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A bowl of chili from a good vegetarian chili recipe is topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and chopped green onions. It sits on a wooden board next to tortilla chips, avocado slices, and another bowl of chili.

Good Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Melissa Griffiths
Looking for a hearty vegetarian meal? This Good Vegetarian Chili Recipe features protein-rich quinoa, kidney beans, and bold spices that come together in under an hour for the perfect weeknight dinner.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 5
Calories 113 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups vegetable broth (divided)
  • ½ cup uncooked quinoa (rinsed (see notes))
  • 1 tablespoon light oil, such as avocado, vegetable or olive oil
  • 1 medium onion (diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked paprika preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 can tomato sauce ((15 ounces))
  • 1 can petite diced or fire-roasted tomatoes ((15 ounces), don't drain the juice)
  • 2 cans kidney beans (rinsed and drained (15 ounces each))

Optional Toppings

  • Shredded cheese
  • Diced green onion
  • Sour cream
  • Tortilla chips
  • Avocado

Instructions
 

  • Cook the quinoa in 1 cup vegetable broth in a medium sauce pan by placing the quinoa and vegetable broth in the pot, bringing it to a boil, and then covering and reducing the heat to simmer until quinoa absorbs all of the vegetable broth, about 15-20 minutes.
    ½ cup uncooked quinoa, 2 cups vegetable broth
  • While the quinoa is cooking, add the oil to a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
    1 tablespoon light oil, such as avocado, vegetable or olive oil, 1 medium onion
  • Add the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
    3 cloves garlic
  • Add the spices (chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne) in with the onion and garlic, and stir until all vegetables are covered in the spices and the spices start to smell good, about 30-60 seconds.
    1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, remaining 1 cup of vegetable broth, and the kidney beans, stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
    2 cups vegetable broth, 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can petite diced or fire-roasted tomatoes, 2 cans kidney beans
  • Stir the cooked quinoa into the large pot, then serve and add optional toppings to taste.

Notes

Bean Flexibility: Feel free to substitute kidney beans with any cooked beans you prefer or have available. Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, or a combination all work beautifully in this recipe.
Grain-free version: Skip the quinoa and add an extra can of beans, or substitute with riced cauliflower added during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Nutrition Note: The nutritional information provided is calculated for the base chili only and does not include any optional toppings such as cheese, sour cream, or avocado.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 of 5 servingsCalories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 3gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 407mgPotassium: 193mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1048IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 2mg
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