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Slow Cooker Vegetarian Quinoa Chili is a set it and forget it hearty chili with black beans, kidney beans, onions and garlic in a rich tomato sauce.
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Quinoa Chili
We’re in the thick of chili season and with all the meat options like Karina’s delicious Beef & Bean Jalapeño Chili, but this option is full of all those warm and spicy flavors with a hearty vegetarian version. You won’t even miss the beef in this recipe and I definitely recommend enjoying these with a delicious Easy Buttermilk Cornbread.
Hey everyone, it’s Sabrina again from Dinner, then Dessert (easy comfort food recipes) and Cooking with Points (Weight Watchers Recipes) back with another healthy slow cooker recipe for you all. Last month I shared a super quick and easy Mediterranean Chicken and this month we’re making a chili with no added fats, just lots of flavor.
Some alternatives to quinoa:
- farro or barley would be a great alternative.
- For a no point alternative add butternut squash, carrot or acorn squash cubes.
- If you want all beans, adding additional beans like chili beans, light kidney beans or pinto beans are great.
Instead of sour cream you can also add fat free greek yogurt on top of the chili. To add more flavor zest and juice a lime, add some of the juice to the chili and 1 teaspoon to the yogurt with the zest and a bit of cumin.
If you want to meal prep for this Slow Cooker Vegetarian Quinoa Chili, add all the ingredients except the broth into a large ziploc bag and freeze until ready to use. If cooking from frozen, cook on low for 7-8 hours.
Stovetop Vegetarian Quinoa Chili:
- Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the package.
- In a large dutch oven add 1 tablespoon of canola oil.
- Add in the onions and garlic and cook on medium high heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the spices and stir well, cooking for an additional 30 seconds to bloom the spices.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients (including the cooked quinoa)and cook on low heat (at a simmer) for 30 minutes until cooked.
Hope to see you around Dinner, then Dessert or Cooking with Points! Enjoy the chili!
More Recipes:
Easy Slow Cooker Creamy Gnocchi Sausage Kale Soup
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Slow Cooker Vegetarian Quinoa Chili
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
- 15 ounce black beans canned
- 15 ounce kidney beans canned
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 14 ounces diced tomatoes canned
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch parsley optional as a garnish
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker, stir and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe. It’s in our weekly rotation and my 3.5 year old loves it. I usually make it every other week and freeze the leftovers for the following week. I also always make it for the superbowl and everyone loves it.
I have made this recipe a zillion times! I use my own cooked beans and fresh tomatoes (double the salt if you do that), but otherwise it’s totally the same. I’ve served it to many guests and they cannot believe how good it is. It’s a regular rotating dinner in my home.
How should I modify this to make enough for 16 servings please?
TY
See where it says “Servings” and the default is 8? If you click on that it brings up a sliding bar that lets you adjust the amount of servings you’d like to make, and the ingredients update accordingly.
Wow…I wanted to love this. WAY too much chili powder for my taste (I questioned the amount while making it – should have gone with my gut). Not just from a flavor perspective, but I think it also effected the texture. I’d make again, prob with just 1 tablespoon of chili powder & another can of beans.
For the freezer prep part, do i cook the quinoa still or just freeze it with everything uncooked and let the slow cooker do the work?
Yes, you will cook it and then freeze it. Hope that helps! XO
Do the beans need to be drained and rinsed?
Yes, I always like to do that with all my beans! You will love this Chili!
Thanks for sharing the recipe Karina. I’m trying to eat more veggie and less meat everyday. Will try your recipe this weekend.
Cheers,
Rose
YAY!! I think you will LOVE this! Enjoy!!