White Bean Chilli & Rice
Clock Image
Total: 45-40 mins
A change from the usual deep red chilli, this white bean version combines soft butter beans and cannellini beans with smoky spices and chunky organic veg to make a light-tasting take on a trusty Texan classic.
This recipe is a:
See this week's box.
Recipe Box Recipe Main Image
430 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 75g brown basmati rice
  • 1 onion
  • 1 green pepper
  • 400g vine tomatoes
  • 1 celery stick
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • A handful of coriander
  • 1-2 tsp chilli spice blend
  • 400g tin of butter beans
  • 400g tin of cannellini beans
From your kitchen
  • Sea salt
  • 450ml boiling water
  • ½ tbsp olive or sunflower oil
  • Freshly ground pepper
You'll need
  • Small pan with lid
  • Measuring jug
  • Meidum pan with lid
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Fill and boil your kettle. Rinse the rice under cold water, then tip it into a small pan and add a pinch of salt. Pour in 200ml boiling water. Cover, bring to the boil then turn the heat right down. Very gently simmer for 25 mins till the water has been absorbed. Take the rice off the heat and leave it to steam in the pan, lid on, for 5-10 mins.

  • 2.

    While the rice simmers, peel and finely chop the onion. Put a pan on a medium heat. Add ½ tbsp oil and add the onion with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring every so often, for 5 mins.

  • 3.

    While the onion cooks, halve the green pepper, scoop out the seeds and white pith, and chop the pepper. Trim and finely slice the celery stick. Roughly chop the tomatoes. Add the pepper, celery and tomatoes to the onion. Cook, stirring now and then, for 5 mins till the veg start to look glossy and the tomatoes are pulpy.

  • 4.

    Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Finely chop the coriander stalks, setting the leaves aside for later.

  • 5.

    Stir the garlic into the pan along with 1-2 tsp chilli spice blend (it’s hot, so use as much or as little as you prefer). Cook and stir for 1 min till the pan smells aromatic.

  • 6.

    Drain the butter beans and cannellini beans and add them to the pan. Pour in 250ml hot water from the kettle. Cover, turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Once the chilli is boiling, turn the heat down a little and simmer for 15 mins till the beans are tender.

  • 7.

    Roughly chop the coriander leaves. Taste the chilli and add a pinch more salt or pepper if you think it needs it.

  • 8.

    Fluff the rice with a fork and divide it between a couple of bowls. Ladle the chilli over the top. Garnish with the chopped coriander and dust over a little extra chilli spice blend to serve.

This recipe is from