Lentil Chili
Meatless lentil chili with simple ingredients and flavorful spices. It’s wholesome, filling, and makes one easy weeknight meal.
Love meatless lentil recipes? Try our Lentil and Butternut Squash Chili. Loaded with veggies, lentils, and spices.
Lentil Chili
Hearty, chunky, and thick. That’s what this lentil chili is all about. It’s flavorful and very easy to prepare with only 10-ingredients!
It’s made with traditional chili ingredients, plus the lentils. Lentil is an edible legume that is high in protein and fiber and low in fat making it a great alternative to meat.
Also, lentils absorb flavors really well from whatever they’re cooked in. So the chili comes out really well seasoned and flavorful.
Not to mention this lentil chili recipe is very adaptable. Just keep reading for more add-in ideas.
What Type of Lentils To Use?
Brown or green lentils are best for lentil chili. Brown lentils have a mild and earthy flavor, whereas green lentils have a peppery taste. Both lentils hold their shape well when cooked.
I recommend using dry lentils for this recipe and not canned.
Do Lentils Need to Be Soaked?
Lentils do not require soaking. Simply rinse lentils before adding them to the chili, and quickly sift through for any broken bits.
How to Make Lentil Chili
In a heavy-duty dutch oven, at least 5-quart (or bigger), cook the onions and bell pepper over medium heat until soft and lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes. Stir in garlic and chili powder, and cook until fragrant.
Add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf, and vegetable stock. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
Tip: Lentils are cooked as soon as they are tender but not mushy and no longer crunchy.
Remove the chili from heat and discard the bay leaf. Transfer about 3-4 cups of chili into a food-processor and process until smooth.
Return the puréed chili back to the pot and stir to combine. Stir in cilantro and serve with your favorite toppings.
Add-Ins
This lentil chili recipe is very adaptable. You can add more flavor to the chili by adding more veggies, spices, or beans. Here are a few suggestions:
- Vegetables – carrots, celery, zucchini, corn, jalapeño, canned fire-roasted tomatoes
- Spices – cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, chipotle chili powder
- Beans – canned black beans or red kidney beans
Lentil Chili Toppings
To serve lentil chili, set out a variety of toppings so everyone can customize their bowls. Here are a few favorites:
- Sliced jalapeño
- Minced red onion or pickled red onion
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Diced avocado
- Lime wedges
- Sour cream or crema
- Cheddar cheese
- Roasted tomato salsa
- Cheese puffs (for dipping!)
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Video: How to Make Lentil Chili
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Lentil Chili
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: American
Description
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 dry brown lentils
- 2 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 (32 oz.) cartons vegetable stock
- 1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
To Serve
- Red onions, minced
- Jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Cilantro, chopped
- Limes
Instructions
- In a large heavy-duty dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and red bell pepper. Cook for about 8-10 minutes or until soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add lentils, tomatoes, bay leaf, and stock. Season generously with salt and ground black pepper. Simmer partially covered over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Transfer 3-4 cups of chili into a food processor and process until smooth. Add the puréed chili back into the pot and stir to combine. Taste for salt and pepper.
- Stir in cilantro and serve with toppings of choice.
Notes
- Add-Ins: This lentil chili is very adaptable. See post for a full list of add-in ideas.
- Leftovers: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days or for up to 3 months in the freezer. Chili will thicken the longer it sits. If desired, thin out with a little stock when reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 231
- Sugar: 5.6 g
- Sodium: 588.1 mg
- Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.2 g
- Protein: 12.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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
Thank you Aubrey! I appreciate your feedback.
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.
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).
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.
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!!
Thank you Kate! Appreciate your feedback.
Can I make a big batch of this and freeze for later?
You definitely can! It freezes really well.
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. 🙂
Thank you so much Grace! I so appreciate your feedback and love that you’re enjoying this lentil chili!
So so good! Made it several times already! I prefer it over regular chili ????
Thank you Anna! So glad you love this lentil chili.
The best lentil chili recipe! My husband loves it! Thank you so much.
This was a delicious recipe. It is one of my go – to chilli recipes now.
Thank you so much Jess! So glad you love it.
Once you puree the chili, it will thicken. Also as the chili sits, it will thicken over time.
That’s great! Thank you Aisling.
That’s so awesome Roberta! Thanks so much for your feedback and so glad you loved the chili!
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
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.
Hi Katya
Thank you so much! I get it now..
Looking forward to making it
I hope you enjoy it!!
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.
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.
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!
That’s so great Esther! So glad you loved the chili!
Would I need to soak the lentils beforehand? I’ve never cooked with them before.
Hi Hannah: you do not need to soak them. Just add them in and let them cook until tender. Hope you enjoy this chili!
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!
So happy you guys enjoyed it Amy! That beer bread sounds soooo good. Thanks so much for your kind feedback.
This is so delicious! I loved the texture after pureeing 3 cups of the chili and adding it back in.
Thank you Kyla! I love using that trick to thicken the chili 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it too!
This is my new favorite. I added the red pepper flakes and also a bit of cumin. Served with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream and black bean chips. Added jalenpenos to my husbands. Was so great and beautiful. Will be making alot! Thank you for the great recipe.
Sorry that should have been five stars……it wouldn’t let me do that
No problem! I appreciate you taking the time to leave me a feedback 🙂
Thank you Terri! So glad you enjoyed the chili.
So I ran out of chili powder and had to improvise but I managed. Everything else I pretty much had on hand. It is such an easy recipe and tastes so good! Love it!
I’m so glad you loved it even with the modifications and found it to be easy. Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
So glad you loved it Athalie! Addition of fresh tomatoes sounds SO good. Thanks so much for the feedback.
Hi Katya
I usually make chilli without meat but I’ve always used beans. Lentils was a really good idea. I’m surely going to try this soon.
Cheers!
I hope you enjoy it Smita! Thank you!