Delightful Vegetarian Chili
We love this easy vegetarian chili packed with vegetables, beans and quinoa. Thanks to the perfect blend of spices, this chili will satisfy just about anyone. It’s perfect for making ahead, too! Freeze this veggie chili for up to 3 months. Jump to the Vegetarian Chili Recipe or watch our quick recipe video showing you how we make it.
Watch us make the recipe
How to make our vegetarian chili
Whenever I’m in the mood for this meatless chili, I make a double batch. It’s the perfect dish to freeze for another day. Having a batch of this vibrant quinoa and bean chili stored in the freezer has saved us more than once.
Making the chili is easy! Here are the basic steps (the full recipe is found below):
- Cook veggies like onion, bell pepper and sweet potato in some oil until soft and sweet.
- Add a generous amount of spices including chili powder (I love using our homemade version), cumin and chipotle powder for heat. If you don’t have chipotle powder, cayenne will also work.
- Pour in canned diced tomatoes, cooked or canned beans, veggie broth and dried quinoa.
- Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes and then serve with a bit of lime juice, cilantro and any other chili toppings you love.
This has the perfect combination of sweet and tender veggies, hearty beans and quinoa all cooked in a generously spiced base. It’s quick to make and keeps for months in the freezer.
As for serving, I love a big bowl with a bit more fresh lime juice. A few slices of avocado or a spoonful of guacamole wouldn’t hurt and shredded or crumbled cheese is never a bad idea. Enjoy!
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Delightful Vegetarian Chili
- PREP
We love this simple vegetarian chili packed with vegetables, beans and quinoa. Thanks to the perfect blend of spices, this chili will satisfy just about anyone. It’s perfect for making ahead, too! Freeze this veggie chili for up to 3 months.
Makes 6 servings
You Will Need
For the Chili2 tablespoons neutral oil like grape seed oil or vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (2 cups)
3 medium carrots, chopped (1 cup)
1 large red bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium-large sweet potato, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic minced (1 rounded tablespoon)
2 tablespoons chili powder, see our homemade chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or more to taste
1 can (14.5 ounce) canned diced tomatoes, we prefer fire roasted
1 can (15 ounce) black beans, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups cooked beans)
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, see our veggie broth recipe
1/2 cup (95 grams) uncooked quinoa
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves, chopped
Juice of half a lime or more to taste
For ServingServing suggestions: sliced or mashed avocado, guacamole, pico de gallo, extra cilantro, extra lime, crema or sour cream, shredded cheese or nutritional yeast
Directions
Heat the oil in a large, deep pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and some of the edges are brown, about 7 minutes. Add the carrots, bell pepper and sweet potato then cook another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are beginning to sweat.
Stir in garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the garlic and spices begin to smell fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, and then use a spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any stuck browned bits or veggies.
Stir in the beans, vegetable broth and quinoa. Bring the chili to a low simmer and cook, partially covered with a lid, until the quinoa is full cooked, 20 to 25 minutes.
Taste and season the chili with additional salt if needed, and then stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Serve with desired toppings.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
Nutrition Per Serving: Serving Size 1/6 of the recipe / Calories 218 / Total Fat 6.7g / Saturated Fat 0.9g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 672.1mg / Carbohydrate 35.1g / Dietary Fiber 5.2g / Total Sugars 6.5g / Protein 7.1g
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Hey! Can I replace the vegetable broth with water? Thanks!
Hi Kim, you can substitute veggie broth with water but we do recommend using a broth for the extra depth of flavor.
This is so delicious!!! I substituted the veggie broth with water and it’s perfect! Do you think next time I can add some cubes of firm tofu to the dish?
Hi Kim. so glad you enjoyed it. Yes, you adding tofu to this dish is a great idea.
This is the best chili EVER!!
The family loved the chili. It had such a great flavor and taste. I did have to cook it longer than the recipe for the carrots and sweet potatoes to soften. It was worth the wait. Will be sharing with friends.