Chili doesn’t need ground beef to have plenty of substance. Kidney beans, black beans, and cooked quinoa fill this pot instead, joining tomatoes, peppers, carrots, onion, garlic, and spices in a dinner that can be ready in about 30 minutes.
Most of the cooking happens in one Dutch oven, and canned beans and tomatoes keep the process short. Quinoa goes in already cooked, so it only needs enough time to heat through and become part of the thick tomato base.
Build the Chili Around Fresh Vegetables
Heat canola oil in a Dutch oven, then add chopped sweet onion, carrot, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and minced garlic. Chili powder and cumin go into the pot at the same time, seasoning the vegetables as they soften.
Cook everything for five to seven minutes, stirring often. Giving the carrot, onion, and peppers this time in the pan creates the savory base without relying on browned meat.
Use Two Kinds of Beans
Kidney beans and black beans provide much of the substance in the chili. Rinse both before adding them to the pot so the thick liquid from the cans doesn’t become part of the sauce.
Using two varieties also keeps the texture from becoming too uniform. Both hold their shape during the short simmer, which gives the finished chili plenty to scoop up in each spoonful.
Cooked Quinoa Goes Straight Into the Pot
Half a cup of cooked quinoa joins the beans rather than cooking from dry in the tomato mixture. This keeps the recipe within its short cooking window and prevents the quinoa from absorbing too much of the liquid.
Quinoa also fills the smaller spaces between the beans and vegetables, helping the chili feel substantial without adding meat. If you already have cooked quinoa in the refrigerator, this recipe gives that leftover portion an easy place to go.
Tomatoes Create the Sauce in Minutes
Whole canned tomatoes and their juices form the liquid base. Chop the tomatoes, add them to the softened vegetables with salt, and cook over high heat for about five minutes.
Reduce the heat before stirring in the kidney beans, black beans, and quinoa. Another 15 minutes of simmering gives the tomato mixture time to thicken around everything in the pot.
Finish the Bowl With Something Cool
Plain Greek yogurt and chopped green onion can go over each serving at the table. The yogurt provides a cool contrast to the jalapeño, chili powder, and cumin, while green onion adds a fresh bite on top.
From the first vegetables hitting the Dutch oven to the final simmer, the recipe keeps the cooking time close to half an hour. Beans and quinoa handle the job usually given to meat, leaving you with a thick chili that doesn’t depend on a long afternoon at the stove.
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