Instant Pot Vegetarian Quinoa Chili
User Reviews
4.6
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
15 mins
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Total Time
45 mins
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Servings
12 servings
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Calories
155 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Instant Pot Vegetarian Quinoa Chili
Description
Instant Pot Vegetarian Quinoa Chili features a balance of quinoa and red lentils cooked alongside canned chili and black beans, sweet corn, and diced onion and peppers in a vegetable broth enriched with crushed tomatoes. The layering of ingredients without stirring helps the textures remain distinct before pressure cooking. The chili powder, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika create a comforting spice profile without overwhelming the other ingredients. Quinoa and lentils add body and a slight graininess to the texture, making the chili substantial and filling.
The chili is designed to be served hot with various toppings such as fresh cilantro, sour cream or Greek yogurt, cheese, and crunchy corn chips. These additions bring contrast in texture and flavor, enhancing the experience of each bowl. It's a flexible recipe that holds well as leftovers, making it suitable for batch cooking and freezing for future meals.
Notes highlight the use of red lentils for quicker cooking and recommend adjusting the seasoning after cooking for best results. Extra beans can be added at the end to increase chunkiness without compromising the cooking process. The recipe also offers a slow cooker option with adjusted liquid amounts, underlining its versatility.
Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes canned
- 2 cups onion diced
- 2-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup corn (frozen or canned)
- 15 oz chili beans spicy; in sauce; canned
- 1 cup black beans drained and rinsed, canned
- 3 TBSP chili powder
- 2 TBSP cumin
- 1 tsp oregano dried
- ½ tsp smoked paprika plus extra to taste
- salt I used 1/2 tsp, to taste
- black pepper I used 1/2 tsp, to taste
- ½ cup quinoa dry
- ½ cup red lentils dried
TASTY TOPPING IDEAS:
- onion red, chopped
- Pico de Gallo fresh or salsa
- avocado sliced
- cilantro fresh
- green onion chopped
- jalapeño or bell peppers
- sour cream skip if vegan, or Greek yogurt
- cheddar cheese skip if vegan, shredded
- corn chips
Instructions
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS
- First chop your veggies and measure out the ingredients.
- Add veggie broth and crushed tomatoes followed by lentils, quinoa, chili beans (pinto beans in chili sauce), black beans, onion, garlic, peppers, corn, and dried spices. Keep the ingredients layered and don't stir for best results.
- Set Instant Pot (I use a 6 QT) HIGH pressure for 5 minutes and allow to come to pressure.
- Quick release (aka manually release) the pressure and wait for the pin to drop and the pot to depressurize before opening.
- Lastly, feel free to adjust seasoning (spices and salt) to taste, adding more of what you prefer to get your ideal flavor punch.
- Add all your favorite toppings and enjoy! This chili is great the day of, and even better as leftovers too. Chili is magic like that and great for meal prep for the week! You can even freeze some for later.
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS
- To use a slow cooker, you'll want to decrease the broth in this recipe from 4 cups to 2 cups. AKA just use 2 cups of broth here and you're good to go! Add all ingredients to your slow cooker (minus your toppings) and walk away. It’s that easy! This recipe takes about 5-6 hours on high. You’ll basically want to let this one simmer away until the lentils, quinoa, and veggies are super tender.
- The chili will thicken as it cools. For extra flavor you can even sauté the aromatic veggies before adding it to the slow cooker, but it’s not at all essential. As I mentioned above, adjust the thickness to your liking with extra crushed tomato or broth and season to taste based on any changes/additions. Pile on the toppings and get ready to faceplant into this ultra-comforting bowl-o-veggies!
Notes
- Use red lentils for quicker cooking and reduced liquid needs compared to brown or green lentils.
- Layer ingredients in the Instant Pot without stirring to maintain texture before cooking.
- Adjust seasoning after cooking to suit your preferred flavor intensity.
- For a chunkier chili, add extra cooked beans after cooking and adjust spices as needed.
- This chili freezes well and works great for meal prep.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 155 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 155kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 29g | 10% |
| Protein | 7g | 14% |
| Fat | 1g | 2% |
| Sodium | 715mg | 30% |
| Potassium | 595mg | 13% |
| Fiber | 8g | 32% |
| Sugar | 7g | 14% |
| Vitamin A | 1285IU | 26% |
| Vitamin C | 28.5mg | 32% |
| Calcium | 63mg | 6% |
| Iron | 3.6mg | 20% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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