This hearty vegetarian quinoa chili has such deep color and flavor that it'll be a hit with meat eaters and vegetarians alike! Just 30 minutes to make and no need to pre-cook the quinoa!
Everyone is abuzz about Thanksgiving and turkey and stuffing and I’m posting a vegetarian quinoa chili recipe.
Shame on me. Chock it up to newbie food blogger mistakes… but I just couldn’t wait to share this with you!
And don't worry, I have plenty of holiday recipes coming your way this next month.
If you are impatient like I am, go ahead and check out this pumpkin white bean vegetarian chili - it's ready in 30 minutes and has both pumpkin puree and pumpkin beer!
I'm also partial to my white turkey chili, which is great for Thanksgiving turkey leftovers!
Back to today's recipe.
This is a vegetarian chili that is not missing out in the hearty, filling, flavorful categories!
Seriously, we are carnivores around here and we devoured this vegan quinoa chili. The kiddos ate up their little bowls too - they love chili just like their mama. ❤️
This chili has a great depth of flavor (thank you cocoa powder for adding richness to savory dishes) and a huge hearty factor (quinoa + beans packs quite a punch!)
You will not be hungry after a big bowl of this!
But you won’t be hurting either - this is all healthy ingredients with nothing to weigh you down.
Whether you are vegan, vegetarian or full on meat-lover, this chili has got it going on.
No pre-cooked quinoa needed and it’s ready in about 30 minutes.
Yes, yes, yes. Serve me another bowl, please!
Speaking of, let's tackle a few quick notes and tips on this vegetarian quinoa chili recipe.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Quinoa: If you have cooked quinoa you would like to use here, just skip the initial simmering in the recipe instructions below. Add your cooked quinoa along with the cocoa powder, beans and tomatoes and simmer for a total of 15-20 minutes.
- Broth: Vegetable broth keeps this recipe vegan and vegetarian friendly, but I've used chicken broth before when that's what I had on hand and it works great as well.
- Beans: I like the combo of black beans and light kidney beans for this chili, but you could use all of one or the other or use your favorite combination.
- Tomatoes: Regular diced tomatoes work great, or you could substitute some fire-roasted diced tomatoes if you want some extra oomph.
- Toppings: Optional but always welcome! Sour cream/Greek yogurt, shredded cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, green onions, sliced avocado, hot sauce, oyster crackers, etc.
Last thing, what to do with any leftovers.
Once cooled, leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to 4-5 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight and then reheat.
I hope you give this a try soon for a warm and hearty vegetarian dinner that'll have you going back for spoonful after spoonful.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. If you're looking for more vegetarian recipes, check out my quick and easy vegetarian curry that's ready in just 15 minutes!
Vegetarian Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (plus extra to adjust consistency)
- 1 ½ teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans (light or dark), rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add seasonings (chili powder through cayenne) and stir to mix well and help the flavors of the spices bloom.
- Add uncooked quinoa and stir to get it coated in the spices and oil. Cook for about 30 seconds to lightly toast the quinoa.
- Add the vegetable broth, bring the mixture to a boil (I crank up the heat to make this happen faster) then lower the heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, add the cocoa powder, beans and tomatoes and stir to combine. Return the chili to a simmer (I usually crank up the heat again to help it along) then lower the heat to low again, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can let it hang out longer if you need to. You can also add extra vegetable broth if you’d like it to be more soupy.
- Taste and adjust seasonings (I usually add some salt and pepper here). Top with your favorite chili toppings and serve hot!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
Umm, NO shame on you for posting this delicious chili! Too many holiday recipes and not enough daily goodness makes me a sad girl. So THANK YOU for taking a break from the holiday shenanigans! (I need to follow your lead!) This chili looks seriously scrumptious, Kathryn!! I am LOVING the quinoa in here! So clever!! I'm going to have to leave out the cocoa (allergic), but I can't wait to try this! Cheers, my dear!
Kathryn
I like doing sneaky things with quinoa 😉 And you know me and the daily goodness - all about it! Hope you have a great weekend, Cheyanne!
Winnie
FANTASTIC dish!!
I looooooooooooove quinoa and we eat it almost every day. So this is definitely a recipe I'm going to try.
Thanks so much for sharing it 🙂
Kathryn
I love that you eat quinoa every day Winnie! We're kind of that way with oatmeal, but I'm always looking to branch out and this chili hit the spot. Hope you love it, too!
Nancy |Plus Ate Six
I'm actually happy this is a turkey & pumpkin free zone 🙂 I love the addition of cocoa - I sometimes add a few squares of dark chocolate at the end but I like the idea of cocoa cooking through the chilli 🙂
Kathryn
Haha, glad to offer a brief respite from turkey and pumpkin for you, Nancy! (Though I'm definitely pumpkin obsessed, so I'm very guilty of fueling that fire, too!) The cocoa really adds a great background note, but I love the idea of adding some dark chocolate to the chili at the end, too - can't go wrong either way!
Wajeeha
This looks delicious...love the pictures too! 🙂
Kathryn
Thanks so much! We really loved it!
Adina
This sounds wonderful and I am glad is not all about Thanksgiving recipes. I found a bag of quinoa in the pantry recently, it expires next week, so we've already had quino twice this week (vegetarian meatballs and soup), this will have to be the third recipe, quinoa is so expensive I don't want to waste any of it.
Kathryn
I'm with you! Quinoa is expensive - I get a huge bag from Costco and then find ALL the ways to use it 🙂 Including this quinoa chili!
Frugal Hausfrau
I have been meaning to make a version of this forever and here it is! I can't wait to try it and thanks for sharing this on Throwback Thursday! I'll be pinning, too, so be sure to follow us there!
Mollie
Kathryn
Thanks Mollie! Great timing 😉
Toni | Boulder Locavore
This looks really good! Perfect for fall nights!
Kathryn
Thanks Toni! It really is!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Cocoa powder in chili, for the win!
Kathryn
Right?! I love how much depth it adds to savory dishes!