An easy black bean quinoa chili made with pantry ingredients. This comforting vegan dinner is packed with flavor and contains a generous amount of plant protein from the black beans and quinoa. Serve it with avocados, vegan cheese, green onions and cilantro to take it to the next level.

Not only is this recipe delicious, but it’s also surprisingly easy to make. It takes only 20 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. It’s far from being a traditional chili, but it’s an easy and nutritious vegan option. It’s made with a base of black beans and quinoa for bulk and plant-based protein.

What you need: Onion, garlic, olive oil, red bell pepper, canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, black beans, quinoa and spices. You’ll need chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and the option of cayenne for extra spice.

You might have most of the ingredients in your pantry already, which is always great.

You can easily prep this recipe on weekends for quick weeknight dinners. It’s also a great recipe to whip up after work when you’re tired. In less than 40 minutes (and only 20 minutes of work), you’ll have a warm bowl of thick, comforting chili.

How to Make A Black Bean Quinoa Chili

Start by sautéing the onions and garlic in a large saucepan, then add the bell pepper. Continue cooking the vegetables for 3-5 minutes, then add the salt and spices. Let them cook for a few minutes to bring out the flavors, then add the quinoa, vegetable broth, black beans and canned tomatoes.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked.

Serve your chili with diced avocados, vegan cheese and other toppings of choice.

Notes on the Recipe

• You can adjust the spice in this recipe by adding more or less cayenne pepper. Different chili powders may differ in flavor and spice level.
• If using a low-sodium vegetable broth instead of unsalted, start with half of the recommended salt and increase it as needed. You might want to use the same amount, depending on your preference.
• You can use either crushed tomatoes or diced tomatoes. Both work well. Diced tomatoes will simply add more texture. You can also do a mix of both.

More vegan chili recipes: Basic Pantry Vegetarian Chili and Slow Cooker Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili.

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Easy Black Bean Chili

An easy black bean quinoa chili made with pantry ingredients. This comforting vegan dinner is packed with flavor and contains a generous amount of plant protein from the black beans and quinoa. Serve it with avocados, vegan cheese, green onions and cilantro to take it to the next level.

Course Main Course

Cuisine vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cups crushed or diced tomatoes, canned
• 4 cups (900ml) vegetable broth, no added salt
• 1 can (540ml/19oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup quinoa, dry
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ground
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• Pepper to taste
• Pinch of cayenne (optional)

For Topping

• Avocado
• Vegan cheese

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add the bell pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder and salt. Cook 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in your canned tomatoes, vegetable broth, quinoa and black beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low-medium and simmer for 15 minutes, covered.
• Move away from heat and let it sit, covered for 5-10 minutes until the quinoa is fluffy and your chili is nice and thick.
• Taste and add salt or pepper if needed. Top with avocados, vegan cheese or other toppings of choice.

Notes

Add more cayenne pepper for a spicier chili. Different chili powders will differ in their spice level. Taste your chili and add more or less spices to taste.

If you use low sodium vegetable broth instead of unsalted broth, you can reduce the amount of salt as needed. I would recommend starting with 1/2 teaspoon and increasing as needed.

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. This recipe can also be kept in the freezer. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before heating.

If you make this quinoa chili, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love to hear from you guys. And of course, if you try this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram!