Easy Pantry Chili
Need a quick weeknight meal? This easy Pantry Chili comes together so fast. The whole thing uses frozen vegetables, canned beans, tomatoes, and spices you likely have on hand. I like to add in one cup of quinoa for an extra boost of protein. This is a weeknight win!
I honestly loved my regular chili recipe. It was warm and hearty and I would often make up a batch of noodles to serve it over since that is the way my girls loved it. I still make that from time to time, but this chili has fast become one of our weeknight staples for a busy night.
The Ingredients
I didn’t want to sacrifice any nutrition here even though this recipe is fast and comes together quickly. I like to use frozen onions so I don’t have to do any chopping. I keep a large bag in my freezer for just these occasions. I also love throwing a bag of Southwest Frozen Veggies into the mix. This is a blend of corn, black beans, mild poblano chilis, red peppers, and onions. The chilis and peppers add vitamin C and I love the tiny hint of sweetness that the corn adds.
The main claim to fame for this chili however is its high protein content. It is loaded with kidney beans. Kidney beans are packed with iron, phosphorus, potassium, and other vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Best of all, they are high in fiber and may promote weight loss.
The other protein powerhouse in this recipe is the quinoa. Quinoa is amazing, because it is one of nature’s only complete protein. This means that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own. Wow! In addition to this, it comes packaged with tons of other good for you plant compounds that promote health and wellness.
How To Make This A Meal For Everyone In The Family
People often ask me, “how do you cook your plant based food AND food for everyone else in your family? Though I wish everyone would be happy eating the way I do, this is just not how it is when I have a husband and three hungry teens in the house. The answer is… it is doable! Here’s what I do.
- Make the Pantry Chili per the recipe below.
- In a separate frying pan, brown 1/2 lb grass fed ground beef.
- Add 1/4 a teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, and a pinch of salt to the meat mixture.
- Take out half of the chili mixture and place it in a separate serving bowl.
- Stir the meat mixture into one half of the chili.
- Top plant based chili with green onions and cilantro. You can even top with some vegan sour cream or vegan cheddar cheese.
- Top meat based chili with green onions, cilantro, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.
I love to serve this with my Molasses Cornbread recipe.
I also love to have more than one bowl! Leave an array of toppings out for everyone to grab and top with what you want. Let me know how this all worked out for you in the comments below!
Pantry Chili
Equipment
- large pot
- can opener
Ingredients
- 1 cup red quinoa
- 2 cups frozen white onion
- 1 140z bag southwest blend frozen vegetables
- 4 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 1 Tbsp garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoon salt
- 1 15 oz can tomato sauce
- 2 15.5 oz cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 2 15 oz cans petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to package directions. Set aside.
- Sauté the frozen onion until soft and translucent.
- Add frozen package of southwest blend vegetables and sauté for about 5 more minutes.
- Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Stir for about 2 more minutes.
- Pour in cooked quinoa, tomato sauce, kidney beans, and diced tomatoes
- Pour in 1 cup of water.
- Stir and cook for 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Serve with chopped green onion and fresh cilantro if desired.
