Vegan Quinoa Chili is the plant-based dinner of your dreams. Protein-packed thanks to the quinoa and beans and lots of fiber make this chili extra filling. Perfect for meatless Monday or any night when you want a healthy, vegetarian dinner option. The main reason I love making this quinoa chili? It uses mainly pantry ingredients!

quinoa chili in a bowl topped with avocado

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Vegan Quinoa Chili:

I love that this vegan chili recipe uses all pantry staples! It’s a great recipe to have in your back pocket when you don’t want to run to the store.

Onion and Garlic
Spices: Chili Powder, Cumin, Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Salt and Pepper
Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – If you only have regular diced tomatoes, that is fine.
Diced Green Chiles
Canned Beans – Black Beans and Kidney Beans (light or dark). Make sure to rinse and drain the canned beans before using. This helps rinse off the excess sodium.
Canned Tomato Sauce
Quinoa
Water
Lime Juice and Fresh Cilantro – To add at the end for brightness!

Recipe Notes and Tips:

Add the spices when you add the garlic to sauté – Adding the spices before you add any liquid allows the spices to ‘bloom’ and deepen in flavor.
Serve Immediately or Add Liquid to Leftovers – This vegan quinoa chili is best served immediately after cooking. As it sits, the quinoa will continue to soak up the liquid and become very thick. Have leftovers? That’s okay! It still tastes great when it’s thicker or you can add a little water or broth to loosen it up.
Scrape Any Bits Off the Bottom – When you add the liquid ingredients, make sure to scrape any bit of onion, garlic, and spices off the bottom. This is where the flavor is!

Protein-Packed Vegan Chili

Just because there is no meat, doesn’t mean this chili isn’t loaded with protein! Quinoa is a whole grain that has lots of protein. The addition of both black beans and kidney beans also ramps up the protein content. Leaving you with a filling, healthy chili.

Storage, Freezing, and Reheating:

Storage – Leftover chili can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Be aware that it will soak up the liquid more as it sits.
Freeze – For longer storage, you can freeze the quinoa chili in freezer bags for up to 3 months. I recommend at least partially defrosting in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating – The quinoa continues to absorb the liquid as it sits so the leftover chili will be quite thick. If you prefer a thinner chili, just add some water or broth when reheating to thin it out.

Bowls of vegetarian quinoa chili topped with avocado

Chili Topping Ideas:

One of the best parts about a cozy bowl of chili is the toppings! Here are some of my favorites:

Diced Avocado
Extra Lime Wedges for Spritzing
Fresh Chopped Cilantro
Shredded Cheese
Crunchy Tortilla Strips
Dollop of Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt

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