Quinoa chili
By Tali Simon | February 8, 2012
I read a lot of food blogs, maybe one too many for my own good.
There are two basic categories of blog recipes: (a) The ones you read with an open mouth, wondering how any human could create anything so gorgeous and perfect and pristine, and (b) the ones you would actually try in your own kitchen, in the context of your normal life.
Honestly, I love both. I love looking at those crazy cakes I could never make myself. And I love all the things I know I can make myself.
So diplomatic of me, right?
Anyway, in case you haven’t already figured this out, quinoa chili is a recipe of the second variety.
And a good one, at that.
I’ve tried kasha chili a few times and always like the slightly nutty flavor it adds, so I knew quinoa chili would be a winner. It does take a fair amount of chopping to get through the ingredient list, but this is such a wholesome, satisfying meal that it’s worth it.
You could serve quinoa chili over rice or another grain, but because there’s already a grain in it, this could also be a meal in itself.
Put it on your to-cook list before the winter’s over!
Adapted from Two peas & Their Pod
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup water
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, peeled and chopped
- 1 can white beans* (or 2 cups cooked, from 2/3 cup dried beans)
- 3 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped
- 2-3 small packs of tomato paste (the 100-gram size, or about 4 Tbsp)
- ½ Tbsp chili powder (or more if you prefer)
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- salt and black pepper, to taste
*If they come in tomato sauce, you can include the sauce.
Directions
1. Slide quinoa into a medium saucepan with the cup of water boiling. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and saute until it’s tender and just starting to brown. Stir in garlic, carrots, peppers, and zucchini. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 10 minutes), stirring frequently.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir in the cooked quinoa and add a bit of water if the chili seems too thick. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Simmer chili on low for about 30 minutes or until the carrots are cooked through. Serve hot.
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