Meet the best vegan Green Chili I’ve ever had! It’s a delicious combination of salsa verde, black beans, tempeh and quinoa with a blend of simple pantry staples like chili powder and black pepper for a bold and zesty kick. Make it for a a cozy weeknight dinner this week!
This vegan and vegetarian-friendly quinoa chili is is the perfect cold weather meal. Now that it’s a bit chilly in the evenings, I really crave cozy, warming recipes like this bright and peppery chili. And while this Classic Vegan Chili, my favorite Creamy Pumpkin Soup and this authentic Tuscan Ribollita are some of my favorite comforting soup recipes, this protein-packed Green Quinoa Chili has been my go-to lately!
It’s easy to make, great for meal prep and freezes like a dream!
Like most chili recipes, it’s made with some basic pantry ingredients including one that might surprise you: a jar of salsa verde. Salsa is a quick and convenient way to add lots of flavor because if you think about it, a jar of salsa verde is a blend of chopped tomatillos, onions, garlic and herbs. So instead of buying all of those extra ingredients and spending the time to chop them up, I simply open a jar of store-bought salsa and I get all of the bold flavor with none of the effort. How great is that?
Vegan Green Chili Ingredients
My protein-packed Green Quinoa Chili recipe is made with: onions, garlic, poblano peppers, black beans and corn along with pantry staples like chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. I also add quinoa and salsa verde for a hearty and healthy chili that’s loaded with flavor!
I like to use frozen corn for convenience but fresh or frozen works well!
How to Make This Protein-Packed Vegan Green Chili
Making a protein-rich vegan dinner recipe like this one is easy! Add your ingredients to the pot and then just let it simmer. Check back in about 40 minutes and dinner will be ready and waiting!
The complete recipe with instructions can be found on the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview with some pictures to give you an idea!
1.Brown the tempeh in a large stock pot with some chili powder and black pepper and then set it aside for now.
2.In the same pot, sweat an onion and green poblano peppers until softened and fragrant. Add lots of flavor with oregano, cumin and another sprinkle of chili powder and then add the corn, quinoa and black beans.
3.I like to mash some of black beans to give the broth a bit of body.
4.Then I add the remaining black beans, vegan chicken broth (I use this one but veggie broth works well too) and the secret ingredient: one jar of salsa verde.
5.Then cover and simmer for 40 minutes and dinner is served!
How to Serve Green Chili
Once the chili is done simmering, it’s time for the toppings! Some of my favorites include:
- A squeeze of fresh lime
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Cilantro
- Vegan sour cream or almond milk yogurt
- Shredded vegan cheese
Tips for Success:
- Chop the veggies nice and small. I use this little chopper because it’s fast and easy and makes prep work a breeze. Remember, the smaller the veggies, the more enjoyable this chili will be because you’ll get a little bit of everything in each bite!
- Rinse the quinoa in a colander before adding it to the pot.
- Don’t forget a squeeze of lime at the end! You’ll want to wait until the very end to add the lime, because you don’t want it to cook. Adding some lime juice is more about adding freshness and acidity right at the end as a finishing touch. Tip: taste the chili before and after adding the lime to really get a sense of what a big difference it makes!
Vegan Chicken Broth:
When making this recipe, I like using vegan chicken broth bouillon cubes because it’s a great way to add flavor! I use this brand and simply mix it with hot water to make broth. Side note: I love how small and compact these broth cubes are compared to having several large cartons of broth in my pantry at one time. As someone with a small kitchen and limited storage space, this is a life saver!
Veggie broth is a great substitute and it can be used in place of vegan chicken broth. I recommend using low sodium veggie broth and then adding more salt to taste. The flavors in this chili should really pop, so make sure to add enough salt and pepper to make that happen if you’re making substitutions 😊
Meal Prep and Freezer Instructions
This protein-packed green chili is great for meal prep because the flavors get better with time! I think this recipe is even better the next day so it’s really ideal for meal prep.
Meal Prep: If you’re meal prepping this recipe, allow the chili to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to a week. To reheat, simply microwave in a bowl or ladle out the portion you’d like into a saucepan and gently simmer on medium-high heat until warmed through. Add the toppings just before serving and enjoy!
Want to Freeze the Leftovers? Allow the chili to cool completely, then ladle into air-tight containers and freeze for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw and reheat as mentioned above. I like to use glass containers like these when freezing.
Protein-Packed Green Chili
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 8oz package of tempeh
- 2 cups diced yellow onion about 2 medium onions
- 2 large poblano peppers
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 15oz can black beans
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ¾ tsp chili powder
- ¾ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 6 cups vegan chicken broth See notes below
- ½ cup water
- 1 16 oz jar salsa verde
- ½ cup dry quinoa
Toppings
- lime wedges, tortilla chips, vegan cheese and sour cream
Instructions
Prep
- Finely dice the onions and poblano peppers and set them aside. Crush or mince the garlic, rinse and drain the black beans and prepare the vegan chicken broth if using bouillon cubes like these by whisking the broth cubes into warm water. Set aside.
Brown the Tempeh
- Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large stock pot set to medium-high heat. Once warm, crumble the tempeh int bite-sized pieces and add to the pot. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of the chili powder, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until brown on both sides, then transfer the tempeh to a plate and set aside.
Sweat the Veggies
- Return the pot to the stove and lower the heat to medium. Then add the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and the onions. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally .
- Next add the poblano peppers and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the garlic and remaining 1/4 tsp chili powder. Add the oregano, ground cumin and remaining 1/4 tsp of black pepper and stir to coat the veggies in the spices.
Mash the Beans
- Place 3/4 cup of the black beans onto a plate and mash well with a fork to create a smooth paste. Then add the paste to the stock pot along with the remaining black beans, frozen corn, salsa verde and tempeh.
- Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the quinoa and reduce the heat to low. Then cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Serve
- Ladle into bowls and top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and your desired toppings! Enjoy 🙂
Notes
Tips for Success:
- Chop the veggies nice and small. I use this little chopper because it’s fast and easy and makes prep work a breeze. The smaller the veggies, the more enjoyable this chili is to eat because you’ll get a little bit of everything in each bite!
- Rinse the quinoa in a colander before adding to the pot.
- Don’t forget a squeeze of lime at the end! You want to wait until the very end to add the lime, because you don’t want it to cook. It’s more about adding a touch of freshness and acidity right at the end as a finishing touch. Tip: taste the chili before and after adding the lime to really get a sense of what a big difference it makes!
Vegan Chicken Broth:
When making this recipe, I like using vegan chicken broth bouillon cubes because it’s a great way to add flavor! I use this brand and simply mix with hot water to make the broth. Side note: I love how small and compact this is compared to have several cartons of broth in my pantry at one time. as someone with a small kitchen and limited storage space, this is a life saver! Veggie broth is a great substitute though and can be used in place of vegan chicken broth. I would use low sodium and add more salt to taste. The flavors should really pop in this recipe so make sure to add enough salt and pepper to make that happen 🙂Meal Prep and Freezer Instructions
Meal Prep: If you’re meal prepping this recipe, allow the chili to cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to a week. To reheat, simply microwave in a bowl or ladle out the portion you’d like into a saucepan and gently simmer on medium-high heat until warmed through. Add the toppings just before serving and enjoy! Want to Freeze the Leftovers? Allow the chili to cool completely, then ladle into air-tight containers and freeze for up to 6 months. When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw and reheat as mentioned above. I like to use glass containers like these when freezing.
Hey! I’m Nicole and I make practical vegan recipes for REAL life. I cook with simple, easy to find ingredients and I’m passionate about creating delicious plant-based meals that everyone will love!
I hope you enjoy my recipes and videos :) Happy Cooking!
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