Hominy Chili
I love to take a classic comfort food and change it up. Comfort food always seems to relax people, so I always find a way to incorporate one or more comfort foods into my menus when entertaining. It’s fun to have a nice table set somewhat formally and then surprise your guests with a casual menu. This can make for the best evening.
As fall sets in, we have moved on from having great outdoor meals on the patio back indoors. As much as I love those outdoor meals, it’s great to be back inside with candles and a fire in the fireplace. I served up my Hominy Chili just the other night at our first indoor dinner party of the season and it’s always a hit! I love to serve chili because it’s always fun to have different toppings and great side dishes, like my Old Fashion Cornbread (recipe coming soon) on hand at the table.
Chili is a classic American comfort food. Most chili recipes have some sort of meat in them and then most vegetarian recipes are either too watery or just bland. My recipe adds quinoa, which gives a great ground meat-like texture. I love quinoa because it’s a great source of protein and gives a meatiness to recipes without an over powering flavor.
This is a great one-pot meal and it’s ready within an hour. Serve it up any night of the week!
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 bell pepper (red, yellow or orange)
- 2 large jalapeños
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 14.5 ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 14.5 ounce can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 14.5 ounce can great northern beans drained and rinsed
- 2 14.5 ounce cans hominy (yellow or white) drained and rinsed
- 1 28 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes; pour contents into bowl and smash to make a puree
- ¾ cup of uncooked quinoa
- ¼ cup of red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- In a large heavy bottom pot heat over medium heat, add in olive oil. Next add in onion and peppers. Sauté mixture for about 10 minutes until everything is tender; don’t burn.
- Next, add in remaining ingredients and stir to combine all thoroughly. Bring mixture to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer until the quinoa is fully cooked; continue to stir occasionally. This should take about 30 minutes.
- You can make this recipe ahead and reheat. The flavors get better the longer they sit together.
- Serve with a nice assortment of toppings like sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions and avocado, although it’s delicious just plain!
