Harissa and White Bean Chili Recipe (2024)

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.

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.

@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.

I agree with C, below. On what planet does this take 30 minutes from start to eating? The cooking time alone takes at least 30 minutes. Dicing an onion, seeding and dicing peppers, mincing garlic, heating the oil, stirring stuff in, smashing tomatoes, stirring three cups of packed spinach in batches into the pot, chopping cilantro--that takes time. I'd say allow an hour to make this, if you're cooking on planet Earth.

I never know when they give measured harissa whether they mean harissa from tube, jar or spice shelf. Please advise

So this was delicious and quick. I served it over steamed brown rice with a poached egg. I am a pastry chef with good knife skills; the cook time was 30 minutes and prep time 15 more. Don’t understand why there were complaints about inaccurate times. The cook time was accurate. Prep time will vary depending on peoples skills and the organization of the kitchen. I will make this again.

Delightful, light, and wolfed-down by everyone -- from our resident Vegan hermit to our ravenously carnivorous neighbor. This recipe is a keeper!

I made 1 minor change to this recipe. I roasted the bell peppers (skinned, seeded them). I like the flavor that roasted veggies have.My family loved this chili. I will definitely make this recipe again.

Delicious and easy. Used La Costena Chipotle paste instead of harissa - gave it a nice flavorful punch. Didn't have a lime or yogurt/sour cream/avocado - still so good! Nice quick healthy meal

Just finished cooking this morning, serving it up for lunch. Followed the recipe exactly. Simply delicious!Used 1tablespoon of harissa and it was enough. And I like spicy. My fella wandered down from his office: “What smells so good? I can’t pay attention to what I’m doing.”Topped with yogurt, cilantro and lime. It was enough. Himself added feta to his satisfaction.

I cut all ingredients in half (except a little extra olive oil) and I don't think the results were any less delicious.

It's cold, raining and yep, the furnace is still on. Made this outstanding recipe in celebration of May Day. Read through the comments to determine if I would improvise or not; I did. Added 3 carrots and a small fennel bulb to the onion mixture, used a 14 oz can of chopped no salt/spiced tomatoes and about half the liquid. Did not rinse the beans as I agree, it adds to the richness. Added 1 tablespoon and1 teaspoon of rose harissa, so good! Delish with all recommended toppings, a winner.

This was delicious and very easy to prep and cook. We didn’t have jalapeños but it was spicy without it. Adding the cilantro, yogurt, feta as a garnish upped the game-so many flavors!

Terrific variation on traditional chili, very easy to make (seriously, it shouldn't take much more than 30 minutes to chop up an onion, pepper and jalapeno, saute them, add tomatoes and spices, then beans and spinach). I made it for a vegan friend who added Violife feta to hers and pronounced it delicious. I added Greek yogurt and thought the same. Will definitely make again!

I did not cut this recipe in half because - leftovers!It’s even better the next day. Or freeze it in portions, add toppings and enjoy anytime.

So delicious. Will definitely make this one again. I love the idea of first making our own harissa, too—but it was wonderful with a jar of commercial harissa.

Replaced cumin powder with whole cumin and goda masala. Forgot oregano and garlic.

I started with dried white beans. Even though this adds to the prep time, I found a big difference in the final result which was firm, even after reheating, unlike the result I've had right out of the can. I also roasted the peppers as suggested by another writer.

Enjoying this with a loaf of freshly baked sourdough on a polar vortex evening. Subbed gochujiang for harissa and canned tomatoes for fresh, but it's still absolutely wonderful. Love how the feta, sour cream, and cilantro complement the bean base.

Excellent! Makes 2 dinners plusUsed 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes.Fresno pepper1 tbsp harissa, no salt needed with soy sauce1.5 cups chicken brothBunch kaleAdded quinoa

1 full tbsp harissa1 Fresno pepperBunch kale1 1/2 cups chicken brothQuinoa 1 tsp soy1 tsp salt

We enjoyed this unique take on chili! The harissa really works. I puréed the veggies before adding beans to make it more kid-friendly; I’d purée half next time, as it added body to the base. Beans were still a little crunchy, so I’d simmer longer too.

I doubled the tomatoes and added a cup and a half of quinoa - which made it hearty and more chili-like. Really great. I also added a tablespoon of miso instead of salt, which helped make it more flavorful. Love how this recipe has lots of opportunities to be creative based on the crowd preferences!

This was very good and popular with grandparents and kids alike. I added some textured veg protein because it seemed a little thin. I think the commenter who said to use the bean juice had a good idea. Also, wouldn't canned tomatoes work just as well? Served over rice and put out all the suggested toppings, also added cheddar and fritos as options. Would definitely make it again.

This vegetarian chili is perfect for winter and absolutely delicious. It was also quick and easy. I doubled the recipe so cooked the spinach separately and had people add it to their individual bowls. I thought it would get overcooked if I had already cooked the spinach with the chili on the first day since I knew I would reheat the chili the next day. The addition of avocados, sour cream, and cheese was yummy and allowed people to add the amount they wanted to their own bowl. Great recipe!

Can you freeze this?

Amazing as written, but it’s also a great base to build off and we prefer it with a few changes. A generous shake of Bebere spice blend added with the oregano makes for a more complex flavor. Try rainbow chard leaves in lieu of spinach (and sautée the chard stems with the peppers and onion for a chunkier base). Smash the beans and tomatoes a little with a potato masher for a creamier consistency. Add a handful of quinoa as suggested by another reader.

Do only one tablespoon of harissa

Prefer Colou Henry’s recipe. This one is equally good but more work. The extra work isn’t worth it.Maybe combine elements of both recipes?

The reviews don’t lie: this was excellent! Going in our regular rotation. Small changes I made based on prior reviews: I drained only one of the cans of beans and left the other one in its liquid. I lightly mashed some beans near the end to thicken and it was plenty thick. I didn’t add the full 2 cups of broth. Don’t skip the topping array it made it more fun to eat!