Harissa and White Bean Chili

By Yasmin Fahr

Updated January 31, 2022

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(3,800)
Comments
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The key to achieving depth of flavor in this fresh, nontraditional, 30-minute chili recipe is layering ingredients with bold condiments that do most of the work for you. Here, soy sauce and harissa are used to provide umami, spice and heat. Finish the chili as you’d like, topping it with all of the suggestions below, or skipping the yogurt and feta to keep it vegan. The chili will thicken as it sits, so add a little water when reheating. If you don’t like tomato skins or don’t want to buy fresh tomatoes, substitute 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for the tomatoes, adding it with the harissa. For a more substantial meal, serve with rice or bread, or double the recipe for leftovers.

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 small red onion, diced

  • 2 red or orange bell peppers, seeded and diced

  • 2 jalapeños (1 seeded and diced, 1 sliced into thin rounds for garnish)

  • Kosher salt

  • 1 (10-ounce) container cherry or grape tomatoes (1 pint)

  • 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa, depending on heat preference

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced

  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or great Northern, drained and rinsed

  • 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

  • Black pepper

  • 3 packed cups baby spinach

  • 2 limes, 1 halved, 1 cut into wedges for serving

  • Full-fat yogurt or sour cream, for serving

  • 1 avocado, sliced or cubed, for serving

  • ¼ cup packed cilantro or parsley leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped or torn, for serving

  • ½ cup crumbled feta or grated Parmesan or mozzarella, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 to 4 servings)

66 grams carbs; 19 milligrams cholesterol; 508 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 20 grams fat; 18 grams fiber; 1481 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil over medium-high until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper and diced jalapeño, and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions just start to soften in color and texture, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, season lightly with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until most of the tomatoes have burst, 6 to 7 minutes, lowering the heat if the onions threaten to burn. Stir in the harissa, cumin, oregano and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, scraping up anything on the bottom of the pot, until combined, about 1 minute.

  2. Step 2

    Add the white beans and broth, season with salt, and raise the heat to bring it to a gentle boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, then cook until the broth thickens and the beans become soft and creamy, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom, about 12 to 15 minutes. Smash any remaining whole tomatoes against the side of the pot. Stir in the spinach in batches until wilted. Squeeze in the lime halves, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

  3. Step 3

    Divide among bowls and top each with a spoonful of yogurt, followed by the avocado, cilantro, feta and jalapeño rounds. Serve with the lime wedges.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,800 user ratings
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Comments

Thierry

Many recipes like this one would benefit from a real harissa. Mediterranean lands see the use of some tube of red paste in the way that a French cook would react to adding ketchup to a Beef bourguignon. Roast some red chillis, along with onions and garlic, (nothing fancy: 300 degrees for 40 minutes) add steamed carrot for mass and sweetness. Proportions are entirely dependent on your tastes and the vegetables. Pass it through a mill, adjust seasoning, and you've got a wonderful base.

Uri

In my humble experience rinsing beans for a stew is counterproductive and results in a soup. The starchy water they swim in makes the stew silky and thick. I used the starch water from one can and one cup of veg stock and it was perfect.

Sandy

@C NYT recipes don’t consider the prep time in their estimated durations, probably because those times can vary widely depending on knife skills, experience, etc. 30 minutes is the time to follow the recipe steps with the cooking durations noted.

Kate

I added roasted pine nuts as a topper and it came out so beautifully! Added a nutty complexity to the already warm flavor.

amy s.

Finally decided to go for this and I’m not sorry at all. As usual made modifications after reading many of the notes which i so appreciate. i used a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with their juice; 2 cans of Navy beans with their liquid and 1 cup f broth. The harissa I had was the powdered spice and i used 1 tablespoon. Cooked it longer than the directions as i wanted the canned tomato flavor to cook out more. Topped with sour cream and avocados. My meat eating husband said it was the best vegetarian chili I’ve ever made! It was really yummy on a chilly rainy long weekend. Will be picking up some NY Shuk harissa for the next time. Served with naan and we have plenty of leftovers.

Pam D

I do think the timing on recipes on this site is variable. There are 30 minutes of stove time PLUS the slicing and dicing time. It took me about 60 minutes. Would have been better for me if “time” was listed as 45-60 minutes. Also, would be helpful to have more direction on what type of harissa works best in this recipe. I did use the French DEA brand in the tube, but also have powdered harissa (dry) and jarred harissa (wet). I would imagine it does make a difference both in amounts and type depending on the recipe. Very yummy and good level of spice (I subbed diced serrano chili for the jalapeno, but used sliced jalapeno for the topping). Otherwise followed directions.

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