Summer Vegetable Quinoa Chili is filled with zucchini, tomatoes, summer squash, and fresh basil and is the perfect way to transition from summer to fall!
I’m sure the die-hard summer lovers are going to hate me for saying this but – GAHHH I can’t wait for fall! Autumn is, without a doubt, my absolute favorite season. Sure, I love summer. I actually really like hot weather, I love patio happy hours, a (kind of) blooming garden, ice cream, and weekly trips to the farmers market.
BUT there’s just something about that crisp air, cozy sweaters, and a big pot of chili that gets me every time when September rolls around.
So, to transition us all from the produce-filled summer months to soup season, I made a summer veggie quinoa chili filled with all of my favorite summer produce – tomatoes, zucchini, summer squash, basil, and corn. I also added some beans and quinoa to bulk it up.
Of course, this recipe is definitely modifiable depending on your favorite produce, too. If you have an eggplant begging to be used before it goes bad, chop it up and throw it in! Is your pepper plant overflowing? That would add some great flavor, too. Now that my kale plant isn’t being invaded by caterpillar worms, I would probably throw a decent amount of that in, too.
To top off the chili, I kept things lighter and just put a spoonful of Greek yogurt, but you could definitely load it up with cheese too. Oh and a handful of fresh basil to really soak up those flavors of summer.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 2 cups about 1 large, chopped zucchini
- 1 cup about 1 small, chopped yellow squash
- 1 cup about 3 ears, sweet corn, kernels cut from the cob
- 3 medium roma tomatoes diced (you can leave the skin on, can also use one 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 14 ounce can dark red kidney beans, rinsed
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup quinoa uncooked
- plain Greek yogurt/sour cream cheese, fresh basil, for topping
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add onion and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add additional tablespoon of olive oil along with zucchini, summer squash, corn, tomatoes, and garlic, and cook another 4-5 minutes, until squash is starting to soften.
- Season with salt, basil, chili powder, cumin, and paprika, and stir well to combine.
- Add kidney beans, broth, and quinoa.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the quinoa has sprouted.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings.
- Enjoy!
Welcome to greens & chocolate! I'm Taylor and am so excited that you stopped by! I'm a Minnesota girl in my 20's who's loving life with my husband Marc, our son Lars, and our Golden Retriever Maddie. I love cooking healthy meals, but it's essential that I have my dessert. All after a hot yoga class or a run, though! It's all about moderation here at greens & chocolate. 
Looks delicious! Fall is my favorite too! It’s been so hot/humid for so long. I am sooo over summer! I even put up my Fall decorations last week!
My fall decorations are going up next week! Can’t wait for some chilly weather 🙂
This was simple to pull together and truly delicious. I didn’t have corn so I substituted bell pepper. Great recipe.
Love this idea for a substitute! Thanks for the review 🙂