Recipe: Black Bean and Quinoa Chilli

In this, our second recipe from Brisbane-based foodie Clare Scrine’s ‘The Shared Table’, we’re rustling up the kind of delicious one-pot meal you can get going then do other essential chores, eg source wine and welcome guests, before returning to find a hearty meal has magically whipped itself up on the stove. The Shared Table features vegan and veggie recipes to enjoy with friends, and this one is perfect for this Meat-Free Week.  Enjoy!

Veggie chilli has been a staple in my diet since I stopped buying meat, and once I discovered how amazing the addition of quinoa is in creating a hearty ‘meat-like’ texture, I haven’t gone back. If you’d prefer to use TVP (textured vegetable protein) or vegan mince, they would both be equally delicious. You could add a tin of corn at the end, some kidney beans, spinach, roasted sweet potato, any veggies that need using up—anything you please. As long as everything gets at least a good half an hour to bubble away, you can’t really go wrong.

I love this chilli bean dish on its own with sour cream or guacamole, and corn chips for dunking, but it’s also great in burritos, enchiladas or atop nachos, too.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

2 brown onions, diced

2 zucchini (courgettes), diced

1 small capsicum (bell pepper), diced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp paprika

½ tsp chilli powder, or to taste

2 tsp dried oregano

3 × 400 g (14 oz) tins black beans, drained

500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) vegetable stock

100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) uncooked quinoa

2 × 400 g (14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes

½ bunch coriander (cilantro), chopped

Hot chilli sauce, to taste (optional)

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes, stirring every minute or so until they’re golden brown.

Add the zucchini, capsicum (and any other veggies you’re using), garlic and spices and cook for a further 10 minutes. It’s important not to stir too much – only when the veggies on the bottom are browning.

Stir the beans through. Add the stock, quinoa and tomatoes and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the mixture sticking to the pot.

To finish, turn off the heat and stir the fresh coriander through, plus lots of pepper and salt to taste – and a splash of chilli sauce if you’d like a bit of heat.

Note: This recipe uses tinned black beans, but I usually prepare my own. Cooking 220 g (8 oz/1 cup) dried beans until tender in 750 ml–1 litre (25.–34 fl oz/3–4 cups) vegetable stock will yield a similar quantity.

THE SHARED TABLE IS PUBLISHED BY SMITH STREET BOOKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SIMON & SCHUSTER, AND IS AVAILABLE NOW AT ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS. PHOTOS BY SAVANNAH VAN DER NIET.