Quinoa Chili is a one-pot dinner ready in 30 minutes! It’s loaded with flavorful ingredients and seasonings—you won’t miss the meat!
Pair quinoa chili with roasted Brussels sprouts, Italian salad, or fruit salad.
Quinoa Chili
Chili is a favorite at my house, mainly as the weather cools down. This crockpot chili is my go-to recipe and one of the most popular on my site.
When I want to add more veggies, I turn to this vegetarian chili or this chili—they’re both filling and delicious. Thanks to the quinoa, this chili is full of protein and keeps you feeling full.
With sweet potatoes, beans, and a great mix of seasonings, Quinoa Chili is a top pick!
Quinoa Chili Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: Cut small so they cook faster.
- Seasoning Blend: Taste and adjust any seasonings to what you like.
- Quinoa: Rinse before adding it into the pot.
- Chicken Stock: Gives great flavor; use veggie broth to keep it vegan.
- Chili Beans: Use mild or pick the spice level you like. Use black beans if you prefer.
- Black Beans: Swap for another can of chili beans if preferred.
- Frozen Corn: Fresh corn works too—cut it off the cob.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes add extra flavor; add a little sugar if it’s too tangy.
- Toppings: Check below for ideas!
Quick Tip
Quinoa absorbs liquid, so the chili gets thicker the longer it sits. Add a splash of stock/broth if needed.
Quinoa Chili Toppings
- Fresh lime juice
- Freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream (fat-free, reduced-fat, or full-fat)
- Crushed corn chips, crushed tortilla chips, or saltine crackers
- Fresh chives or cilantro (chopped)
- Fresh avocado/guacamole and/or fresh chopped tomatoes
Variations
Switch Things Up
- Vegan Chili: Use veggie stock and vegan toppings in quinoa chili.
- Southwest Chili: Add a tsp of oregano and chopped bell peppers. Cook the peppers for 3-4 mins before adding quinoa.
- Turkey Chili: Add cooked turkey and extra spices. Add salt and pepper to turkey.
- Onion/Garlic: Add half a chopped yellow onion and some garlic. Cook for 3-4 mins before adding sweet potato.
How To Use Leftover Quinoa Chili
- Baked Potatoes: Top a baked potato with chili, cheese, green onions, and sour cream.
- Navajo Tacos: Use fry bread, add chili, cheese, and sour cream.
- Shepherd’s Pie: Use leftover chili as a base and top with mashed potatoes.
Quick Tip
You can freeze this chili, but the quinoa can get soft as it absorbs liquid.
Reheating: Warm it in the microwave or on the stove, and add chicken or veggie stock to thin it out if needed.[/storage]
More Quinoa Recipes
- Quinoa Salad with avocado
- Quinoa Enchilada Bake with sweet potatoes
- Crockpot Quinoa Tacos 10 min prep
- Quinoa Black Bean Salad reader favorite
- Southwest Quinoa Salad with a lime dressing
Quinoa Chili
This one-pot Quinoa Chili comes together in 30 minutes, packed with hearty ingredients and bold seasonings. So delicious, you won’t miss the meat!
Equipment
- Large cast-iron pot
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups peeled and chopped sweet potatoes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup white quinoa
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth; use vegetarian stock/broth to keep this vegetarian
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can chili beans in mild sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- Toppings as desired see note 1
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, cast-iron pot over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add peeled and chopped sweet potatoes.
- Cook until quite tender, around 7–9 minutes. Add chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir for 1 minute or until fragrant.
- Thoroughly rinse the quinoa. Remove pan from heat and add quinoa to the hot pan, stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
- Return to heat and add in stock/broth, frozen corn, undrained chili beans, black beans, and undrained diced tomatoes.
- Stir everything well and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, reduce heat to medium low and cover the pot.
- Allow to simmer 20–25 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. The time will vary, depending on the heat of your stove. For best results, check it every 3–5 minutes and give it a good stir at each check to avoid burning or sticking to the bottom.
- Once liquid is mostly absorbed, remove from heat. Season to taste with any additional salt/pepper as needed. I like to add a few tablespoons of lime juice here.
- Add your favorite toppings to individual bowls. I top mine with a good handful of freshly shredded sharp Cheddar, another squeeze of lime, a good dollop of sour cream, and some chopped cilantro. Don’t forget the toppings; they add a lot!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Optional toppings: fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, sour cream, and/or Cheddar cheese.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until warmed through. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 236kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 2mg | Sodium: 456mg | Potassium: 506mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 6720IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this recipe work in the crackpot? IT sounds fantastic and can’t wait to try it.
Can I use an instapot to cook this and how long?
Absolutely the very best chilli I have ever made. The combination of spices was perfect. Unfortunately I was unable to find fire roasted tomatoes I just added another can of tomatoes. Highly recommend.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Lisa! 🙂
I like to do chili cheese omelette things with it. A little rice, the chili, then some scrambled eggs on top. Makes for a delicious breakfast.
Yum! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Any way you could turn this into a crockpot recipe? I was thinking maybe 3-4 hours? Thanks!