Cook with Dry Beans: Simple White Bean Chili
Learn to cook dry beans! White Bean Chili is comforting, inexpensive, simple, and full of real food. Instructions for Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, and Stovetop included.
Add chicken to make white chicken chili, and the recipe includes gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and freezer storing tips!
This post contains affiliate links. You can view my full disclosure policy here.
When you are trying to save money and eat healthy, beans are important. I knew this when we started our frugal, real food journey 10 years ago.
However, I did not learn how to cook dry beans for a long time. 2 reasons: gross and gas. I did not like the way they smelled while cooking and did not like the way people smelled after eating them.
It’s just the truth, and unless you grew up eating beans, you probably agree with me.
White Bean Chili
You don’t have to love cooking dry beans – or even know how to cook them – in order to make Instant Pot White Bean Chili. The recipe is a simple process and a delicious, easy, budget-friendly win.
I like to make it with Easy Homemade Bone Broth (another homemade recipe that only takes 5 minutes in the Instant Pot!), but you can use vegetable broth for a meatless or vegan version. If you want more meat, toss in some shredded chicken. We like The Only Chicken You Need to Make.
Instant Pot White Bean Chili Recipe
The Instant Pot makes this recipe as easy, delicious, and simple as possible. Not only is the Instant Pot my favorite way to cook dry beans, but once I press, “Start,” my job is done. I can walk away and do something else until dinner is ready.
Since using the Instant Pot makes cooking dry beans easier, I make them more often. That saves us money every year.
If you don’t have an instant pot, don’t worry! I included stovetop and slow cooker versions of the recipe as well.
White Bean Chili Recipe
Since Great Northern beans are one of the cheapest beans where we live (It’s on our List of What to Buy at Aldi), we use them a lot. Sometimes we use them in place of chickpeas for fun, weird dessert recipes like Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Dessert Hummus.
Or we use them in a classic recipe like White Bean Chili.
Like all of our meals, this recipe is more of a guideline than a hard and fast method. We like it just the way it is, but we usually tweak it depending on what we have at the time.
Sometimes we add shredded chicken, and sometimes we keep it meatless.
Sometimes we use the leftovers for a unique twist on tacos.
Other times we make it vegan by adding a generous dollop of simple, frugal guacamole or sliced avocado.
Make it your own. But when cool weather hits, and you crave a bowl of comfort with a kick, definitely make this.
How to Cook Dry Beans
Then I learned a couple of tricks that solved my problems:
1. Pressure Cooker
Cook beans in the Instant Pot (affiliate link) – not only is it faster than any other method, it mostly keeps the smell inside the pot.
2. Add Flavor
If you don’t have an Instant Pot, cook the beans in the slow cooker (affiliate links) with added flavors – bone broth, bay leaves, garlic, onion, jalapenos. These will fill the house and mask the sulfur.
This is a good idea even if you use an Instant Pot, because YUM.
3. The Type of Beans Matters
Generally, I avoid black beans and red beans. Something about them is a lot harder to digest. However, pinto and great northern – some of the cheapest beans in my area – are great.
4. Magic Spices
Some people use certain spices to “de-gas” beans. I tried it, but could never tell if it actually worked.
Now we cook a pot of beans almost every week.
Sometimes we make Cumin Bean & Cornbread.
The leftovers for that become Burrito Bowls.
And those leftovers turn into tacos or burritos. While we’re at it, don’t knock White Bean Chili burritos until you’ve tried them.
White Bean Chili Is:
Gluten-free
Dairy-free (if you watch the toppings)
Vegetarian & Vegan (with vegetable broth and dairy-free toppings)
All real food
Budget-friendly
Simple
Hearty
Makes great (and versatile!) leftovers
So cheap! Beans, broth, some veggies, and spices.
Budget-Friendly White Bean Chili
Free Broth
Use homemade bone broth! It’s made from chicken bones, veggie odds and ends, and water – basically just the ends you would throw way anyway. If you like free food, try Easy Homemade Broth.
Or use homemade vegetable broth, Veggies and water. Easy. Try this recipe.
Leftover Chicken
Dark meat is cheaper than white meat. We normally use leftovers from cooking a whole chicken.
Try this easy 1-hour recipe – no Instant Pot required!
If you don’t want to cook a whole chicken, try this tasty make-ahead chicken.
Shop at Any Discount Grocery Store
You don’t need a health food store to save money and eat healthy. Almost everything in these photos was from Aldi. You could even try Dollar General (did you know you can buy real food there?!). Most any store from Walmart to Whole Foods should have the ingredients for Real Food White Bean Chili.
Watch the Toppings
Don’t get carried away with all the fun toppings! They can easily turn into the most expensive part of the chili. We pick a few favorites and stick to them.
Real Food White Bean Chili
Here are some tips to keep your chili healthy!
Broth
Making your own bone broth and vegetable broth means you control the ingredients, the amount of salt, everything. Not only does it save money, but it keeps your food clean.
Sour Cream
Watch the ingredients in your sour cream. Some cheaper brands have unnecessary ingredients (cornstarch, etc.).
Sour cream ingredients should be: milk, cream, enzymes.
Cheese
Shred your own cheese! Pre-shredded cheese has anti-caking ingredients. Sometimes this includes cornstarch or even gluten products.
My kids shred our cheese. It saves me time, makes them handy in the kitchen, and they sneak some cheese before dinner. Everyone wins.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #cheapskatecook and @cheapskatecook on Instagram.
Learn to cook dry beans! This White Bean Chili is comforting, inexpensive, simple, and full of real food. Add chicken to make White Chicken Chili.
- 2 qts chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 1/2 lb great northern beans, dry
- 1 yellow onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp oil or butter
- One 6-oz can green chilis
- 2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper (to taste)
- 1/4-1/2 jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped (to taste)
- 2-3 cups cooked chicken, shredded* (to taste)
- 1-2 green bell pepper, deseeded and chopped (to taste)
- sour cream
- cilantro, chopped
- cheddar cheese, shredded
- avocado, sliced
- guacamole
- pickled jalapenos
- tortilla chips or cornbread, to serve
-
Pour the dry beans into a colander and rinse them under running water thoroughly. Pick through the beans to makes sure there aren’t any rocks in them. I don’t know why rocks are in our beans in 2018, but I tell myself it means they are more natural.
-
Pour the beans into a slow cooker or Instant Pot. Cover with 4 cups (1 qt) bone broth and 4 cups water. Add more water if necessary. You want at least twice as much water as beans because they will swell as they cook.
-
Peel and dice the onion and toss half of it in with the beans. Refrigerate the rest to use in the soup. Peel and mince 2 garlic cloves and add them to the beans as well.
-
Slow Cooker: Cook on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4, until beans are soft and tender.
Instant Pot: Put the lid on the pot and twist the seal valve. Set to Pressure Cook on High 30 minutes. Press Start. Let pressure release naturally after it cooks.
-
In a large pot over medium heat, Melt 2 tbsp butter or oil. Add the other half of the diced onion to the pot, and saute until onion is translucent. If using green pepper or jalapenos, saute them as well. Mince last 2 garlic cloves and them and cumin to the pot. Cook for 1 minute.
-
Pour cooked beans into the pot, add the remaining 4 cups (1 qt) bone broth, chilis, and corn (and chicken if using).
-
Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, until onion is cooked and soft. Add salt and pepper. Then taste and add more salt if necessary. Homecooked beans do not have added salt like canned beans, so you will probably need to add more than you think.
-
Top as desired and enjoy! We like plenty of cilantro with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar.
-
To cook the soup in the same slow cooker you cooked the beans, add this to the slow cooker: the other half of the diced onion, 2 cloves of minced garlic, cumin, green chilis, corn, and remaining broth. If using green pepper, chicken, or jalapenos, add them as well. Stir it well.
-
Cook on low 3-4 hours or on high 2 hours, until onions are soft and cooked through.
-
Add salt and pepper. Then taste and add more salt if necessary. Homecooked beans do not have added salt like canned beans, so you will probably need to add more than you think.
-
Top as desired and enjoy! We like plenty of cilantro with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar.
-
Set the Instant Pot to saute and press Start. Melt 2 tbsp butter or oil in it. Add the other half of the diced onion to the pot, and saute until onion is translucent. If using green pepper or jalapenos, saute them as well. Add last 2 garlic cloves and cumin, and cook for 1 minute.
-
Pour cooked beans into the pot, add the remaining 4 cups (1 qt) bone broth, chilis, and corn (and chicken if using).
-
Put the lid on the pot and twist the seal valve. Set to Pressure Cook on High 5 minutes. Press Start. Let pressure release naturally after it cooks.
-
Onion should be cooked and soft. Add salt and pepper. Then taste and add more salt if necessary. Homecooked beans do not have added salt like canned beans, so you will probably need to add more than you think.
-
Top as desired and enjoy! We like plenty of cilantro with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar.
Freeze It
To freeze leftovers, simply label a quart-size freezer bag, spoon in the chili, seal it, and lay it flat in your freezer so that it freezes in an easy-to-store brick.
When you’re ready to use it, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat it in a pot on the stove.
Chicken
Try this make-ahead chicken! You can keep it in the freezer then toss it, still frozen, into the chili. Let it thaw as the chili cooks.
If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can cook the chicken with the chili!
Pop 1 breast or 2 boneless skinless thighs into the slow cooker and cook it on low 6-8 hours or on high 3-4. Cook in the Instant Pot on high pressure for 10 minutes. Stovetop cook time should remain the same.
Simply shred it into the chili with two forks when it is cooked through.
Canned Beans
If you want to use canned beans, just use 3-4 cans (I’m not sure how many!) of canned Great Northern beans. Use only 1 quart of broth, and just add a whole onion and 4 minced garlic cloves to the soup itself. After cooking, taste it first before adding any salt.
Vegetarian & Vegan
Use vegetable broth and leave out the chicken.
Gluten-free
This recipe is naturally gluten-free!
Dairy-free
This recipe is naturally dairy-free! Top with sliced avocado or guacamole, cilantro, and pickled jalapenos, as desired.
How many does this recipe serve? I wish to save this, curious to see if this would feed my family of 4. Thank you!
Absolutely! All of my recipes feed 4-5 people, usually with some leftovers. Let me know how you like it!
Just curious if I use the broth and wate rthat used in the beans or do i drain the beans after they’re cooked. I am using am instant pot.
Great question! If I used bone broth to cook the beans, I would just use the cooking liquid in my soup. Some people claim it makes them less gassy if you drain them, but when I use thin-skinned beans and cook them in the Instant Pot, it works great!