Description
This hearty Lentil Chili recipe is a delicious and nutritious plant-based meal packed with protein-rich lentils, vegetables, and bold spices. Suitable for a comforting dinner, this chili can be prepared on the stovetop or quickly made in a pressure cooker, making it versatile for any kitchen. It’s flavorful, warming, and perfect for those seeking a meatless, wholesome dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large bell pepper (any color), diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
Liquids and Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any cooking oil)
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Protein and Legumes
- 1 ¼ cups dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Spices: Stir in the chili powder and ground cumin. Continue sautéing for a few more minutes while stirring frequently to release the spices’ flavors.
- Combine Ingredients and Simmer: Add the vegetable broth, rinsed lentils, black beans, crushed tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, crushed red pepper flakes, cocoa powder, sea salt, black pepper, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the chili has thickened.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the bay leaf, and serve the chili warm topped with your favorite chili toppings such as avocado, cheese, sour cream, or fresh herbs.
- Pressure Cooker Sauté: Alternatively, heat olive oil using the sauté function on your pressure cooker. Add onion, carrots, and garlic and sauté until tender. Stir in chili powder and cumin and sauté for another few minutes. Press cancel to stop the sauté mode.
- Add Remaining Ingredients to Pressure Cooker: Add vegetable broth, lentils, black beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf to the pot. Secure the lid and seal the vent.
- Pressure Cook: Select ‘manual’ or ‘pressure cook’ mode and set it to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Once the cooking cycle ends, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
- Serve Pressure Cooker Chili: Remove the bay leaf and serve warm with your preferred chili toppings.
Notes
- You can use any type of cooking oil in place of olive oil based on preference.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the spiciness level.
- Add your favorite chili toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, or sliced avocado for extra flavor and texture.
- If you don’t have a pressure cooker, the stovetop method works perfectly with a slightly longer cook time.
- Rinse lentils and beans well to reduce sodium and improve taste.
- Leftover chili can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
