Hearty Vegetable Chili

Hearty Vegetable Chili is loaded with vegetables and packed with plant protein, like three kinds of beans and quinoa, for a delicious plant-based chili. 

Who doesn’t love a good chili this time of year? We may not have many cooler days in Florida, but the first day of cooler temperatures always has me reaching to my pantry for chili supplies!

The beautiful thing about chili, too, is that it is just so darn versatile. Plus, on top of being versatile, it’s typically a pretty forgiving recipe if you want to try adding a little of this and a little of that.

This Hearty Vegetable Chili is perfect for that. In the recipe below I’ve listed everything I used to prepare this chili, but you can totally get flexible and creative. Use what you have and what you love! Some ideas:

• Use any type of dark leafy green instead of kale (kale works beautifully here, but you can also try Swiss chard, bok choy, spinach, etc.)
• Use any type or combination of beans you love. You could even use lentils instead of beans!
• Don’t have any quinoa but have brown rice? Use that instead.
• Have an extra zucchini in your veggie drawer? Chop that up and add that too!

Or you can make it exactly as listed below. 😉 I do have to say, while I totally advocate for y’all doing what fits for you, I strongly recommend the spice combination. I’ve never added cinnamon to chili before, but it combination with the other spices it. just. works. Ugh, it’s SO dang good, it doesn’t taste weird or sweet or anything, it just really complements the warming palate of the other spices so well.

If you try it, let me know! Were you a fan of the cinnamon added to the spices or are you more traditional with your spice preferences? Or is that old news, no biggie to ya? 😉 Share your thoughts in the comments below, and please share a pic with me of your finished product on the NTF Facebook page or by tagging me (@nutritiotofit) on Instagram with #nutritiontofit!

Want to try some of my other favorite nourishing fall recipes?

• Butternut Sage Carbonara
• Pumpkin Falafel
• Slow Cooker Applesauce
• Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
• Apple Cranberry Sauce
• Pumpkin Spice Buckwheat Granola

Hearty Vegetable Chili

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 341 kcal

Author: Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, CLT

Hearty Vegetable Chili is loaded with vegetables and packed with plant protein, like three kinds of beans and quinoa, for a delicious plant-based chili.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 stalks celery diced
• 2 carrots diced
• 1 small yellow onion diced
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 8 oz mushrooms chopped
• 1 medium sweet potato chopped
• 2 cups chopped kale
• 3 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained
• 1 can garbanzo beans rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add celery, carrots, and onion and saute stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes, or until onions are turning translucent.
3. Add bell pepper, mushrooms, and sweet potato and continue saute stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. Stir in kale and cook another 2-3 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes and beans, then stir.
5. Add water, quinoa, and spices, then stir.
6. Cover and allow chili to cook for 30-45 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed liquid and the chili is thick and vegetables tender.
7. Any leftovers can be stored in a refrigerator in an airtight sealed container up to 4 days or frozen up to 3-4 months (tip: I like to freeze in individual portions for fast and easy "freezer meals"!).

Recipe Notes

Nutrition information will vary based on exact ingredients used.

Nutrition Facts

Hearty Vegetable Chili

Amount Per Serving (0 g)

Calories 341 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 0g0%

Cholesterol 0mg0%

Sodium 598mg26%

Potassium 935mg27%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 15g63%

Sugar 9g10%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 8115IU162%

Vitamin C 46.4mg56%

Calcium 161mg16%

Iron 6.4mg36%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.