Smoky Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Bowl
When everyone in the test kitchen agrees a new recipe will be on dinner rotation, it’s a winner! This hearty and nourishing chili bowl is inspired by the Chipotle Chili Bowl at Harlow in Portland. We love them, and we love this bowl!
Not only is this plant-based meal full of fiber and protein — it’s also easy to assemble and perfect for meal prep! Let us show you how it’s done!
This EPIC vegan bowl begins with the smoky chipotle black bean chili made with onion, bell pepper, garlic, spices, chipotle peppers, broth, and the main ingredient: black beans!
While that’s cooking, there’s time to prepare a batch of your favorite grain (we recommend quinoa or brown rice), blend up the cashew jalapeño sauce, and prepare a quick kale salad by massaging it with lime juice, maple syrup, and olive oil.
It’s a few moving parts, but they’re all laid out in an ideal order to make the recipe approachable and well worth the effort! All that’s left is assembling the components into bowls and topping with optional sliced avocado and fresh cilantro.
We hope you LOVE this bowl! It’s:
Hearty
Nourishing
Smoky
Super satisfying
Fiber-rich (25+ grams per serving!)
& SO flavorful!
It’s the perfect meal when you’re craving something flavorful yet nourishing. Bonus? The chili, grains (quinoa or rice), and cashew sauce can all be made a few days ahead, making it perfect for meal prep!
More Nourishing Vegan Grain Bowls
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Servings 4 (Bowls)
KALE
- 1 small bundle curly kale, de-stemmed and chopped (1 small bundle yields ~6 cups or 150 g)
- 2-3 Tbsp lime juice (1 small lime yields ~2-3 Tbsp)
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp olive oil
-
CHILI: Prepare chipotle black bean chili using this recipe.
-
GRAINS: While the chili is cooking, prepare quinoa (or brown rice).
-
SAUCE: While the grains are cooking, prepare the jalapeño cashew sauce.
-
KALE: Add chopped kale to a large mixing bowl and top with lime juice, maple syrup, and olive oil. Then massage with clean hands for about 1 minute to tenderize and infuse it with flavor.
-
To serve, divide chili, grains, and massaged kale between serving bowls and top with avocado and/or cilantro (both optional). Drizzle with jalapeño cashew sauce. There may be leftover sauce and chili depending on your preferred portion sizes and ratios.
-
Leftovers will keep stored separately in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Chili and grains are freezer friendly for up to 1 month.
*Chili, grains, and sauce can all be made in advance, making this recipe very meal prep-friendly!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with two-thirds of the chili (we like freezing any extra servings), half of the jalapeño cashew sauce (great on tacos, enchiladas, and more), and the lesser amounts where ranges are provided.
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 584 Carbohydrates: 91 g Protein: 25.8 g Fat: 14.6 g Saturated Fat: 2.2 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g Monounsaturated Fat: 7.4 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 619 mg Potassium: 1440 mg Fiber: 25.4 g Sugar: 11.6 g Vitamin A: 613 IU Vitamin C: 76 mg Calcium: 273 mg Iron: 8.4 mg