Quinoa Chili Recipe: How to Make Vegetarian Quinoa Chili
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: May 17, 2022 • 3 min read
This vegan chili is comfort food suited for a cold day, loaded with protein from beans and quinoa. Learn how to make an easy quinoa chili inspired by Mexican flavors of chipotle chiles and dark chocolate.
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What Is Quinoa Chili?
Quinoa chili is a hearty vegan or vegetarian chili featuring stewed vegetables, beans, and quinoa in a tomato sauce. Quinoa is the seed of a plant in the amaranth genus, commonly used as a gluten-free grain substitute and plant-based protein source. In chili, its texture serves as a wonderful replacement for ground meat.
4 Tips for Making Quinoa Chili
Add another layer of nutty flavor by toasting dry quinoa before adding it to the chili. Here’s what else you need to know:
- 1. Use different types of legumes. Try different combinations of legumes for a variety of flavors and textures. For example, mix standard black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans with unexpected lentils or chickpeas. Canned beans offer the most convenience, but learning how to cook dried beans will allow you to experiment with more varieties. Remember that different dried legumes will have different cook times.
- 2. Decide on whether to use a Dutch oven or slow cooker. Cooking quinoa chili on the stovetop in a Dutch oven is a tried-and-true method that cooks ingredients evenly and allows the flavors to meld; however, it does require attention. It’s important to stir quinoa chili as it cooks in a Dutch oven to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom during the cooking process. Using a slow cooker to make quinoa chili is a more hands-off method. Slow-cooker chili takes more time overall, so you’ll have to plan ahead.
- 3. Embrace toppings. The toppings might be the best part of chili. For an easy, interactive dinner, set out bowls of tortilla chips, thinly sliced scallions, shredded cheese (or vegan cheese), and Greek yogurt or vegan sour cream. A side of vegan cornbread and a bottle of hot sauce are welcome accompaniments.
- 4. Freeze leftovers. Make a large batch of chili and freeze it for a quick reheatable meal. Let the chili cool to room temperature, and then transfer it to airtight containers or gallon freezer bags. Refrigerate quinoa chili for up to a week or store it in the freezer for up to six months. To defrost frozen chili, transfer it to the fridge and let it defrost overnight. Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, adding a little water if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Vegetarian Quinoa Chili Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
1 hr 15 mincook time
1 hrIngredients
- 1
In a dry sauté pan over medium heat, toast the quinoa, constantly stirring, until slightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Turn off the heat and let the quinoa cool in the pan.
- 3
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until shimmering.
- 4
Add the onion, bell pepper, and sweet potato and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes.
- 5
Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- 6
Add the black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn, and stir to combine.
- 7
Add the diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, tomato paste, and soy sauce and stir to incorporate.
- 8
Add the chili powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, black pepper, ground cumin, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce, and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- 9
Add the cocoa powder and dark chocolate and stir until melted.
- 10
Simmer the chili until the liquid has thickened and reduced, about 30 minutes.
- 11
Add the toasted quinoa. Cook until the quinoa is tender but still chewy, about 15 minutes.
- 12
Serve the chili with green onions, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime, or your favorite toppings.
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