Hearty Quinoa Vegan Chili
A hearty pot of vegan chili made with quinoa and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 1 Large yellow onion diced (1 3/4 cup)
- 4 Ribbed and chopped poblano pepper***
- 1 Chopped red jalepeno*** substitute habanero if you can handle it!
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 1/2 tbsp Chili powder**
- 2 tsp Ground cumin**
- 1 tsp Cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Paprika**
- 1/2 tsp Ground coriander**
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper** or more if you're wild
- 2 14.5 oz Cans diced tomatoes
- 1 8 oz Can tomato sauce
- 2 cups Cooked quinoa*
- 2 cups Vegetable broth plus one cup in reserve
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 15-oz can Kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz can Black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups Fresh or frozen corn
- 1 cup Chopped fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup Cilantro chopped, (optional)
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat.
- Once oil is hot add onion and chopped peppers and saute until tender, about 4 minutes.
- Add in garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and saute for 30 seconds.
- Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, cooked quinoa, and broth. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover pot and allow to simmer 30 minutes. If chili gets too thick, add 1/4 cup additional vegetable stock at a time, up to 1 cup in total. Adjust flavor with additional salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in all beans, corn, spinach, (optional) cilantro and lime and cook until heated through.
Notes
*Don't forget to cook your quinoa in advance. (You can cook it up to 24 hours in advance and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.)
**Make sure your spices are fresh. If you aren't sure how old your spices are, check the color and give them a sniff test before using them. Fresh spices should still have a vibrant color and aroma. If you can't tell by smelling, taste the spices to ensure that your chile still has bite and none of the spices faded or turned bitter. ***I recommend wearing disposable gloves when handling chile peppers.
This recipe makes a very chunky chili. If you prefer a soupier texture, you can simmer the chili for an hour to allow the tomatoes to break down.
**Make sure your spices are fresh. If you aren't sure how old your spices are, check the color and give them a sniff test before using them. Fresh spices should still have a vibrant color and aroma. If you can't tell by smelling, taste the spices to ensure that your chile still has bite and none of the spices faded or turned bitter. ***I recommend wearing disposable gloves when handling chile peppers.
This recipe makes a very chunky chili. If you prefer a soupier texture, you can simmer the chili for an hour to allow the tomatoes to break down.