Lentil chili is a tasty and wholesome one-pot recipe where green or brown lentils replace the ground meat in classic chili con carne.
You can expect a hearty, satisfying, and high-protein meal that is easy to make with pantry staples and is excellent for meal prep.
Ingredients like lentils, black beans, onions, peppers, and tomatoes meld with a blend of aromatic spices such as chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika to create a dish with robust and comforting flavors.
What is lentil chili?
Like our sweet potato chili, lentil chili is an easy one-pot vegetarian chili recipe inspired by Mexican chili con carne, where lentils and beans replace the meat.
And like many of our lentil recipes, such as Moroccan lentil soup, Italian lentil pasta, lentil soup with veggies, and lentil bolognese, it combines traditional flavors that we all love with incredible nutrition.
A bowl of lentil chili provides you with over 25 grams of complete and high-quality protein, gut-healthy fiber, zero cholesterol, and negligible amounts of saturated fats.
When we make recipes such as this delicious lentil chili, we borrow from traditional world cultures to create a tasty and nutritionally balanced meal that relies on legumes, spices, whole grains, and vegetables.
If you are interested in similar recipes, you can get inspiration from our Moroccan Harira soup, African Peanut Stew, Indian Red Lentil Curry, Tuscan White Bean Soup, Middle Eastern Chickpea Hummus with Pita Bread, and many of our other high-protein vegetarian meals.
Ps. Serve lentil chili with something pickled (quick-pickled jalapeños or quick-pickled red onions), something creamy (sourcream, cashew sour cream, or thick yogurt), and something tangy (lime juice or lemon juice) for the best flavor!
Ingredients & Substitutions for Lentil Chili
Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
FLAVOR BASE
A good flavor base – also known as sofrito in Spanish and soffritto in Italian – is an essential step in making sure your soup, stews, and, in this case, this lentil chili, has a rich and full flavor. To make it you’ll need:
Olive oil
We use extra virgin olive oil to make the flavor base.
Substitute regular olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, or any other vegetable oil for extra virgin olive oil.
Onion
We use a yellow onion, chopped not too finely.
Substitute white onion, red onion, or shallots for yellow onions.
Garlic
We recommend fresh garlic for a more fragrant garlic aroma. You can press, mince, chop, or grate the garlic.
Bell pepper
We use red bell pepper, cut into small dice.
Substitute green, yellow, or orange bell pepper for the red one.
Tomato paste
Tomato paste is concentrated tomato and usually comes in a squeezable tube. It adds richness and depth of flavor to the lentil chili.
SPICES & HERBS
Take our recipe as a starting point, and feel free to add more or less spices based on your taste. We add:
Red pepper flakes
We use red pepper flakes to add heat.
Substitute cayenne pepper or chili powder for red pepper flakes.
If you use chili powder, you’ll need to adjust the quantity depending on your chili powder.
That’s because chili powder can be more or less spicy.
For example, in the United States, chili powder is often a blend of spices with cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and oregano. If you are using that, you’ll probably need 2 to 3 tablespoons, as it’s not that spicy.
Other chili powders are made with pure ground chili and are very spicy.
In this case, you’ll need less than a teaspoon.
Cumin
Ground cumin is an essential spice in Mexican cooking, and it’s delicious in this lentil chili.
Substitute whole cumin seeds for ground cumin.
Smoked Paprika
Smoked paprika adds a mild smokey flavor to this lentil chili recipe.
If you don’t like smokey flavors, use regular paprika.
If you like smokey and hot flavors, substitute chipotle powder for smoked paprika. Chipotle powder will add even more heat and smokiness; we think it’s delicious here.
Oregano
Dried oregano is another popular ingredient in Mexican cuisine. If you find dried Mexican oregano, that’s great.
Alternatively, Italian dried oregano will do just fine.
Bay leaves
Bay leaves add an earthy, almost meaty aroma, melding perfectly with the rich chili sauce and legumes.
They are usually sold whole in dry form and last forever in your pantry. We also use them in many other recipes, such as pumpkin curry, red lentil soup, and pasta with chickpeas.
LEGUMES & VEGETABLES
Lentils
We use dried green lentils or dried brown lentils instead of the ground beef in classic chili con carne.
Dried lentils are tasty and nutritious, don’t require soaking, and cook in 15 to 45 minutes.
Here’s our guide on how to cook lentils if you wish to learn more about this wonderful legume.
To speed up the recipe, you have two options. You can use canned lentils or dried split-red lentils.
If you use canned lentils, rinse them well, add them to the chili, and simmer for about 15 minutes to get them tender and flavorful. In this case, you’ll need about 1/3 of the vegetable broth.
If you use dried split red lentils, rinse them well, add to the chili, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. In this case, you’ll need 1/2 of the vegetable broth.
Remember that red lentils lose their shape as they cook, and they have more of an oatmeal-like texture once they are cooked.
Beans
We use canned or cooked black beans and kidney beans for this lentil chili. You can also use just one type of beans.
Other varieties of beans, such as pinto beans, black-eyed beans, or borlotti beans, also work here.
We use cooked or canned because dried beans need to soak and have a longer cooking time than lentils, so you can’t cook them directly in the same pot.
If you use canned beans, you have to drain and rinse them.
If you use dried beans, you’ll need to soak them first for 8 to 12 hours, then boil them in plenty of water until tender.
Soaked dried beans cook in 1 to 2 hours on the stovetop and in about 10 minutes in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
Here are our guides on how to cook black beans and how to cook white beans.
Tomatoes
We add canned diced tomatoes.
Substitute fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or tomato puree.
Vegetable broth
We use a low-sodium vegetable broth.
Substitute water for vegetable broth.
Salt and Black Pepper
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
SERVES WELL WITH
- Lime juice: a squeeze of lime juice is essential. Substitute lemon juice.
- Cilantro: optional to add freshness and fragrance.
- Avocado
- Sourcream: you can use cashew sour cream to make vegan chili.
- Pickles: try quick-pickled jalapeños or quick-pickled red onions.
- Rice or tortilla: serve this vegetarian lentil chili with boiled brown rice, warm tortilla, or tortilla chips.
How to Make Lentil Chili
US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.
Start with the flavor base
Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped onion, diced red bell pepper, and pressed garlic and sauté on medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
Then add red pepper flakes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, tomato paste, and bay leaves, and cook 1 more minute or until you can smell the spices’ fragrant aroma.
Add legumes and liquids
In the meantime, rinse the dried lentils under running water to remove dirt. Also, do a quick visual check to ensure no stones or debris are hiding between the lentils.
Add the dried lentils to the pot with the flavor base, then add the canned beans, drained and rinsed, and stir for a short minute.
Tip: we prefer rinsing canned beans because the liquid they come with can cause gas in some people.
Add the vegetable broth and crushed tomatoes, and season with salt and black pepper.
Simmer until lentils are tender
Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the lentils are cooked. Stir occasionally and add more vegetable broth if required.
Taste and adjust for salt and heat. Also, adjust the consistency; you can make a soupy lentil chili by adding more broth or a thicker one by letting it simmer for a few more minutes.
Serving suggestions
You can serve a bowl of lentil chili with brown rice or flatbread as a nutritious and satiating main meal.
We recommend topping it with a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, and pickled jalapeños.
It’s also excellent with sliced avocado or guacamole, pickled red onions, and a dollop of thick Greek yogurt, sour cream, or vegan sour cream.
Other breads and grains that work well with lentil chili are:
- Boiled quinoa, millet, and amaranth.
- Boiled farro or barley.
- Couscous.
- Wamermed tortilla or any other flatbread, such as Italian flatbread, Indian naan bread, or Middle Eastern pita bread.
Variations
Sweet potato chili
Sweet potato chili is another excellent alternative to chili con carne because it combines nutritious legumes, tender and delicious sweet potatoes, and aromatic spices.
This one is also an easy one-pot recipe you can make with simple pantry staples.
Check out our sweet potato chili recipe.
Red Lentil Chili
Substitute red lentils for green or brown lentils to make a delicious red lentil chili.
You can make red lentil chili with whole red lentils or split red lentils. If you make it with whole red lentils, the cooking time is about 30 to 45 minutes.
If you make it with split red lentils, the cooking time shortens to about 15 minutes. In this case, you’ll need about half the vegetable broth of our lentil chili recipe.
Questions
Dried green lentils take between 30 and 45 minutes to cook on the stovetop and 10 minutes in an instant pot.
To speed up cooking time, you can soak them in cold water for 8 hours.
Dried lentils don’t require soaking before cooking.
We recommend rinsing them to remove dirt and do a quick visual check to ensure no stones are hiding between the lentils.
Lentils and beans taste different. Lentils have a more earthy and savory flavor with a hint of nuttiness.
Beans come in different varieties, each with a slightly different flavor. They are generally less earthy than lentils and have a milder flavor and creamier texture.
Both beans and lentils absorb the flavor of the other ingredients they are cooked with. They are wholesome, healthy, and affordable alternatives to meat and are excellent for making soups, stews, and curries.
Storage & Make Ahead
Make ahead: lentil chili is an excellent recipe for meal prep as it keeps well in the fridge and freezer.
Refrigerator: let the chili cool down and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Freezer: Let it cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Thaw & Reheat: Defrost lentil chili in the fridge for several hours. Reheat in a saucepan with a splash of water or the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes.
Similar recipes
MEXICAN INSPIRED: Refried beans, black bean burger, quinoa salad, sweet potato chili, black bean soup, pico de Gallo, guacamole, black bean salad, tostadas, corn tortillas, vegetarian chili, breakfast burrito, sweet potato hash, how to cook black beans.
LENTIL RECIPES: Lentil curry, Easy lentil vegetable soup, Turkish lentil soup, Lentil salad, Mujadara, Lentil pasta, Curry lentil soup, and lentil stew.
HIGH-PROTEIN: Harira soup, Moroccan lentil soup, Tofu curry, Kung pao tofu, African peanut stew.
Here are even more vegetarian high-protein recipes.
Lentil Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 red bell pepper
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1½ tablespoons chili powder blend, not pure chili powder. Adjust spiciness to taste.
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup dried lentils green or brown
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) beans or 3 cups of cooked beans. We use 1 can of black beans and 1 can of kidney beans
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) crushed tomatoes
- 4 cups vegetable broth or more as needed to fully cook the lentils
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 2 twists black pepper
Serves well with
- 2 limes the juice
- 1¼ cups brown rice or tortilla
- quick pickled red onions or pickled jalapeños
- vegan sour cream or regular sour cream, or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot; add 1 large onion, 1 red bell pepper (both chopped), and 3 cloves garlic (pressed). Cook on medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1½ teaspoons smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, and 2 bay leaves and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add 1 cup dried lentils (rinsed), 2 cans (15 ounces each) beans (drained and rinsed), 2 cans (15 ounces each) crushed tomatoes, and 4 cups vegetable broth.
- Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 2 twists black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Taste and adjust for salt and heat.You might need to add more vegetable broth to finish cooking the lentils.
- Serve in a bowl with cooked brown rice and a generous squeeze of lime juice.Optionally, top with fresh cilantro, pickled red onions or jalapeños, and a dollop of sour cream or yogurt.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If you liked this lentil chili, you might also enjoy:
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Dl7djPjg” upload-date=”2024-01-07T05:11:23.000Z” name=”Lentil Chili” description=”Lentil chili is a tasty and wholesome one-pot recipe where green or brown lentils replace the ground meat in classic chili con carne.
You can expect a hearty, satisfying, and high-protein meal that is easy to make with pantry staples and is excellent for meal prep.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
This recipe is absolutely delicious, and weโll definitely start this in our rotation of meals! My husband is the pickiest eater out there (hates veggies and always thinks the diced veggies are too big when he sees me prepping/cooking), and even HE approved. He did add a little bit of shredded cheese and a few crushed Fritos to it but all in all he gave it a 9.5 out of 10. If you knew him, youโd be thoroughly impressed and ready to try this!
This is one of our favorite recipes for the week to come! We make it at least twice a month if not more.
This is excellent. My whole family loved it!
This was delicious! Family of 6 and everyone had two bowls! (I doubled the recipe.) Everyone put their favorite chili toppings per usual. I love that I donโt feel like I can move after! Thanks so much!
Amazing. Just beginning the plant based journey and this is a hit! Not often that I follow a recipe but I wanted this to turn out as intended. And it did. I did add a tsp of cocoa powder and I cooked it in my pressure cooker.
We are thrilled you liked the recipe Vic!
I’m sure the addition of cocoa powder makes it even tastier ๐
Have a wonderful day!
Nico
The best chili ever! I had mine with sour cream and jalapeรฑos. ๐
Amazing, that sounds delish! ๐ช
Thanks so much for sharing. Kindest,
Louise