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
- Black Bean Buddha Bowl with Gingery Lemon Tahini Sauce
- Crispy Miso Chickpea Bowls with Garlic Sesame Dressing
- Butternut Squash & Miso Brussels Sprouts Nourish Bowl
- Rainbow Vegetable Edamame Bowls with Teriyaki Sauce
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!
Smoky Black Bean & Quinoa Chili Bowl
Ingredients
CHILI & GRAINS
- 1 batch Chipotle Black Bean Chili
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa (1 cup dry yields ~3 cups cooked // or sub brown rice)
SAUCE
- 1 batch Creamy Jalapeño Cashew Sauce
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
FOR SERVING optional
- Avocado, sliced
- Cilantro
Instructions
- 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.
Video
Notes
*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.
EJ says
Made this with a big batch of cilantro lime brown rice and will be happily eating it for the next couple days. Love the cashew sauce too. Thank you!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, EJ. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jordan Small says
This was an AMAZING recipe! 10/10 – I did increase the spices while making. I used 4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce instead of 2, I also used about 7 garlic cloves (I love garlic) and it was just great. Very flavorful and delicious. You MUST also make the Jalapeno Cashew Sauce. That was just an added flavor bust. So good. It also keeps very well into the next week if made mid-week. Will Absolutely make this again. I love the Minimalist Baker! So glad I found this site :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Jordan! Thanks so much for your kind words and support! xo
James W says
I followed this to the letter (chili and sauce recipes) and it did not disappoint. It’s hearty but also light, bright and very flavorful! The chipotle gave the chili a nice smoky depth and umami. It’s so nutritious and vitamin-packed as well. Will definitely be adding this to my repertoire! TY
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, James! Thank you for the lovely review!
Teri says
Sooooo good! You can make it as hot and spicy as you want. I subbed shredded cabbage for the kale and added some cilantro and avocado to the cream sauce. Instant favorite.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Teri! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Gina Ramson says
I made the Banana Muffins in your first cookbook. They are so delish. I did not follow the recipe to the T because I was missing some ingredients but my subs worked perfectly.
I just wanted to ask you if you would please use a different font for the next cookbook. I have to get out my magnifying glass with my glasses on my face as the fractional ingredient listed is so small I am unable to see it and so just guess. So even with my glasses on and a magnifying glass it is a struggle. I use other cookbooks all the time without any issues so I know it is the font style that is the issue for me. I guess if you have not any other feedback re this you can ignore my idea. Thank you for some very yummy recipes.
Thank you for the feedback, Gina! Sorry it’s been difficult to read.