White Bean Quinoa Chili is a delicious, cozy vegan chili filled with protein-rich beans, quinoa, and lentils! Enjoy a bowl as it warms you up from the inside out and fills your body with nutrients.
If you love delicious, easy plant-based meals, try these next: Homemade Roasted Tomato Basil Soup or White Bean Kale Soup!
Plant-based, protein-rich, cozy meals are my thing. I love enjoying a delicious comfort meal knowing that it’s also super nutritious. Quinoa is a nutrient-dense powerhouse grain that is super versatile. I love using it to make this chili, but also as a base for my salads, like my Greek Quinoa Salad or Quinoa Summer Vegetable Salad.
Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free White Bean Quinoa Chili
Whenever I make this White Bean Quinoa Chili my family gets so excited. We’ve now made it a ritual to grab a big bowl of chili, pile on a load of toppings, and watch some feel-good television. Lately, we’ve been cozying up and watching Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; it’s so lighthearted and always a good laugh!
Making this White Bean Quinoa Chili is easy and can be made all in one pot! I like to use my Dutch Oven to make this dish, but any large pot will do.
Here’s What You Need To Make White Bean Quinoa Chili:
- Quinoa: This is the base for the soup. You can use Red Quinoa, White Quinoa, or Tri-colored quinoa.
- Lentils: I like to add lentils for even more protein and fiber. If you do not have lentils, you can simply use more quinoa.
- White Beans: Great Northern White Beans, Cannellini Beans, and Garbanzo Beans work great in this recipe
- Peppers: The peppers add great flavor to the chili. If you do not have poblano peppers, you can use green peppers instead. Feel free to omit the jalapenos if you are not a fan of spicy food.
- Garlic: I love using fresh minced garlic! Don’t skimp on the garlic. It helps to give this chili even more flavor.
- Broth: Use vegetable broth to keep this recipe vegan. You can always substitute with chicken broth if you’d like.
- Mirepoix: The first step in making this chili is to sauté the mirepoix: carrots, onions, and celery.
- Seasonings: You’ll need Chili Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Salt, and Pepper
- Cashew Cream: The cashew cream helps to make this white bean quinoa chili ultra-creamy. I love how cashew cream absorbs the flavors of whatever it is cooked with while providing a luscious texture. I use cashew cream often, and share how to make cashew cream 2 ways in this post: How to Make Cashew Cream. If you do not want to use cashew cream, you can substitute it with coconut cream.
The Quick Method for Making Cashew Cream
Making cashew cream is super easy! Simply bring water to a boil, then pour it over raw cashews. Allow the cashews to soak for at least 15 minutes. When you are ready to make the cashew cream sauce, drain the cashews and transfer them into a blender. Blend the cashews with water or broth, garlic, and salt. Once it is smooth and creamy, it is ready to use!
Is Quinoa Gluten-Free?
Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free grain. It contains all nine of the essential amino acids and is rich in protein, providing 8 grams of protein per cup of cooked quinoa. It is a great substitute for couscous, pasta, farro, and barley.
Tips To Make The Best White Bean Quinoa Chili
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to rinse the quinoa with cold water before using it. This removes saponin, quinoa’s natural coating, which makes the quinoa taste bitter or soapy.
- Use the quick method for making cashew cream
- Both quinoa and lentils are super absorbent. After making the chili, feel free to add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency for your chili.
Toppings To Add To Your Quinoa Chili
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese (vegan or non-vegan)
- Sliced Avocado
- Chopped Cilantro
- Freshly sliced jalapenos
- Crispy Chickpeas
- Sour Cream, Greek Yogurt, or a dollop of Coconut cream for a vegan option
If you try the recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments. Leave a quick review & star rating ★ below! Take pictures, tag #goodfoodbaddie, and share them with me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! I love seeing my recipes come to life in your kitchen.
What To Eat With Your Chili:
- Gluten-Free Cornbread
- Gluten-Free Foccacia
- Easy Gluten-Free Vegan Biscuits
- Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Bread
White Bean Quinoa Chili | Vegan + Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1 15 oz can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15 oz can Cannellni Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 1 cup Lentils
- 2 Celery Stalks
- 2 Large Carrots, chopped
- 2 Poblano Peppers, diced (optional)
- 2 Jalapenos, diced (optional)
- 1 Red Pepper, diced
- 1/2 Onion, chopped
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 4.5 cups Vegetable Broth
- 2 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp Cooking Oil
Cashew Cream
- 1 cup Raw Cashews, soaked then drained
- 1.5 cup Water
- 1 Garlic Clove
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
To Make Cashew Cream
- Bring a small saucepan or water to a boil. Cover the raw cashews with the boiled water and allow the cashews to soak for at least 15 minutes.
- After the cashews are done soaking, drain the water and transfer the raw cashews to the blender. Add water (or vegetable broth), garlic, and salt. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Your cashew cream is now ready to use
To Make the White Bean Quinoa Chili
- In a large pot or Dutch Oven over medium heat, add cooking oil and saute the chopped onions until translucent, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Then, add celery, peppers, and carrots and saute for 5 minutes.
- Add quinoa, lentils, beans, seasonings, broth and mix well. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the ingredients cook for 25 minutes, or until lentil and quinoa are soft and have absorbed most of the broth.
- Stir in the cashew cream until it is fully incorporated.
- The chili is done. Quinoa and lentils are highly absorbent. Feel free to add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency for your chili.
- Top with avocado, jalapenos, cilantro, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use a fine-mesh strainer to rinse the quinoa with cold water before using. This removes saponin, quinoa’s natural coating, that makes the quinoa taste bitter or soapy.
- Use the quick method for making cashew cream (as described above)
- You can double the amount of quinoa and omit the lentils (or vice versa) if desired.
- Both quinoa and lentils are super absorbent. After making the chili, feel free to add more vegetable broth to reach your desired consistency for your chili.
Nutrition
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Absolutely delicious! Fabulous recipe!
Thank you!
Ok YUM! This was so so good. Can’t wait to make again.
So glad you liked!
Who can resist a flavorful bowl of chili? It sure was really delicious! And we loved the cashew cream.
Thanks Andrea! I am happy you enjoyed the recipe!
This looks amazing!! I love chilli but have never tried a vegan version. I will def be adding lentils and quinoa in the future. What a great idea!
Thank you!