Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

| Curated Just for You | Test Kitchen Approved |

Serves: 8 | Prep. Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup dry quinoa

1 large yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

2 large carrots

2 celery stalks

1 green bell pepper

15oz can black beans

15oz can red kidney beans

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp adobo sauce

2 28oz cans crushed tomatoes

1 ½ cup frozen corn

4 oz chopped green chiles

1 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Salt & black pepper, to taste

Hot sauce (optional for serving)

Place 3/4 cup quinoa in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover the pot, and simmer where the water is just bubbling for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the water has been completely absorbed. (Check by pulling back the quinoa with a fork to see if water remains.) Turn off the heat and let sit covered to steam for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, chop the onion. Mince the garlic. Peel and chop the carrots. Chop the celery. Dice the green pepper. Drain and rinse the beans.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, then saute the onion for 5 minutes. Add in garlic, carrot, celery, and green pepper, and saute about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the soy sauce and adobo sauce and cook 30 seconds more.
Add the black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, 2 cups of the cooked quinoa (reserve remainder for future use), corn, and green chiles. Add enough water to obtain a liquid consistency, about 3 cups. Season with the chili powder, garlic powder, paprika, and ground cumin and bay leaf. Simmer chili on low for 30 minutes.
When ready to serve, stir in the white wine vinegar and several pinches of salt. Taste, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with hot sauce and other chili fixings of your choice (lime, cilantro, and so forth).

Recipe adapted from A Couple Cooks