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30-Minute Vegetarian Chili with Quinoa

Thick, hearty vegetarian chili with quinoa simmered right in the pot, plus black beans, kidney beans, corn, and fire-roasted tomatoes — one pot, 30 minutes, about 19g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 3/4 cup quinoa rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus more for serving
  • Diced avocado, shredded cheddar or sour cream optional, for serving
  • Lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • Large heavy pot or Dutch oven with lid (5-quart or larger)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute, until deeply fragrant — blooming the spices in oil is what gives this chili its deep flavor.
  3. Pour in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices and the tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the vegetable broth and the rinsed quinoa. Stir well and bring to a lively simmer.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. The quinoa should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed — the chili thickens as the quinoa cooks.
  5. Uncover and stir in the black beans, kidney beans, and frozen corn. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until the beans are heated through and the chili is thick. Taste and adjust the salt.
  6. Remove from the heat. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Serve in bowls with diced avocado, cheddar or sour cream if you like, extra cilantro, and lime wedges.

Notes

Food safety: refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; reheat to steaming. Rinse the quinoa before adding — it removes the bitter coating (saponin). Quinoa simmers directly in the chili, which is the one-pot enabler; no separate pan needed. Leftovers 5 days refrigerated / 3 months frozen; add broth when reheating since the quinoa keeps absorbing liquid. Protein ~19g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.