ton of flavor, balancing out those savory flavors with tart and crunchy ‘kraut!
• Cilantro: ¼ cup of chopped cilantro adds the perfect herby freshness.
• Lime Juice: Finally, squeeze in 2 teaspoons of lime juice for a slight tanginess.
• To serve: To serve, add white cheddar cheese and Greek yogurt on top!

How to make this Vegetarian chili

Chili is usually pretty low maintenance, and this recipe follows suit. Though you have to grate your tempeh and chop your veggies, the rest of the cooking involves simply adding the ingredients to a pot, mashing the beans, and stirring!

Step 1: Prep the tempeh
Using a box grater, roughly grate the tempeh. This will give it the texture of ground turkey!

Step 2: Create the flavor base
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is slightly soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Step 3: Cook the tempeh
Add the grated tempeh, cumin, coriander, oregano, pepper, and salt to the pot. Cook until the tempeh is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Step 4: Add the beans
Scooch the tempeh mixture to one side of the pot. Add the beans to the empty side of the pot and use a potato masher or fork to roughly mash about 1/3 of them.

Step 5: Soupify the chili
Add the broth and sauerkraut to the pot. Bring it all to a simmer and let it cook for 5 minutes. right before serving, mix in the cilantro and lime juice.

Step 6: Garnish and serve
Serve hot, topped with grated white cheddar cheese and a dollop of Greek yogurt.

The perfect meal prep dish

Whether you need to add to your meal prep tool belt or you just like making recipes ahead of time, this white bean chili is perfect for it. After making, let everything cool down before placing it in food-safe containers and adding it to the freezer! Enjoy within 3 months, heating it up on the stove when ready to enjoy. If refrigerating, enjoy within 5 days.

Some more tasty tempeh bites

Big on tempeh? Here are some more tempeh-loaded meals that you should try!

• Tempeh Chili Meal Prep
• Vegan Tempeh Taco Meat
• Vegan Nachos with BBQ “Pulled Pork”
• Or try out our comprehensive guides to marinating tempeh or cooking tempeh!

Rhubarb, who still doesn’t quite grasp the meaning of “leave it” while I’m shooting, approves of this recipe.