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.
I made this yesterday! I was skeptical about the sweet potatoes but so glad I tried it! It was awesome! I added lean ground turkey and chopped green onions. Yummy! Thank you!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed this Ro! Thanks so much for the comment and sharing your additions! 🙂
Chelsea,
Thank you for this Recipe. Just made it and Added chipotle pepper instead of cayenne and also Garam Masala. Served with cheddar cheese and sour cream guacamole, and Corn chips. AMAZING!
MMMM that sounds delicious!!! I’m so happy you loved it! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
I loved this recipie! I have tried a few from your website! I was wondering if you had an estimate of calories per serving? I like to know for tracking, and homemade meals are so difficult sometimes.
What would you sub in for corn/Sweetcorn in your recipes? My husband really genuinely dislikes it so I try not to force him to pick it out… And you confused the heck out of me as a European reader… Cilantro!?!? I spent ages checking a few shops for it fresh & dried with no luck, then I googled to see what it looked like & it told me cilantro is Spanish for Coriander *doh* now I know and will be trying as many of your recipes as I can (although some are hard given the availability of some ingredients).
Thank you for the inspiration 😉
I would try substituting another similar vegetable. Cutting up carrots small would give a sweet touch to replace the corn. Peas are also a great option in some of my dishes. SO sorry I confused you with cilantro!! That’s what it’s called in the states so I’m so sorry for the confusion, but glad you figured it out! 🙂 Hope you love these recipes!
I love quinoa! Easy recipe with awesome flavors!
Naming recipes…don’t get me started. That in itself can take more time consuming than editing (well not really!)
I’ve got so many of your quinoa recipes pinned, It’s going to happen once the weather cools down!
I seriously sit there sometimes just pondering on how to name the dish that people will understand yet want to eat! This dish sounds perfect for a Friday night dinner!
URGH. I hate naming dishes sometimes! My titles are always way too long haha!
I LOVE the sweet potatoes and quinoa combo here girl. Its comforting and healthy…in one skillet! WIN. Pinned!
Naming recipes is such a struggle! Sometimes I just stare blankly at my food photos while eating the recipe and I’ll come up with 25 different things, all of which are extremely long titles haha. I suppose there are worse problems to have…
Your husband should be listed somewhere on blog as a co-writer because it’s a good, descriptive name 😉
I really like that you made this chilli with quinoa…
I absolutely love all of your quinoa recipes, Chelsea! And I think you named this one perfectly! 🙂 I love the southwest flavors in this dish. Sounds delicious! Pinned!