Red Lentil Chili

A bowl of Red Lentil Chili is the best bean-centric way to warm up with beans! This thick chili has red lentils, black beans and kidney beans, and is completely vegan.

Today is a very exciting day at Bean Recipes. This is the very first lentil recipe on the site!

When I first started the site, I knew I would have black bean recipes, white bean recipes, green bean recipes, and so on. But, I was undecided if I was going to venture all the way into every pulse category.

While I love lentils and peas, I wanted to wait before featuring them. But then, while creating my Vegetarian Chili recipe made only with beans, I remembered the thickening power of red lentils.

Red lentils dissolve when cooked, and they leave behind a thick, super nutritious broth. They're the perfect vehicle for thickening chili, and I even use them to make my Chickpea Noodle Soup thick.

As such, lentils are now a viable category here on this site, and I look forward to all the things we will do with them!

Beyond lentils, this chili also contains black beans and kidney beans. Is it really even a bowl of chili if it doesn't have kidney beans, I have to ask! If you love my Crockpot Chili, you'll be happy to know this recipe can be made in the slow cooker, too.

How to Make Red Lentil Chili

This red lentil chili recipe comes together in just one pot, but it is easily adapted to the slow cooker. To make it in the crockpot, saute the onion, garlic, and bell pepper in the olive oil in a skillet until soft before pouring it in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Then, add all remaining ingredients, cover and set the crockpot heat to LOW for 4-6 hours. Check out all of my crockpot bean recipes here.

The Ingredients

• Olive Oil.
• Garlic. You need one tablespoon of minced garlic, which is 3-4 cloves.
• Onion. White or yellow onion work here.
• Bell Pepper. Highly recommend a red bell pepper for the best flavor, but if you're partial to green or yellow, that works, too.
• Vegetable Broth.
• Diced Tomatoes. One 15-ounce can of diced or crushed tomatoes, your choice. If you like your chili super chunky, used diced; if not, use crushed.
• Tomato Paste.
• Chili Powder. Chili powder is a blend of spices (usually cumin, oregano, and a few types of chiles). Do not confuse it with chilE powder, which is one type of pepper, dried and ground.
• Smoked Paprika. Smoked paprika isn't the same as regular paprika. Using smoked paprika gives any vegan dish a meaty, smoky flavor.
• Cumin. Ground cumin, not cumin seeds.
• Oregano. Dried oregano leaves.
• Red Lentils. Just ¾ of a cup; rinse and drain before use.
• Black Beans. One 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained.
• Kidney Beans. One 15-ounce can, rinsed and drained.
• Corn. It can be frozen or fresh. If canned, drain before using.
• For serving: cilantro, jalapeños, lime wedges, vegan sour cream, vegan shredded cheese, and/ or tortilla chips.

The Instructions

1. Gather all ingredients for the red lentil chili, and go ahead and rinse and drain your lentils and both beans.

2. Place a dutch oven over medium heat, and add the oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion and red bell peppers. Saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute one more minute.

3. Once the vegetables are soft, stir in the vegetable broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano and ½ teaspoon of salt.

4. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and let simmer (uncovered) while occasionally stirring for about 5 minutes.

5. Add the lentils, stir, and then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the lentils are super soft and nearly dissolving. You can remove the lid a few times to stir to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.

6. Remove the lid, and stir in the black beans, kidney beans, and corn. Turn the heat up to maintain a simmer, and cook for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. When the mixture starts to thicken a bit, turn off the heat. Add the chopped cilantro and it's ready to serve with any toppings. I like to serve with vegan sour cream, lime wedges, sliced jalapenos, and tortilla chips.

FAQ: Red Lentil Chili

Recipe Variations

1. You can swap out the kidney beans for pinto beans.
2. Replace the black beans with white beans.
3. Add cayenne pepper with the smoked paprika to make the red lentil chili spicy.
4. For a more soup-like consistency, add an extra cup of vegetable broth.

How to Store

This chili freezes very well! Just divide it into freezer-safe containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight, and then gently heat over low heat in a dutch oven.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 5 days in an air-tight container. Reheat on the stove top of microwave gently.