Meatless lentil chili with simple ingredients and flavorful spices. It’s wholesome, filling, and makes one easy weeknight meal.
Love meatless lentil recipes? Try this Lentil and Butternut Squash Chili. Loaded with veggies, lentils, and spices.
“Meatless?” That was hubbys reaction when I said we’re having lentil chili but after few bites I won him over.
I had my doubts a little too when I first made this chili as I’m always a little skeptical of dishes that are changed to an extreme to make them “healthier.”
Like substituting chocolate with something that resembles chocolate but ingredients are far from chocolate? Not a fan.
I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m all about clean eating but changing a recipe to a point to make it so healthy that half of the ingredients are man-made and not even real? Not a fan.
So when the idea of lentil chili came about it sounded delish and scary. I wasn’t really substituting anything with man made but taking something out that was kinda of THE main ingredient.
Chili without the meat? How can that be? Chili has this distinct chunky taste and texture and to be able to replicate that with lentils, I wasn’t so sure but after one bite I forgot what I was missing.
Hearty, chunky, and thick that’s what this lentil chili is all about.
Packed with all the traditional chili ingredients: onions, red bell pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and chili powder.
I could’ve used kidney or pinto beans instead of lentils but lentils are quick and easy to prepare and absorb flavors really well from other seasonings and foods. So the chili comes out really well seasoned and flavorful.
My new favorite thing is to thicken the soup with soup. In this case chili with chili. I pureed about 3 cups of cooked lentil chili in a food processor and dumped it back into the pot of chili. It thickened the chili really well, making it really hearty and just perfect for a cold fall day.
Serve this lentil chili with your favorite toppings. We love sour cream, cheese, and Gluten-Free Cheese Puffs for dipping.
If you try Lentil Chili, let us know in the comments below. We would love your feedback, along with a rating!
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Meatless lentil chili with simple ingredients and flavorful spices. It’s wholesome, filling, and makes one easy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 tsp. chili powder
- 1 (16 oz.) bag of brown lentils
- 2 (14.5 oz.) cans no-salt diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (32 oz.) cartons vegetable stock or chicken stock
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large heavy duty dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and red bell pepper; saute the vegetables for 8 minutes or until soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in garlic and chili powder; cook for 1 minute.
- Add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf and stock. Season with salt and ground black pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Transfer 3 cups of cooked chili into a food processor and process until pureed; add the pureed chili back into the remaining chili and stir to combine. Taste for salt and pepper.
- Stir in cilantro and serve.
Notes
- If you like your chili spicy, add chopped fresh jalapeno or red pepper flakes for some heat.
Keywords: easy, comfort food, meatless, vegetarian, healthy
Amy says
This chili is delicious and super easy to make. Has anyone tried freezing it? I made it tonight to kick off Lent and the left overs would be great to pull out of the freezer on Friday’s!
★★★★★
Katya says
Hi Amy: you can definitely freeze the chili. Thank you!
Holly says
Everyone loves this! And we never missed the meat.
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you!
Aubrey says
This was my first time making vegetarian chili & this recipe did not disappoint! My fiancé loved it too and we both agreed we like it better than the usual turkey chili we make.
I pre-soaked the lentils for about 30 minutes. I added diced poblano peppers, chipotle chili pepper seasoning, pink Himalayan sea salt & turmeric. After I puréed the 3 cups cooked and added it back in I also added kidney beans and a touch of Sriracha. Lots of cilantro on top and this was amazing!! This will definitely be a new staple in our household
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Aubrey! I appreciate your feedback.
Rob McC says
Great! I didn’t want to bother with the blender so used only 1 qt (32 oz) of stock and it turned out great. It took quite a while to cook – the lentils didn’t want to soften and had a dry, grainy texture. Based on research, that happens when lentils are cooked with acids, including tomatoes. Next time I’ll wait to add the tomatoes later in the cooking to speed it up.
★★★★★
Sara says
I like to soak the lentils few hours before I cook them and while cooking, I don’t add any salt to the mixture. I wait until everything is cooked, then add salt to taste. The speaking helps to soften the lentils and by not adding any salt you make sure the outer layer of the lentils does not harden (causing the need for more cooking time).
Monica E says
I cooked my lentils in the instant pot for 15 minutes with a natural pressure release (about 12 minutes) in
one carton of vegetable broth while I sauteed the onion, red pepper. Then a hard simmer of the tomatoes, spices, and the other carton of broth and added both together. I pureed 2-3 cups and added back into the chili. It turned out beautifully and just seemed to come together effortlessly.
Kate says
I love this recipe! I’ve made it for a few years now and haven’t thought about leaving a review before. I add about a pound of turkey when I make it but it definitely wouldn’t need it. Lentils are the best! Thank you for the recipe!!
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Kate! Appreciate your feedback.
Meg says
Can I make a big batch of this and freeze for later?
Katya says
You definitely can! It freezes really well.
GRACE STEWART says
I absolutely love this lentil chili and have made it several times! Thanks for this amazing recipe! I have also shared it on my Facebook page. 🙂
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you so much Grace! I so appreciate your feedback and love that you’re enjoying this lentil chili!
Anna says
So so good! Made it several times already! I prefer it over regular chili ????
★★★★★
Katya says
Thank you Anna! So glad you love this lentil chili.
Jen says
The best lentil chili recipe! My husband loves it! Thank you so much.
★★★★★
Jess says
This was a delicious recipe. It is one of my go – to chilli recipes now.
Katya says
Thank you so much Jess! So glad you love it.
Katya says
Once you puree the chili, it will thicken. Also as the chili sits, it will thicken over time.
Katya says
That’s great! Thank you Aisling.
Katya says
That’s so awesome Roberta! Thanks so much for your feedback and so glad you loved the chili!
Katya says
Hi Sami: I don’t have a precise serving size as I use a program that calculates the nutritional information for me based on the ingredients and total servings. You can try an online nutritional calculator for more detailed nutrition.
Heather says
Hi
Sounds lovely but I’m a bit confused- what exactly is 3 cups of chilli? I’m in the UK – maybe you buy chilli in a can?
Thank you
Katya says
Hi Heather…after you have cooked the chili, measure out 3 cups and puree in a blender then add back into the pot. It will thicken the chili.
Heather Taylor says
Hi Katya
Thank you so much! I get it now..
Looking forward to making it
Katya says
I hope you enjoy it!!
Kirsten Lee says
Hello! This sounds so delish!
How much stock is that? Is it two cartons of 32 oz each? 32oz is about 950ml, which seems like an awfully large amount of liquid.
Katya says
Each 32 oz carton is 4 cups so you need a total of 8 cups. A lot of it will reduce as the chili cooks.
Esther says
WOW. All I can say is I’m SUPER impressed. The flavors are an explosion in your mouth. First time cooking with lentils so I was a bit hesitant but I’m so glad I did!! Thank you!!!!! My coworkers are loving it too!!!!!! Surprisingly, it tastes like chili just lighter and DEFINITELY healthier. Don’t have that greasy food-coma, acid reflux feeling after this soup. Will be a staple in my cookbook!
★★★★★
Katya says
That’s so great Esther! So glad you loved the chili!
Hannah says
Would I need to soak the lentils beforehand? I’ve never cooked with them before.
Katya says
Hi Hannah: you do not need to soak them. Just add them in and let them cook until tender. Hope you enjoy this chili!
Amy says
This was amazing! My husband and I couldn’t stop eating your chili! And there are leftovers for lunch tomorrow. We can’t wait. It thickened up beautifully. This will be a weekly meal for us. Wish I could post a picture. It made for a great plate presentation as well. Topped it with sour cream and shredded sharp cheddar. I also paired it with beer bread. Unbelievable. Thank you so much!
★★★★★
Katya says
So happy you guys enjoyed it Amy! That beer bread sounds soooo good. Thanks so much for your kind feedback.