This Quorn Chilli Con Carne is perfect for a tasty weeknight dinner. It's really easy to make budget friendly and the whole family will enjoy it!
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I always have a bag of Quorn mince in my freezer they're excellent for adding to a Cottage Pie, lasagne or to a Bolognese sauce. I also usually have some Quorn sausages for making Toad in the Hole. They're especially good if you're in a hurry and need dinner on the table quickly!
This vegetarian chilli recipe is easy to make and ready in about 40 minutes. I've kept the heat levels mild in this so that the kids can enjoy it too. If you prefer more heat you can easily adjust the heat levels.
If you're a new veggie or vegan you will probably have heard of Quorn mince. Made from Mycoprotein Quorn mince is a low-fat high-fibre product. It's very versatile in cooking and takes on flavours very well, meaning there are so many different ways you can use it.
If you've recently decided to go veggie or to decrease your meat consumption or even your carbon footprint, then Quorn products are not a bad way to start!
What You'll Need
- Quorn Mince - You'll find this in the freezer aisle of your local grocery store. Most stores now have a vegan/vegetarian frozen food section it should be there. If you can't use Quorn mince then any veggie mince will work well too.
- Peppers - I use two red bell peppers for this recipe but you can use a mixture of red and green or yellow peppers if you like.
- Herbs & Spices - You will need dried oregano, ground cumin, ground cinnamon and fresh coriander (cilantro).
- Pastes - I add chipotle chilli paste and chilli paste to this chilli. The chipotle paste can be found in the spices section of your supermarket it adds a lovely smokiness to the chilli. I also use chilli paste as I find it cheaper to buy the paste than buy fresh chillies at the moment! Plus it lasts longer.
- Sauces - To add depth of flavour to this dish I add dark soy sauce and Henderson's Relish. Both of these add wonderful flavours to this dish. Henderson's relish is a great substitute for Worcestershire sauce, which is not vegetarian as it contains fish.
- Canned Ingredients - You'll need one can of chopped (diced tomatoes) and one can of red kidney beans.
- Other Ingredients - You will also need an onion, garlic, olive oil, vegetable stock, salt and black pepper.
How To Make Quorn Chilli
*This is a quick guide please see the recipe card below for full instructions and the ingredient list.
1. Heat the oil in a large saute pan or large frying pan with deep edges. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Then add the garlic and oregano and spices and cook for a minute, then add the chilli paste and chipotle chilli paste.
2. Next, add the peppers and cook them for a minute or two, add a little stock if the pan is too dry.
3. Once the peppers have softened slightly stir in the chopped tomatoes. Then add the soy sauce and Henderson's relish.
4. Next, add the frozen Quorn mince, stir the mince into the sauce breaking up any large lumps
5. Next stir in the stock.
6. Finally stir in the red kidney beans, season with salt and black pepper and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes over low to medium heat until the sauce reduces and thickens. Stir in the chopped coriander towards the end of cooking. Serve immediately.
Top Tips
- Simmering the chilli will give you a nice thick sauce and allow the flavours to meld into each other more giving you a more flavourful chilli.
- There's no need to defrost the Quorn mince, this can be added straight to the sauce from frozen.
- Adding dark soy sauce and Henderson's relish will add so much more flavour to this so I don't recommend skipping them.
Serving Suggestions
We love this with rice, a sprinkle of grated cheese, sour cream and a dollop of Guacamole. I also like to serve this with tortilla chips. If you don't fancy rice, this chilli is really good with some Air Fryer Potato Wedges. And if you have any leftovers serve them with Baked Potatoes, cheese and sour cream for a delicious lunch!
Variations
- Make it spicy - it is so easy to make this spicier, just add more chilli paste or add chopped jalapeño.
- Add more beans- I sometimes add black beans or black-eyed beans to this chilli to bulk it out.
- Add more veggies - this is such a versatile dish that you can easily add more veggies. I sometimes add mushrooms, sweetcorn, green beans or sweet potatoes to this.
Storage
Like all good curries and chillies, this vegetarian chilli is even better the next day. Any leftovers once cooled can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge and should be eaten within 3 days.
You can also freeze this dish, leave it to cool then transfer it to freezer bags or containers. Use with 3 months. I defrost this in the fridge overnight before reheating it on the hob until piping hot.
FAQs
All Quorn products are made from mycoprotein. According to the Quorn website, mycoprotein is a fungus that grows in the soil. This fungus is known as Fusarium venenatum. Through the process of fermentation they grow Quorn mycoprotein.
Quorn is high in dietary fibre and is a complete protein that contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a great plant protein
Yes, you can, once the Quorn has been cooked it is safe to freeze it once the chilli has cooled.
No, you do not. Quorn mince can be added to the chilli frozen.
More Delicious Tex-Mex Recipes
If you're not a fan of Quorn then try my Vegetarian Chilli, it's packed with veggies and beans and is great for feeding a crowd. Another great vegetarian recipe is my Smoky Chipotle Mushroom Tacos they are so tasty and very easy to make. If you fancy something different then try my Fajita Pasta Bake, it has all the great flavours of fajitas but in a cheesy pasta bake!
Easy Quorn Chilli
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic finely minced or out through a garlic press
- 1 heaped tsp dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon chilli paste
- ½ tsp chipotle chilli paste
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 medium red bell peppers (capsicums) pith and seeds removed then cut into thin slices.
- 1 x 400 g / 14.5 oz can of chopped(diced) tomatoes
- 300 g / one medium bag of Quorn mince
- 1 tablespoon dark soy
- 1 tablespoon Henderson's relish or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
- 400 ml / 1½ cups of vegetable stock made with one vegetable stock cube
- 1 x 400 g / 1 x 15oz can of red kidney beans drained then rinsed under a cold tap
- ½ teaspoon ground sea salt divided into two parts
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- A large handful of fresh coriander (cilantro) roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan.Add the chopped onion along with a small pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.
- Add 1 heaped teaspoon of dried oregano to the pan along with half a teaspoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and the minced garlic. Cook for a minute until you can smell the spices and the garlic. Then add the chilli paste and chipotle chilli paste and cook for a few seconds.
- Next, add the sliced peppers and stir them into the onions and spices. If the pan is starting to get too dry add a tablespoon or two of stock to the pan and continue stirring until the peppers start to soften.
- Then stir in the can of chopped tomatoes, and the frozen Quorn mince, breaking down any large lumps with your wooden spoon.Now add the stock and the red kidney beans. Season with salt and pepper and give the pan a good stir. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes, stirring often to avoid any sticking to the bottom of the pan.The sauce should have reduced and thickened after 20 minutes, if it is still too thin cook for another 10 minutes. Towards the end of cooking stir in the chopped coriander.Serve immediately.
Notes
- Storage - Any leftovers can be stored once cooled in an airtight container in the fridge and should be used within 3 days.
- Freezing - leftovers can be frozen once cooled and should be used within 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before heating on the hob.
- Nutritional Information - all nutritional information shared is an estimate based on third-party calculations. If calorie count and/or nutritional values are important to you, we recommend putting the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary depending on which brands were used. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
- Weights and measurements - For US readers, I use Cuisipro measuring cups and spoons, and a Pyrex measuring jug for liquids. These are the industry standard. Cup/spoon volumes can differ from brand to brand, for accuracy, I recommend weighing all ingredients if possible for the best results.
Annette Chambers
Delicious
Michelle Alston
Thank you 🙂