Description
This hearty Lentil Chili is a flavorful, protein-packed vegetarian dish perfect for a cozy meal. Made with tender lentils, beans, and a blend of spices, it simmers to a comforting, satisfying chili that’s easy to customize with your favorite toppings.
Ingredients
Units
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil ((see note))
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder ((be sure to use chili powder that is a blend, not cayenne pepper))
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika ((sub regular paprika))
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated ((sub 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder))
- 1 cup uncooked red lentils
- 1 15–ounce can tomato sauce ((tomato puree or crushed tomatoes will also work))
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or broth
- 2 15–ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15–ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- sour cream, shredded cheese, green onions, corn or tortilla chips ((optional, for serving))
Instructions
- Heat a Dutch oven or large saute pan with oil over medium heat.
- To heated oil, add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until very tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, salt, and garlic and stir gently until the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lentils, tomato sauce, and stock. Bring to a simmer. Turn the heat down to low-medium and cover the pan with a lid.
- Simmer the chili, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, 15 to 25 minutes. (Note: It’s important to remove the lid and give the chili a good stir, focussing on scraping the bottom of the pan, about every 5 minutes to be sure that the chili doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn. The lentils may take slightly longer to cook depending on their age, so don’t stress if it takes a bit longer for them to turn tender. Just keep cooking and stirring.)
- When the lentils are tender, stir in both types of beans and let everything simmer together until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Ladle chili into bowls. Serve with toppings and chips.
Notes
- Use chili powder that is a blend, not cayenne pepper.
- Smoked paprika can be substituted with regular paprika.
- Garlic cloves can be replaced with garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon).
- Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes can be substituted for tomato sauce.
- It’s important to stir frequently during simmering to prevent sticking and burning.
