I put a spin on classic Texas beef chili by adding mushrooms and quinoa. Beef Mushroom Quinoa Chili (gasp), what?! Sit down if you need to, let that sink in. It may be a little unconventional but, darn, if it isn’t just as spicy, satisfying and downright delicious as old-school chili. I think if hard-pressed, even strict chili enthusiasts would have to agree.   

So why did I put mushrooms and quinoa in classic Texas-style beef chili, you ask? I’ll admit, first was out of practical necessity – I *thought* I had a little more ground beef in the freezer than I actually did. I figured adding mushrooms (which everyone knows pair well with beef) and quinoa (which has a similar texture of ground beef) would help me stretch the recipe — which it did indeed! But there are other benefits too! Read on to get the recipe and learn all the benefits of this beef chili with mushrooms and quinoa.

Stretching my meat budget *is* a real thing considering I have three young adult males and a hungry husband in the home. How they can eat all they do, remains a mystery to me — but I figure, filing out this creative chili recipe with mushrooms and quinoa not only reduces my ground beef expenditures, but also sneaks in a little extra nutrition for them. Trust me, the are definitely getting their full serving of beef, the recommended serving of beef is 4 ounces – that’s the amount needed to reach adult meal-time protein goals. Of course, eating more protein is fine, but the protein won’t be put towards muscle-making (about 25 to 30g is what can be put toward muscle management at one meal) – instead it will be used as energy, or stored away as potential fat as if going over your daily calorie needs.

Since the guys in my life are happy to eat at least double the recommended amount of beef, and skimp on vegetables, I figured that adding a little plant power to the meal couldn’t hurt! Quinoa and mushrooms offer nutrients like fiber, protein, iron, B vitamins, selenium and more. The chopped-up mushrooms and quinoa also have the same texture as ground beef when cooked, so these bonus ingredients blend in perfectly!

A tip to making to quinoa ahhh-mazing is to toss it into the mushroom-onion-garlic saute along with the spices — the quinoa “toasts” and the spices “bloom” for maximum flavor.

Great for a cozy, cold night, Beef Mushroom Quinoa Chili can be customized with the toppings of your choice – like jalapenos, cheese, sour cream, cheese, avocados, or even Fritos – hey, I’m not judging! Fritos are the bomb on chili. And beef meal prep, like this beef mushroom chili, is a life saver. I’ve been really happy with these glass meal prep containers, they go from fridge to freezer, to microwave . . and even oven (with lids off).

Consider making a double batch and freezing up the extra for those evenings when you need a super simple supper or days when a hot meal at your desk would help you tackle the to-do list. If in an air-tight container, Beef Mushroom Quinoa Chili can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or the freezer for 3 or 4 months. One batch makes 8 servings, with 245 calories, 25.5g protein, 7.8g fat and 14.4g carb per each. Let the beef chili meal prep begin!

I made this delicious beef quinoa chili with ground beef from a sweet friend living the storybook ranch life on Callison Ranch in Oklahoma. She’s a runner and Spartan mama, too – -that’s how we connected! All their beef is grass-fed, grain-finished and ranch-raised from start to finish, no short cuts and lots of love goes into this family business. Callsion Ranch has Curated Beef Boxes, Monthly Beef Subscriptions, Weekly Specials . . .and of course, you can order a la carte. They have all the wonderful beef things, from beef jerky and practical ground beef to amazing steak cuts and beautiful roasts – hello holidays, I’ve got my eye on that 21-day aged prime rib roast! They SHIP, check Callison Ranch out for all your beef needs!

5 from 10 votes

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Beef Mushroom Quinoa Chili

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Cozy up to a bowl of this creative beef chili rounded out with quinoa and chopped mushrooms. Great for meal prep.

Course: Soup

Keyword: beef, chili, mushrooms, quinoa

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 245 kcal

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs. 90% or leaner ground beef
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped white or yellow onion
• 8 oz. Cremini or White Button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ cup uncooked dry quinoa
• 1 to 2 Tablespoon(s) all-purpose Chili powder depending on heat preference
• 2 teaspoons Chipotle chili powder
• 2 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 15- oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (including juice)
• 1 8- oz. can tomato sauce
• 16 oz. beef broth (2 cups)
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

1. Heat a large dutch oven (or approx. 3-qut. Pot with lid) over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook 8 to10 minutes, breaking beef into small crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove the beef, pour beef crumbles in large strainer or colander to drain off excess liquids.
2. In now emptied pot (no need to wash from beef browning step), add olive oil, onion and mushrooms and sauté until softened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and stir around for another minute.
3. Add dry quinoa to this mixture, and “toast” for 2 to 3 minutes by stirring around constantly with the other ingredients. In last minute, add chili powder, chipotle chili powder and cumin, stirring around to “bloom” the flavor.
4. Bottom of pot may look like it’s starting to brown or burn, don’t worry, these are all the beef and spice residues. Simply pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan, stirring around quickly to pull of the bits.
5. Add back in beef that has been drained and set aside.
6. To pot, add beef broth, can of fire roasted tomatoes (including juices), and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes and then cover with a lid and continue simmer so sauce reduces and thickens, and the flavors intensify for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe Notes