Quinoa Chili

A super delicious chili which can be made vegetarian by excluding the ground beef. With its unique texture and sweet savory flavor with a hint of spice, this recipe will have your friends asking for seconds!

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 35 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 412 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 onion, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 2 (19 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
• 1 zucchini, chopped (Optional)

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease; set beef aside.

Step 3

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Season with chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute more to release the flavor of the spices. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, zucchini, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Simmer until the bell peppers are tender, about 20 minutes.

Step 4

Once the red and green peppers are tender, stir in the quinoa, beef, and corn kernels. Return to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes to reheat. Stir in the cilantro to serve.