Lentil Chili is a thick and hearty vegan chili. Made with lentils, beans and corn, it is satisfying and healthy. While most of the chili recipes I have made in the past contain either beef of chicken, this recipe proves that you can have all the wonderful flavors in a chili while eating plant based.
Lentil Chili would be a great dish if you need to feed a crowd. It is also something that you could make on a Sunday to prep healthy lunches for the work week.
This chili will freeze well if you want to put some away and have something ready in your freezer for a quick meal. Just make sure that it is in an airtight freezer container and it can be frozen for 2 to 3 months.
This is an economical, delicious recipe for cold weather cooking.
Lentils are a great meat replacement. If you want to try some other recipes that use them check out Lentil Brown Rice Soup, Lentil Bolognese, Lentil Soup, and Lentil Spinach Salad.
Lentil Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, diced
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups lentils ( I used Bob's Red Mill Heritage Beans)
- 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- Water as needed
- Optional garnishes: green onion, avocado, hot peppers
Instructions
In a large stock pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium low heat. Add the onions, green bell pepper, and red bell pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes, chili powder, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil. Add the lentils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15- 20 minutes until the lentils are softened. Lentils tend to absorb a lot of moisture while cooking. If the mixture becomes too thick, add water ½ cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. You are looking for the consistency of a very thick soup.
Add the cilantro, black beans and corn. Simmer an additional 10 minutes to heat through.
Garnish with green onions, avocado and peppers if desired.
