Sometimes inspiration comes from the most unexpected places.
I posted this picture on Instagram a few weeks ago (for my Red Lentil Curry), and someone asked if it was red lentil chili. “No, but GOOD IDEA,” I replied.
The rest is history. I couldn’t shake the thought from my mind.
This chili comes just in time for these last few wintry days before spring arrives (at least here in the Pacific Northwest).
It’s simple, requiring just 1 pot, basic ingredients, and comes together in less than 1 hour.
I’ve been inspired by some Indian cooking methods I’ve been researching lately involving a mortar and pestle. Instead of just mincing or chopping your vegetables, spices, and herbs, you grind them together so their flavor is more intense and more evenly distributed throughout the dish.
Of course, if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, you can use a small food processor or just finely mince. I just love this method, and now that I’ve discovered it, I can’t stop!
In addition to red lentils – which are full of fiber, protein, folate, and magnesium (just to name a few) – I also included black beans (another great source of folate and fiber) and kidney beans (which are especially high in iron and vitamin B1).
This isn’t one of those soup-like chilis that’s mostly tomatoes. This is chock full of lentils, beans, and corn, and is thick and stew-like in texture – my favorite.
I hope you love this chili! It’s:
Hearty
Smoky
Flavorful
Not too spicy
Healthy
Comforting
Satisfying
& Simple
Make this dish for a crowd, as it’s especially great for hosting. Or make a batch over the weekend and enjoy it for lunch throughout the week.
If you try this recipe, let us know! It helps us and other readers so much. Leave a comment it, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a picture #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see your creations. Cheers, friends!
1-Pot Red Lentil Chili
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp avocado or coconut oil
- 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red pepper, diced
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (divided // plus more to taste)
- 1 jalapeño , diced with seeds
- 4 cloves garlic (4 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp)
- 3 Tbsp chili powder (divided)
- 2 Tbsp ground cumin (divided)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes (if unsalted, add more sea salt)
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 3/4 cup water (plus more as needed)
- 3/4 cup dry red lentils thoroughly rinsed in cold water + drained
- 1 15-ounce can kidney beans (slightly drained)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans (slightly drained)
- 1-2 Tbsp coconut sugar (or maple syrup)
- 1 15-ounce can corn, drained (optional)
FOR SERVING optional
- DIY Chili "Cheese” Fritos
- Rice or Quinoa
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Avocado
Instructions
-
Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, and red pepper. Season with a healthy pinch each salt and pepper and stir. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
-
Add jalapeño and garlic to a mortar and pestle and crush into a rough paste (alternatively, blend in a small food processor, or finely mince). Add to the pot with onion and red pepper, and season with another pinch salt and pepper.
-
Add 2/3 of the chili powder (2 Tbsp as original recipe is written), half of the cumin (1 Tbsp as original recipe is written), paprika, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and water, and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil over medium high heat.
-
Once boiling, add lentils and reduce heat to medium-low or low, so it's at a gentle simmer. You want to see bubbles, but you don't want it boiling. Cook for 15 minutes, or until lentils are mostly tender. As it's cooking you may need to add more water if the mixture is looking too dry and the lentils aren't submerged (I didn't find that necessary).
-
Next add kidney beans, black beans, 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, and remaining cumin (1 Tbsp as original recipe is written) and chili powder (1 Tbsp as original recipe is written), and stir to combine.
-
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat slightly to low (or medium-low), add corn (optional), cover, and gently simmer for 20 minutes to meld the flavors together. Stir occasionally.
-
Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more chili powder or cumin for smokiness, salt for saltiness, or a little coconut sugar to balance the heat and draw out the other flavors.
-
Serve as is, or garnished with chili cheese fritos, fresh jalapeño, cilantro, red onion, and/or avocado (optional).
-
Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days, and in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop, or in the microwave.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Nutrition Per Serving (1 of 6)
- Calories: 320
- Fat: 6.8g
- Saturated fat: 0.7g
- Sodium: 427mg
- Carbohydrates: 52.4g
- Fiber: 18.9g
- Sugar: 10g
- Protein: 15.9g
Gosh i love a good chili and that one sounds oh so amazing!!
I’ll make sure to try it real soon (like this weekend obviously, i won’t resist! ;)
Could you make this in instant pot? How much cook time?
Did you try this in the instant pot? I just got one and wanted to try it as well.
I just made it in my pressure cooker and used soup/stew setting for 25 minutes and turned out perfect. I reduced water (broth) down to 1 1/4 cup.
I love the red lentils! Such a great addition (or hearty alternative!) to beans.
This chili just makes me want to cozy up with a big blanket and eat on the couch! Love the lentils in this!
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
I haven’t tried, but I’d assume so!
I did, three hours on high worked great. I also subbed chilli for 3 tbsp smoked chipotle powder. Lovely deep flavour but hot hot hot!
I did too, it will take a couple of hours and I also included vegan ground beef!
Dana – this looks amazing! I’ve become a lentil fanatic recently. BTW I’m a huge fan of your blog. I write my own too with dessert recipes! IfYouGiveaBlondeaKitchen.com
Do you have any suggestions for how to make this in a slow cooker? My fiance has a chili cook off thing at work next week but we can’t seem to find any slow cooker chili recipes.
Looove your blog btw, we make weekly menus together for dinner during the week and I swear every time its his turn to plan, 4/5 recipes are from your blog :D
I made this in the slow cooker, three hours on high worked great
I’m following your lead. Hope it works. Lol
I cannot WAIT to try this. It sounds (and looks) delicious. Thanks for the recipe.
This is exactly like chana masala!
Just here to say I love this site. I don’t like cooking but minimal ingredients make it look so easy!
Thank you! Also especially for having so many years Indian influences! :)
Hi Dana, do you think green lentils will work? The only place that sells the red ones here is like three times more expensive lol.
That should work! They’ll just take longer to cook.
Don’t I see either hominy or corn in the photo? I don’t see it in the recipe.
Hi Rosemary! Corn is the last ingredient on the list and is optional. Hope this helps!
Chili is so good and hearty! This looks fantastic!
Hi. We don’t really have chili powder in australia, as I am hoping you don’t mean 2 tbspns og ground pure chilis. Do you have a recipe for making your own mix (eg like for garam masala, etc) Thanks
You definitely have it! and it’s actually my fave lol. i got it at woolworths when I was living there, it’s the woolworths select chilli ground :)
Oh. My. Heavens. This looks, like, surreal good. My husband has such a soft spot for lentils, too, so he and I will have to make this lickety split!
When I opened my e-mail today and saw 1 Pot Red Lentil Chili from Dana, I said, “OhmyGosh! Please let me have all of the ingredients on hand!!!” I skimmed through the list with excitement & thought, oh no. Too good to be true, maybe I went too fast. So, I checked it again and said, “Hallelujah, I’m making this tonight!” Well, my 20 minute simmer has ended and I have tasted. The flavor is awesome! I love it and bc it is so healthy, this will be a staple in my house. When I find something so delicious and so easy to make like this, I make a batch (lot’s of times two), and freeze individual portions for instant meals later. Thank you Dana, you never disappoint.
Thanks Judy! xoxo
Oh Dana, I want to live inside these photos. Because that would mean never-ending chili supplies right? The nights are getting cooler here in Australia and I think this is going to be on high rotation throughout the winter months :)
This is perfect! I always have an excess of red lentils in my pantry. :P
I made this tonight to go one top of some homemade fries. I had to leave out the paprika, corn and jalepeno for my sister, but is still delicious. There is enough left iver fornat least two more meals. Frito pie, chili stuffed baked potatoes, chili and cornbread…the list goes on. Definitely a hit in my house tonight…especially with the four-legged babies that attacked a plate when i wasn’t looking. Fabulous dish!!!
Thanks Ellie!
Fantastic looking recipe! This is my kind of chili!
This looks delicious! I’ll have to try it soon!
**A tip for those without a mortar & pestle** I recently posted on my blog about my experience with a lack of small enough food processor/spice grinder/m&p and I found that using a meat mallet to smash spices in a baggy worked beautifully! Good recipe timing!
– Charlie
I loved the red lentil curry you posted a few weeks ago, so I am so excited to make this one!!!
I prepared this tonight for my family! It was a big hit – Thank you again for another great recipe!
Thanks Lee! xoxo
Awesome, you make this looks like an artist, I will make this for my family and hope they will love it. Thank you so much for your recipe!
Just made this and packed it for my lunches for the next week – can’t wait! However just a warning, I reduced the chilli and mine still came out very spicy! Maybe it’s just me though haha
Thanks Nicola! xoxo
Hi Dana, I just wanted to say that I made this dish tonight with your vegan cornbread and it was a hit with the family! So easy and delicious. Thanks again for your great recipes. They always work out.
Wow, this looks SO good!
This was SO good. Seriously. I used a lot less chili, honey instead of sugar and only kidney beans, and it came out perfect. I stopped eating meat recently, and I’m a little sad it’s only now that I’m discovering how satisfying vegetarian meals can be. Even my meat-eating boyfriend loved it. Thanks so much for the recipe, this will definitely become a staple in our house.
Just made it and I love it! The homemade Fritos too! Genius! =]
Love it
LOVE the thickness of this – looks like you get a heaping serving of beans in every spoonful! Just the way it should be. Red lentils are quickly becoming my faaaave so I’m all about this. Beautiful photos! (not surprised, of course) :)
This was amazing! Worked well with my student budget too, had everything in the pantry already. I would rate this 5 stars!
I made this yesterday on a rainy Sunday afternoon here in NC. It turned out great! My only change was to saute the tomato paste with the onions and red peppers for about 2 minutes (until it had darkened in color) before I added the diced tomatoes. I think it really makes a difference – richer flavor. I will be enjoying this for lunch all week!!
Made this last night for dinner and was very yummy! Tastes even better today for lunch! I paired it with your chili cheese fritos. I accidentally put 1 Tbsp of paprika instead of 1 tsp, but it still tasted delicious. Thanks!
ok ummmmm…so I made this tonight and it was deeeeeeelish!! It was savory, spicy and AAAAMAZING! My husband is a meat eater and he went back for seconds :) Only mod I made was white kidney beans instead of dark but it was out of this world good! Thanks again for a GREAT recipe that a busy mama could make on a weeknight :)
Thank you!!
I made this tonight. A great recipe! I left out the kidney beans and just used extra black beans and also added some celery cause I’ve always put celery in my chili. I also used less chili powder, probably only 1 tablespoon, cause I didn’t have enough on hand. And I soaked my lentils a bit before using them cause I always do. I would make it again! Thanks!
Help!!! Just cooked up a batch and can’t stop eating it!!. What do I do!!!???
Made this tonight and oh my, so good!
This is delicious! So tasty I could hardly put it down, despite how hearty it is! I added sweet potato too. Thanks a lot~
I made this and it was fantastic! I left out the jalapeno because I was serving it to my boys. Tasted amazing with some cornbread on the side.
Made this recipe tonight for my parents and both said it was the best vegetarian chili they’ve ever had! I had to leave out the jalapeño as my mom can’t handle spice/heat of any kind. I also didn’t use the oil or sugar, and put in a few more beans. But the spice ratio was absolutely perfect. Thanks so much!
I just tried this recipe and it turned out AMAZING!!!! I altered it by cooking the bean (not using canned beans), and I added sweet potatoes. Because I boiled my own beans and sweet potatoes, it took me a total of 2 hours to make this dish. However, it was well worth it! Simply delicious, thank you for the recipe Dana.
That looks amazing! I love anything with lentils.
I’m excited to try this recipe. I was wondering if you could tell me the purpose of the tomato paste. I just ran out but I have everything else in the ingredients. Is it to add more umami? Can I substitute something else savory, like nutritional yeast?
I eat so much chili, this is a great recipe to change things up a bit! Love lentils!
I made this a couple nights ago and it is DELICIOUS!! I’ll be making more this weekend. My carnivorous husband loved it too! WIN WIN
So I tried this… did not look as good as the picture but was in the end very tasty ! Thanks a lot for sharing :)
made this tonight with the DIY “cheese” Fritos & guacamole topping: CALL OF THE WILD.
This chili is super vibrant and colorful!! Thats neat that you’ve started using a mortar and pestle. It makes sense that doing it this way would add/preserve the intense flavor!
This chili recipe was so delicious! My kids loved it!
Thanks for the wonderful recipe. I’m glad i didn’t use the jalapeno seeds because last night it was quite spicy!! A cold taste this morning proved it to be just perfect today!! Thanks for another consistently great recipe.
Made this recipe for dinner tonight. Loved how easy this was to make. It has a nice kick to it. Also, added nutrientional yeast and mushrooms to the recipe as well. Will definitely make this again.
This looks incredible! Do you think leaving out the garlic completely would ruin the flavor of it? I can’t eat garlic anymore and finding recipes that taste delicious without it is so very hard.
I stumbled upon your blog and tried this recipe yesterday – AMAZING! I’m a timid cook who hates complicated recipes so this was perfect. Looking forward to trying many more of your recipes!
Such a hearty, warming and beautiful healthy entree, which was perfect after a long hike earlier in the day. I simmered mine a bit longer than the 20 minutes at the end, just to let the flavors blend together a bit more. I would have wished for a bit more spice in mine, but next time I know to add a bit more during the cooking. Not only was this a perfect meal (served with rice and a small salad), it made for the perfect lunch the next two days. I will most definitely make this again and I plan on sharing the recipe with the cook at my school to “enhance” her chili :)
I made this tonight and it was super flavorful! The only change I made was using refried black beans to thicken it up instead of tomato paste (I added about 1/2 cup to get the consistency I prefer) and I didn’t add any of the optional sugar or corn.
Bold, easy and filling. I’ll be making this regularly.
Thanks Dana!
Another winner! My family absolutely loved this amazing chili and nobody missed the meat. Dana, you’ve done it again. Thanks so much for such inspiring, healthy recipes. Would you consider making the “printable view” small enough to fit on ONE sheet of paper?
Thanks Val! It should be printing on one page. Did you use the print button function in the recipe box?
Oh wow! This is so so good! I’ve made it twice now and everyone loves it. We have a shared family cookbook and when there’s an outstanding recipe, it gets added to the collection. This one definitely made the cut. Plus it uses ingredients I usually have on hand. Thank you!
Delicious! The flavours are spectacular. Easy to make. Next time will add more lentils to make it a bit heartier. Making Easy Chana Masala tonight!
Can this one be frozen?
Thanks for another great recipe Dana! We just finished up trying it, super delicious!
I didn’t think one jalapeno would be enough, but it was! Very tasty!
This chili was DELICIOUS. I just used kidney beans, black beans and lentils and it was so hearty and spicy I didn’t miss meat not being in there. The recipe was easy to follow and yielded enough for me to eat several lunches and freeze a lot for later. I do not have a mortar and pestle so I put the jalapeno, garlic and onion in the food processor and minced them all together then sauteed them with chopped red peppers.
i LOVED this chili! In fact I raved about it so much that my boyfriend had to make it himself to find out (and loves it) and I’m making it again tonight, just one week later. Also, I think the optional can of corn is a must, so yummy!
BEST CHILLI EVER!
My boyfriend has a deep set hatred for chilli (and anything that typically involves mince). I looove a good chilli and having made countless quorn chillies that I’ve loved and he’s hated, I didn’t hold out much hope for this one. I was soo wrong (as was he!). This is absolutely the best chilli I’ve ever eaten. I will never go back from this one. He loves it, I love it, my vegetable-phobic housemates love it! I can’t wait to impress my family with this next time I visit them.
I accidentally used 1tbsp of paprika and I didn’t have any ground cumin to hand so I used cumin seeds. Still delicious!
Thank-you Dana for putting chilli back on our menu!!!! :D
WOW! Wonderful flavors, and so simple to put together. I did not have coconut sugar so I substituted with regular and in place of the black pepper I used Grains of Paradise.
This was really good! Even my meat-loving sister enjoyed it.
I made this for tonight’s dinner. Instead of red lentils and kidney beans (didn’t have any on hand) I used green lentils and chickpeas. Also subbed chilli peppers for jalapeños. Even so, it tastes awesome! Now if hubby could hurry up and get home so we can eat, lol!
This chili is amazing!! It is so delicious and will be our go-to chili recipe from now on! Thank you so much for sharing it!
This was pretty good and hearty! Next time I think I’ll cut the spices in half ?!
This looks so yummy and healthy. I think I will reduce the chilli because the weather is really hot now. Thanks for sharing!
wow look yummy i love chili receipt , thank you.
I liked it, but it was a bit too spicy for me. Next time I’ll leave out the minced chili and just use the powder. But apart from that, thumbs up!
Dana, you did it again! This chili is AWESOME. The taste is different than I’m used to from spending years eating McCormick Chili Mix, but a GOOD different. Very smoky, sweet, nice kick… I didn’t change a thing and I doubt I will! Thank you for yet another wonderful recipe!
Five stars from me! And I misplaced my red lentils! Had to use my autumn ones though I doubt that make much difference. Had to leave out the corn since I’m fighting a lot of inflammation and corn is a no-no. I will make this again.
I absolutely love this recipe! Everything about it was delicious and it made enough to freeze for lunches/dinners. I put a dollop of Greek yogurt on top with some chopped cilantro and was in heaven every bite. ❤
Easy and delicious. OK, I admit to skipping the mortar and pestle part–didn’t have one on hand–next time. Still turned out wonderful. Smoked paprika is relatively new addition to our extensive spice collection. It really adds a complex smoky dimension! Love it!
I Made this chili twice and it was awesome !
The instructions were perfectly clear!
I also made your seven ingredient musil bread 4 times!
WOW tasty and simple !
Love your website both the recipes and your husbands UI design, very easy to read and navigate.
Ed
I made this last week for dinner, and it was great! The best vegan chili recipe I’ve tried! I will definitely be making this again. I’m going to try the lentil sloppy joes tonight, and I’m excited! Thank you!
This was delicious! I used 2 cans of black beans and 1/2 can of diced jalapenos (as opposed to fresh). I also substituted granulated garlic for the fresh garlic, omitted the smoked paparika and added the optional can of corn (no salt added). My husband also loved it and said it was “perfect chili.” He did add ground turkey to his, but at least he ate enjoyed it! Thanks for a great recipe.
I LOVE this chili. We’ve already made it twice, and it’s so delicious with corn bread. I put in a little less chili powder when I make it because I’m a big baby about spices but it still had plenty of flavor.
Do you have any suggestions for other side dishes that would pair well with it? I often cook for some relatives who are vegetarian and I’m always out of ideas!! Thanks!
Hey! Is it possible to substitute the dry lentils with already cooked lentils?
Hi ! This chili sounds amazing, do you think I could use dry beans as well ? I’ve been looking for a chili recipe that doesn’t use canned beans.
This was absolutely delicious and easy to make. My 6 year old asked for “vegan chili” and I knew there had to be a recipe here! He had two bowls!!!
I recently stumbled upon this amazing website. I recently made the decision to go vegan for health reasons and I was actually looking for recipes for a good vegan chocolate because I am a HUGE chocolate fan and didn’t know if I could give it up. I haven’t tried your chocolate recipe yet because I just realized no where here carries cocao butter, that I’m going to have to order it on the Internet. I did try this delicious chili recipe and the Fritos one and OH MY! It was fantastic! My whole family enjoyed the heck out of it, it turned out so much better than I could have hoped and was more than satisfying for me. I will follow your recipes on this website religiously lol you are my new best friend! You are truly an artist when it comes to taking beautiful photos of what you cook but also being able to cook better than most chefs. I think you would probably make good money if you were to open up your own franchise of vegan restaurants. Your food is gold in my opinion, anyways though. Great recipes! I’m looking forward to trying out more of them.
So kind! Thanks Sarah Lynne!
Just made this chili recipe for dinner and it was AWESOME!!! I made a cashew sour cream with lime and cilantro to garnish, also garnished with avocado and chopped green onions. Thanks for all your amazing recipes: I have made your chocolate cake twice (a crowd pleaser for sure), quinoa tacos, cinnamon rolls, and ramen noodles–all super yummy!
This recipe look sweet and delicous. You made it, Dana
Thank for share this awesome post.
This is way better than my current vegan chili recipe. I also added 1/2 tsp chipotle flakes and served it some whole grain macaroni resulting in an amazing chili mac. My only regret is that I was out of corn, but I’ll be sure to add it next time.
Wayyyyyyyyyy too spicy! Perhaps a typo on the 3 tablespoons chili ???
Nope, I like spice! What kind of chili powder were you using? I didn’t mean chipotle chili powder, but rather the commercial spice blend.
Organic chile powder blend from whole foods … Must be really fresh/potent! I used to use a different blend that probably would have been perfect (amount wise) for this recipe.
It look so sweet and delicous. I’ll be sure to add it next time.
Thanks Dana
So good! My non vegetarian family loved it. Topped it with queso fresco, cilantro, plain yogurt and homemade cornbread. Thanks!–meryl
Looking forward to reading more. Great article . Really looking forward to read more. Really Cool
Found this turned out sort of watery, but I had a batch of frozen tomato soup from a couple months back in the freezer, unthawed it, and used a cup in the chili. It made the broth more creamy. I used “Veggemo” for a non dairy milk. Think you can only find this product in Canada for now though.
Turned out excellent.
I didn’t take a picture but it was deeelish! I used a can of mixed beans and we ate it with flour tortillas and cheese and lettuce yum!
Much appreciated. I will make my next batch a little less spicy for my sensitive palate (less chili powder, more peppers such as green and orange). I love the lentils with the red and black beans. Definitely a winner. Merci beaucoup from Ontario.
Unexpectedly, I’ve been eating it cold. I think it tastes great and not at all too spicy. The smoky taste comes out. In conclusion, a batch with less chili powder for hot servings and a batch as is for the cold servings. Bang on recipe. Lots of nutrition.
Just a heads up this chilli is VERY HOT. I didn’t put in the jalapeños or the additonal spice and my mouth is still burning! The flavors are nice though. Had mine on top of rice.
Wow!! This is literally the BEST chili I have ever made/eaten. My husband and I are both meat eaters but this blows any meaty chili I’ve made out of the water. I always feel like it’s missing something but this one was just so perfectly good. I believe it’s the smoked paprika that makes it. I used a huge jalapeño so it was super spicy but the other flavors still came through. Love it. Will be making again. (P.s. I made my red lentils in a separate pot and then added them to the simmering chili pot when they were done since I’ve had bad experiences with lentils in the past)
This is the tastiest chilli I have ever made. I was worried the children wouldn’t like it as it had no meat but they loved it too.
Looking forward to reading more. Great article
Made this tonight and oh my it was so tasty! This will be my go to chili!
Hi there! This looks great, if I’m making for one will the leftovers freeze?
I made this chili yesterday and it turned out great. Very happy with it. I will have to tone back the spice for the kiddos though. I put about 4 cups of it in the freezer to enjoy later. I will definitely make this again! Thank you!
My Fiancé is craving a chili that has a bit of a ‘pasty’ texture amidst all the hearty vegetables, rather than a broth consistancy. Do you have any recommendations on how I can achieve that effect? I can only think to leave out some liquid and maybe blend a part of the chili and add it back like in your amazing Lentil soup recipe :) Thank you!
This was really tasty. I added garam masala for warmth and used chickpeas for the beans(I am not a big fan of kidney beans).
I just made this for dinner tonight, and it is so delicious. i’m only 16 and if i can make it and it be delicious, then anyone can. I highly reccomend making this recipe, super delicious and very good for you. (& since its a big recipe i’m excited to take it for lunch)
i just said delicious three times in one review. that can show you how good this recipe is. oh my haha.
Hahaa! Sold! I’m making this now for sure!
I made this red lentil chili last night and it was delicious; a perfect blend of spices made it a great, hearty meal in a bowl. Instead of jalapenos, I added 2 dried chilies and transferred the chili in the crock pot to simmer for a couple of hours. I will definitely make this again.
N. W.
This was amazing…made it a week ago and already making it again tonight. Seriously best chili EVER!
Ok. this is seriously THEEEE BEST chili I have ever eaten!!! I’m not a vegan, but I love to try all kinds of foods and this is definitely something that I want to eat every week this winter. No joke. I ate mine on a baked potato and another time with chips and cheese ?. Just so good. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!!
I made this red lentil chili and it was delicious – a perfect blend of spices, ingredients all in a lovely broth.
I’ll be trying more recipes.
I have made many of your recipes but never written a review. I eat a plant based diet and appreciate your easy, step by step instructions and lovely photos. I meal-prep every Sunday for the past 16 months.
I typically include many of your wonderful recipes.
I’ve printed this one a few months and finally had ALL the ingredients (including the corn) on hand to make it. Wow!!!
This is the best chili I’ve had in a long time. The spice and hearty lentils are divine. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Kia
Just made this tonight and it was delicious. Accidentally put all of the spices in at once, but it worked out fine. Left out the seeds, and the chili still had plenty of spice.
Try Mung beans with the lentils and other foods too! Just a handful adds a smoky flavor to most. Funny how I can taste stuff without making it.
I will use portions of what you have here to make a lentil stew with Lentils, Mung beans, chili powder, celery seed, paprika, Onion, celery, carrots etc..
Tip: take the 1/3 c mung beans, garlic cloves and a 1 cup portion (depending what you are making, I always make a lot) of soaked lentils and blend them in a blender. that adds thickness and texture to the boiling stew!
Be Happy.
Stay Happy.
chrisB
I made this tonight and it is so tasty! I really like that the lentils don’t get mushy like red lentils usually do. Great recipe!
I want to make this for my little guy who has special dietary needs. Would it be ok to omit the jalapeno so it’s not too hot for his little mouth?
Of course!
this came out so awesome. the only changes I made were using green lentils since I had them in the house, and I used slightly less cumin and a little more chili powder and paprika because I don’t love when cumin is too dominant. I also forgot the jalapeno so added red pepper flakes and sriracha to make to make it spicy. highly recommend, as usual. the flavor and consistency were perfect. thanks for another awesome recipe. :)
Fantastic flavor! This is one of my favorite recipes and is the only chili I make now.
This took exactly an hour start to finish and it is DELICIOUS as promised. This and your vegan sweet potato chili are two of my new favorites! Your blog is my go-to for recipes and I recommend it to everyone. xoxo
Hi!
So I’m completely new to cooking/baking/everything, and I have a ridiculous question. When you say “red pepper”, does this refer to like a red chili pepper or a red bell pepper or some other type of pepper? I’m so ignorant, please halp!
Sorry! It means a red bell pepper!
Thank you!!
Hi everyone!
I want to try this recipe but I was wondering if the kidney beans should be 425grams or if the 425 grams refer to the whole can’s weight ?
It would be nice if anyone could answer me.
Hi there! That refers to the can’s weight.
Made this tonight for my family! It was soooo good, full of flavour and just felt really healthy and good to eat!
Added quorn chicken chunks to mine (not that it needs the extra protein) but was a very nice addition, and served it with a bit of rice and garlic bread.
Couldn’t find black beans in the store so substituted for pinto beans, very good!
I found all cooking times and quantities accurate!
Thankyou so much!
Just made a 2nd batch but with a little less chili powder. Such a smart recipe. Lots of health.
Tried adding an avocado. It actually goes quite well.
Merci.
Genius!!!!! I am so making these this week!
I’m loving this recipe, just doubled it for the neighborhood Xmas party!! So much chili ?
I usually never comment on recipes I make but I had to come back here because last night was the SECOND time we made this chili and it’s just the best, quickest, easiest, and most delicious vegan chili recipe out there! We scoop it on top of brown rice with a dollop of tofutti sour cream and some avocado… I also found it tastes even better the next day. So good – thank you for this creation!!
So great! Thanks for sharing!
I made this and baked some faux fritos, then paired it up chopped green onion. Very tasty and easy!
I bookmarked this recipe when it was originally posted and knew it would be a good save for a chilly winter night. Made it tonight, and, I must say…it’s thee best I’ve ever had! So well balanced. Thank you soooo much for sharing!
My husband and I are transitioning to the vegan lifestyle and recipes like this blow him away with how good they are! I also made the vegan cornbread to go with this and it was excellent!
I had been looking for a recipe for vegetarian chili for some time and trying various ones. This has been the only successful veggie chili I’ve made. The heat and seasonings were a great blend that gave a nice kick as well as flavors. Also, one thing that was great was how the recipe had layers for adding salt and pepper as well as the chili powder and cumin. I followed this recipe pretty much to a T, except, I didn’t have coconut sugar and just used cane sugar.
I’m making this right now…and although its not finished yet, I sneaked a taste WOW the flavor is amazing! But since I’m weird, I think something is missing according to my taste buds, maybe another type of pepper…maybe the type of peppers that come in the can with the sauce? IDK but its not a deal breaker, its great the way it is. Thanks again for another great recipe!
Once again a success with this recipe! Seriously delicious, easy to make, and the leftovers are just as good if not better. Healthy but satisfying, will be making again.
Oh my gosh I’m sitting here eating this and I am so happy!! It’s the perfect winter meal to warm you up. I will say – it’s quite spicy with the jalapeño (my nose is currently running) so if anyone is turned off by spicy I would omit the jalapeño (or remove the seeds). I paired it with corn bread and YUM! Chili heaven!
Has anyone ever done this in an instant pot? I’d love to try it!
HI! I just tried this tonight in the instant pot. I added 2 cups of water and 1 cup lentils. I cooked on high pressure for 12 minutes and then used a full natural release. This was perfect for me. I used honey instead of sugar and a bit less cumin. I also added half a lime at the end. Good luck if you try it!
Hi Marla. When you made it in the instant pot, do you mean you added 2 cups of water on top of the 1 3/4, or just added an additional 1/4 cup to make it 2 cups total?
Hi Suzanne,
I just used 2 cups of water total to 1 cup lentils. To be honest, I wanted to use the rest of my lentils up so I figured another 1/4 cup wouldn’t hurt so I added a bit more water;)
I hope that helps!
I realize its been a while so you may not see this, but I was wondering if you added all the ingredients in at one time before pressuring? I’m trying to decide if I should wait to add the canned beans until after the 12 minutes of pressure or just go for it and add it all.
Thanks!
Would it be okay to use green lentils instead of red? Is there a taste or texture difference?
Hi! That should work! They’ll just take longer to cook.
hi Dana! i came across your blog through pinterest when i was searching for a recipe to use up my kale and sweet potatoes, and pinterest led me to your chickpea sweet potato buddha bowls… SOO GOOD! so since i fell in love with that recipe, i’ve been scouring your blog for hours everyday (it was only about 3 weeks ago when i made your buddha bowls) and finding sooo many good things!! i have a couple vegan coworkers/friends so it’s something i’ve been discussing with them – i’m not vegan myself but am aiming to eat mainly vegan dishes going forwards simply for the health benefits. SO. what better blog to stumble across than yours!! since making the buddha bowls i’ve made the kale & sweet potato curry, raw double chocolate macaroons, PB&J energy bites, chickpea shakshuka (to die for), mango-ginger-kale smoothie (new fav) and THIS !!
honestly, my mom raised me on ground beef chili and i always thought her chili was the best! then after moving out on my own (well, with my fiancé) i switched over to chicken chili (for the leaner protein) which was great but not the same. but after making this, this is honestly the best chili i have ever eaten in my whole life! and it has ZERO meat in it! i can’t believe it but i’m seriously obsessed! i’ve been eating my leftovers the last four days and i’m not even complaining! i’m actually bummed out that i’ll be polishing off the last of it for supper tonight! the flavour is just sooo spot on! that’s why i’ve grown so obsessed with your recipes so quickly because too often i follow recipes and always feel like they are missing something but that is definitely not the case with yours! soooo much flavour in EVERYTHINGGGGGG! SO! thanks for all of your amazing recipes so far, i cannot wait to try more! and i know this isn’t the last comment you will be receiving from me :)
Can I use green lentils instead of red without having much difference in consistency or taste?
That should work! They’ll just take longer to cook.
Hi,
I am a bit lost on the portions, as the following items on your list don’t make sense to me:
2 15-ounce (425 g) cans diced tomatoes (if unsalted, add more sea salt) If 2 15-ounces= 425g?
3 Tbsp (50 g) tomato paste
1 3/4 cup (420 ml) water, plus more as needed
3/4 cup (148g) dry red lentils, thoroughly rinsed in cold water + drained
1 15-ounce (425 g) can kidney beans, slightly drained How does 1 15-0unce= 425g?
1 15-ounce (425 g) can black beans, slightly drained
Many thanks.
Edward
Made this and served with smashed potato. Toned back chilli. Added celery at the beginning. Was absolutely fantastic!
These are potatoes….
https://patijinich.com/recipe/samis-smashed-baby-potatoes/
I made this tonight. I added some ground beef and swapped pinto beans for the kidneys but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. It’s absolutely delicious! Full of flavor, hearty, and filling. Will definitely be making this one again. Thanks for such a fantastic recipe!
I made this last night as meal prep for quick lunches this week and it is delicious! I forgot to buy a jalapeno, but I had some canned smoked jalapenos in the cupboard (which I now keep on hand thanks to your blog!), so used those instead. I also added in some chopped carrots, which made a nice addition. Topped with avocado…yum!
This is the easiest and best tasting chili I’ve made. I subbed green lentils and increased the cooking time a little (5-10 min). I also minced the garlic and jalapeno instead of grinding them, but the flavor is still well balanced at the end.
I wanted to give you a general “Thank you so much” for your wonderful vegan/vegetarian recipes! Our household is not vegetarian, but my son’s is. When we visit I really enjoy cooking delicious things that everyone enjoys eating. This chili is so tasty! Your recipes are simple, creative, and easy to accomplish especially with all your encouraging photos.
Is it possible to make this using dry beans instead of canned?
Yes, just cook them first!
THIS WAS SO GOOD!!!
Full disclosure, I just glanced at the ingredients, went to the store to get what I was missing, and then just made up the measurements. I definitely ended up adding all 12oz of the red lentils, but it just made it super thick and hearty. We also added brown sugar instead of coconut sugar, and it was still amazing. This is definitely one of my new favorite recipes. We bought pretty much everything on this list (except the oil) PLUS ingredients to make cheesy jalapeño cornbread, all for under $30, and this will last us all week!
making this right now…very happy about it. already tasted it and i love it! thanks for another home – run! xo.
I just want to say thank you SO much for this recipe! It has become a staple on our household, one that I make every Sunday. It never gets old and my boyfriend always requests it! We love it with tortilla strips on top.
This has to be one of, if not the best, online recipe I’ve ever made. It’s beautiful, easy, and delicious! I cut back a little on the chili powder because I use the Spice House’s medium chili powder which can overpower other spices (although I highly recommend it–your chili won’t be the same). The smoked paprika is a nice touch. The lentils actually approximate the texture of ground turkey, giving the chili a meaty quality that is sometimes lacking in vegetarian chili. Excellent with creamy avocado on top or a sweet cornbread!
Hi Dana, I Just want to say thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe! Today I placed 2nd in my company Chili Cook off with this recipe.The winner was a meat chili but we were really close. This recipe beat did beat all veggie chili’s and a lot of meat chili’s. Thanks again for sharing your vegan recipes and proving that plant based meals and surpass animal products. You’re the best!
Delicious!
I made this and it was delicious, although I added in some spicy mango chutney as did not have any other sweetener. It’s even better after day 2 or 3!
I was looking for a way to use up red lentils that wasn’t curry and came across this. Love it because we’re trying to eat less meat and I miss my southwest foods living abroad. Also conveniently had almost all of the ingredients but did have to make a few modifications. It turned out SO DELICIOUS. My boyfriend was really skeptical about vegetarian chili but loved it as well. It really tastes like there is meat because it is so hearty.
Substitutions I made that worked well anyway:
-1-1.5 Tbsp. cayenne pepper instead of chili powder
-a few tsp. oregano (since no chili powder)
-1-1.5 Tbsp. kümmel (somewhat similar to cumin, which is hard to find in Germany)
-2 cans black beans instead of kidney and black beans
-No jalapeños (although I’m sure it would’ve been even better with them!)
-No sugar, no mortar and pestle (chopping the garlic was totally fine)
In my opinion corn should not be optional ;)
Topped with parmesan, cilantro, and lemon (I know I know it’s all wrong! But still so delicious!)
This will definitely be a new staple in our meal rotation!
I love that the recipe is fool-proof and so nutritious. Also added some lime juice. The taste was not spectacular, just a nice and convenient meal.
Not one to back down from a fight, I’m turning to plant-based proteins for reduced calorie, high protein meals in order to kick the butt of Mean Old Paws. Menopause :/ After cooking way too many lentils, my son asked “What are you going to do with all those lentils?”. After finding your blog, a lot, apparently. I’ve just made this chili and if I were blindfolded I’d think it was no different than meat chili. Well, it actually tastes better really.
Next up, Red Lentil Curry and of course, the Buddha Bowl! Thanks for sharing.
Made this twice already and it looks and tastes fantastic although I did reduce the chilli powder a little bit. Never going to have a meat chilli again as there is no point as it tastes so good. Last time we were camping and I forgot the lentils so chucked a can if baked beans in instead, still tasted great.
This is SO good! And great for those trying to reduce their meat intake – the texture is pretty close to chilli con carne, but it feels so much healthier.
I only had sliced pickled jalapeños, so I chopped a couple of those to chuck in. I also reduced the chilli powder to 1 tbsp and it was still quite spicy, bordering on becoming too hot, so be careful! You can always add extra chilli powder at the end if it’s not hot enough for you.
Great work, Dana – I’ve bookmarked so many recipes from your blog!
I made this for a potluck and it is delicious. A nice alternative to meat or chicken chili for our family. This recipe is going to be filed under: Favorites.
My belly is singing! Thank you for this wonderful recipe :). I grilled corn on the cob in place of using canned. So nice to have a healthy and hearty vegan recipe, will be the only chili I make!
Meat eater here. Saw a link on Twitter to this today, just eating it now, delicious, used chick peas instead of ‘black’ beans, not sure what they are and there weren’t any in my local middle eastern supermarket, chillies in UK are either red or green, so used green as per picture, was drinking red wine as making it so threw some in, prefer to smash up cumin seeds in mortar rather than use ground cumin, used Aleppo chilli powder and sweet Mallorcan paprika, bringing the Mediterranean together, am finishing both bottle of wine (Merlot) and bowl of chilli together. Will sleep well tonight. Thanks !
Meant to say stirred in the coriander (UK English) just before eating which was a great addition.
I made this tonight with the heat cut back a bit for my four-year old. I added a generous capful of maple syrup and shake of cinnamon, as they accent the smoky flavor. I gave her avocado to stir in. It was a HIT! So nice to make a meal that my daughter gobbles down because she likes it, not just because it falls within our vegan diet. She adamantly refuses meat and dairy because of her love of animals, but definitely misses the flavors. Most meals she’s looked a bit disappointed in, which is hard to watch. Not this one :) And it’s easy and affordable. I think I’m going to be making this one a lot! Thank you!
I can’t believe I just found out about your blog. I love it! You have some great recipes and pictures. I just made the red lentil chili. My family loved it!! I would give more than 5 stars if I could! Only modification I made was that I dialed the spice level way back…no jalepeno, paprika and only 2 teaspoons of red chili. It was delicious, but still to spicy for our taste. Next time only 1 teaspoon should be enough. I can’t wait to try more recipes. Thanks for the great recipes!!
So so delicious!!
I found that adding in the corn made a big difference, so I consider it a ‘must.’ We ate it with short grain brown rice. This super healthy and satisfying dish was loved by our entire Asian household. Adding in a squeeze of lemon on the side would also be wonderful for this dish.
This has become my go-to Chili recipe! It is so delicious and has just the right amount of kick. I have never added any toppings but tonight I am going to try adding some red onion and avocado and am very excited. Thanks so much for the recipe!
This the the absolute best chilli recipe ever!! It is so hearty and satisfying. I usually make a extra giant version so I can eat it multiple times. I tend not to completely stick to the recipe (in that I add extra of everything but don’t measure it out) and it always turns out. I will forever make this recipe :)
I just made this and it is going to become our new favorite chili! Such depth of flavour! Thank you so much!!!
Hello. Thank you for the great recipe. It turned out really well. I made this chilli for my son- in- law who is vegan. It was easy to do and I used my own homegrown dried chilli and also fresh corn on the cob, just cut the kernels off raw and added them in. Luckily, I had all the ingredients at home ready to use so that was easy. The kitchen, however, looked like it had taken a direct hit as I was also at the same time making vegan potato and leek soup. The kitchen maid seems to have left the building! Haha!
Lyn from Perth, Western Australia
This recipe was AMAZING :) So hearty and filling. I made it for just myself so I froze half in individual freezer bags to save for later and kept the other half to have throughout the week. I ended up just using jarred jalapeños and they were really good in this chili. I really enjoyed adding some fresh chopped green onion after I heated it up and also a heaping serving of nutritional yeast for a little “cheesy” flavor. Highly recommend!
I made this tonight, and it was delicious. The only thing I did was lessen the amount of cumin. My meat eater husband loved it! The recipe made a lot. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers.
I made this exactly how the recipe called for and it was absolutely delicious! I used the left overs the next day to make tacos and I couldn’t get enough!! I will definitely be making this again and again! Thanks!!!
I made this today and it was so good! I shared with my mom and sisters because I knew they would love it too! Thank you for all of your hard work on all of the content you put out!
New to red lentils. Did you put them in dry or soak them before cooking them? Thank you!
Hi April! Just thoroughly rinse in cold water + drain, no need to soak!
Thank you!
Very close to the best meal that has ever been produced in my kitchen! Topped with cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and crushed tortilla chips… ummm… try it……seriously.
This is actually the best — so easy to make, so delicious, and makes great lunch leftovers. I’ve been heating up a bowl for lunch at work and I’ve sent the recipe to so many co-workers because of how good they thought it smelt. The best!!
I made this last night and it tasted very similar to Canadian Tim jorton’s Chilli sans the meat. Reminded me of home. Excellent recipe :)
We loved this…..so yummy. However, I am very slow at execution and it took longer than the recipe suggested, making it not a good choice for a weeknight. Still…would love to serve it as it is indeed comforting and satisfying. We thought that maybe we could make it ahead and freeze it.
Has anyone tried freezing it?? Thanks!
Made this.for.dinner tonight! Threw in some chilies packed in adobo sauce because I wanted the extra kick. Absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing!
I made this today and it was so yummy! I added the chopped cilantro and sliced avacodo and sprinkled nutrional yeast for a cheesy tasting topping.Great fall comfort food!
I’ve made this tonight and it was delicious! The only note I would have is that the recipe says it serves 6, and we’ve managed to finish off the entire pan with three people, even with greens and tortilla chips on the side. Maybe we’ve just got good appetites, or maybe the recipe is just too delicious to resist :) Anyway, it is very simple to make and very tasty, so if I’m making it again and I want leftovers, I’ll just increase the amounts a bit.
I made this tonight. It’s delicious! So hearty. So tasty. So easy! It did take me longer than I expected. I also didn’t have chili powder-my fault. Still delicious!!! I’m hoping to try It in the slow cooker, for busy weeknight meals.
Thank you so much!!!
I made this chili last night and my very non-vegan husband LOVED it. He said it felt meaty, so he didn’t even miss the meat. Thanks for sharing really easy recipes :) You’ve really changed the way my husband sees vegan food since I started making these recipes.
Hi i have A question! I made This in the crock pot today. I totally Messed up and did not cook the lentils first! I just Added them into the crock pot to simmer with everything else for about 3 hours. It’s been 1 Hour and they’re still hard. Will it cook eventually?!
Hi Courtney! I recommend cooking it for the rest of the time and then assessing where they are at!
I’ve made soo many of your vegan recipes and of course I love this as well!!!! I added corn and some red wine to it! The family loves it ! A side of vegan cornbread and its a great deal!!
Made this tonight! Yum! Omitted the jalapeno and the sweetener and turned out great! Thank you!
Would regular lentils work? I have a giant bag of them and don’t want to buy more! :/
Hi! What do you mean by regular lentils? Brown, green?
This was so good with the chili cheese Fritos! We aren’t vegan so I topped with Greek yogurt and Mexican cheese. Also had no jalapeño so used chipotle. Thanks
Delicious! Was short on lentils and they weren’t red, but it was still really good; and I figured with the beans there was plenty of protein. I added sweet potato cause I love them in a stew. It was spicy but in a good way after I added some maple syrup. (And a little sugar) I think raisins would be really good in it too-next time I’ll try that!
Just made it. Fantastic!!!
Hi – I’ve made this previously and it was delicious. This time around, though, it turned out way too sweet. Any suggestions? Thx!
I just found your recipe on Pinterest, as I was craving chilli. I must say indeed, it is the best chilli ever. I added extra pack of spicy chili mix with the lentil. Boy is it spicy! But I love it. Than you for your delicious and simple recipes.
So good! My go to vegan chili recipe every time!
This was great! I used my instant pot and I added 2 cups of water and 1 cup lentils. I cooked on high pressure for 12 minutes and then used a full natural release. This was perfect for me. I used honey instead of sugar and a bit less cumin. I also added half a lime at the end.
OMG(osh)! This stuff is good!!! I followed the recipe and will say that my chili turned out a bit spicy so will half the spices recipe and add extra from there. Other than that, this chili really impressed, even with the meat lovers. I served with cilantro, chili fries, and vegan sour cream (recipe from ohsheglows), and no corn. This chili is definitely making cookbook!
My boyfriend was craving chili and I’m trying to eat less meat, and this pleased both of us immensely!! The flavors kept getting better with each day – it was really hard to stretch it for leftovers (I take leftovers to work for lunch). I can’t have lentils so I actually just used quinoa and it turned around beautiful!! We couldn’t stop eating the chili cheese fritos either! Going to make again soon!
This was a simple, quick and delicious meal! My husband did not miss the beef/turkey, the taste was exceptional and, best of all, my 2 and 4 year old daughters told me “Mom this is delicious! Can you make it again?”
Love this chili. I make stuffed peppers with it. I make it as per instructions, but I omit the hot peppers. Then I spray a glass baking dish, cut the peppers in half, and fill them. Cover the dish with tin foil and bake 40 minutes. Hope you try it.
I made this for my dad who recently went plant based to get a handle on his diabetes (he is currently off all his diabetic medications after 4 months of eating plant based diet, yay!). It was so incredibly hearty and delicious that when I came back down to visit them the following week, he asked me to make another pot of it for them so they could have it every day for lunch during the week. I’ve since made it for my hiking group (along with your vegan cornbread) and it was a hit. I am so happy to have found your website! Thank you for sharing such delicious and healthy recipes!!!
This chili is delicious. It is now the go to chili in my house. It is very hearty and tasty!!
Just made his and mixed ren halves and green whole lentils. Obviously it requires a bit more time and some extra water but MY GOSH is this tasty!! It’s my first completely intentional vegan meal and we’re loving it!! Thank you for sharing!!
Made *this…. stupid fat fingers! *red not ren
I literally just finished making this and OMFG so delicious!!! I’m hurt I didn’t make it sooner!!
I just made this and it was delicious but GOSH DAMN is it spicy??? I’m starting to wonder whether I managed to buy the hottest chili powder on the face of the earth, but even so it’s the best vegan chilli I have made in my 10+ years as a veggie. Added to the repertoire and can’t wait to make again! (with considerably less chili!)
I made this tonight! The only change I made was substituting 1 Tbsp onion powder for the onion (husband has texture issues). It’s fantastic! Even he thinks so! :)
I made this chili last night. I didn’t get the red peppers so substituted with a diced carrot. This chili is divine! I had two bowls of it. Its wonderful and easy to make!
I’ve made this soooo often already, it’s one of my favorite meals!!
I made it for my meat eating family once and they LOVED it! My uncle says it’s better than all chilis with meat he ever ate :D
I was thinking about all of the beneficial plant-based ingredients that went into this dish as I was making it. I think knowing all of the anti-oxidants, vitamins, fiber, and anti-inflammatory ingredients made this even more delicious to eat! I liked the idea of making a garlic/jalapeño mash, I assume it was to draw out the flavors of each?
I just made this tonight, no kidney beans because I don’t like them, and bumped up the lentils to 1 cup instead of 3/4. This is by far the best chili I have ever made, even red meat chili! It’s so flavorful and hearty even right after it’s made so I can’t wait until it sits for a day and the flavors really marry. I’m so glad I stumbled across this recipe!
I have got to say – this recipe is amazing! So much better than chili with meat in my opinion.
It has a lot of flavour and it keeps for a week at least. I have just finished my first pot and will probably make another one very soon. Thanks!!
Tried this last night i slipped the jalapeños and just added some sofrito in its place. The chilli was delicious and my picky eater loved it!
Yay! Glad to hear your picky eater loved it ;)
We made this dish for my son’s 2nd birthday! I wanted to have a vegan option as I wanted to be able to feed all of our guests, vegan or not- and I’ve also been trying to eat more variety. The chili was a HUGE hit. It was amazing. All of the adults loved it and I gave the recipe to many. I had one friend shoot me a message yesterday saying she was making it for dinner. Thank you for a super flavorful and healthy dish!
Made this a few times and will be making it again today for our weekend away in the snow.
Did add less chili so the kids could jump in and eat without burning tungs!
Had it with tortilla chips, rice, quinoa andas is. All works good though rice would be my favorite.
Lovely, easy and warm. Recommendable.
Five stars.
I made it in my instant pot. I set the Instant Pot for 5 mins in step 4. When I did the fast release, there was no steam pressure. The mixture was just starting to stick. I stirred it up, and moved on. In step 6 I did not drain the corn, and added another cup of water, and set the pot for 7 mins. Again no steam pressure, and again the mixture just started to stick to the bottom. Never-the-less, it did not burn, and the lentils were tender. It came out delicious! I would tinker some more with it, but the Coconut Sugar is a genius touch, and the Chili is great!
Almost ready, followed the recipe exactly. It tastes great and will do this again and often.
Yay! Glad you liked it, Michael!
I haven’t tried this yet, but I’m excited to — I just discovered red lentils last week. They are so quick and very full of nutrition! My husband is on pureed food now, and this type is recipe is exactly what I need to pack a bowl with both flavor and nutrients.
I am not acquainted with coconut sugar but it sounds tasty — can you fill me in?
This is now my go-to chili recipe! I have made it so many times to pack as workweek lunches, as well as for potlucks. I usually never follow recipes exactly but I do with this one, and it turns out perfectly each time. Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this.
Excellent Chili and healthy!!! Made this over the weekend. Will definitely be making again!
I used to really struggle to eat beans and disliked lentils so much, and tomato based dishes! I wanted something cosy and yummy like a chili and came across this. I got all the ingredients for it and was putting it off for days because it was all the things I usually didn’t like. Well.. I made it tonight and wow! I wish I had done it sooner. It’s absolutely delicious! It is so full of great, healthy things and I love that it doesn’t skimp on the spices and it is certainly worth it. Looking forward to trying more of your recipes, thanks for ridding my fear of lentils and beans! :-)
Just made this tonight…SO good. Your recipes are always the best! :)
This is the best chilli I have ever made! To make this SCD legal I used white beans instead of black/kidney & opted to not add any sugar. WOW! Incredible! The measurements are all on point and the flavor is out of this world comforting. Thank you minimalist baker for providing so much knowledge and spreading joy & wellness through foods! xo
Beeeest vegan chili! It’s even better the next day. I’ve tried so many other vegan chili recipes but this is exactly how the chili should taste. Love it
A M A Z I N G. This is on my weekly rotation. It is so delicious, so easy, so filling. My carnivorous hubby LOVES this and requests I make it all the time, although he is now cooking it for me too! I use canned lentils which cuts the cooking time down. I also play with the amount of liquid/ cooking time for days when I want an extra thick chili and days when I want a bit more of that yummy sauce. So glad I came across this recipe.
I made this and it’s soooo good! I had mine with some tortilla chips. I scoop the chili with a chip, sprinkle some nutritional yeast on there and omg!!! cheesy goodness ❤️?
This comment is not for this recipe i particular, but I have to write it somewhere…
Living in Denmark (Europe) it is so helpful that you also write the meassurements i grams, litres etc. Thank you so much.
Hi Christian! Glad you find it helpful! Happy Cooking :D
Firstly, I’m a full on omnivore that occasionally has quorn and halloumi kebabs which is… Meh! So steak and chicken stirfry is usually my main thing.
Having said that I had a bag of red lentils in the cupboard and hate to waste food of any kind so decided to give it a try. The result…… Wow. It’s amazing. I’m now cooking it every week. And that one pot lasts for days! This is literally the best chilli I’ve ever had, meat or otherwise. Unequivocally.
It’s reinvigorated and inspired me to try more vegetarian recipes. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Nigel!
Just made this and whew! I love the heat! This is definitely going to be on rotation! TY! ????
I’m a fan. You have consistently solid vegan recipes that are approachable to make and very flavorful and fulfilling to eat. This Red Lentil Chili is a great example. It’s instantly one of my favorites! Keep up the great work!
My husband loved this! He doesn’t usually enjoy tomato- or lentil- or bean-based dishes, but he absolutely loved this! He adds “adding nutritional yeast on top even makes it better”. Thank you for the recipe! I appreciate any recipe that gets my family to eat healthier!
I made this recipe and added the corn and also a sweet potato, and it was delicious! Easy, low maintenance meal that I made in the afternoon and it was even better by dinner time <3
This was absolutely delicious! This was my first time cooking with lentils and a dish that I will definitely make again. Only real modification that I made was for 1 of the cans of diced tomatoes, I used a can of Rot-el. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as is and it turned out GREAT!!
Tasty, but just as a warning, it’s VERY spicy. Adjust if you are making this for spice-sensitive people.
This was soooo good! I made this for my family and omitted the jalapeno and only used 2 garlic cloves and very little salt and pepper. My 3 year old and 11 month old loved it! My husband and I added a bit more salt and pepper and sriracha sauce to fit the adult palate. We had cornbread with it and all really enjoyed it. Definitely a keeper and so easy to make!
Thanks for sharing your recipe changes, Kerstin! We’re glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Easy to make, great way to get lots of legumes and vegies in one dish and best of all it is so tasty!
Yay! Glad to hear it!
Hi, this looks delicious. I just have a question – what does “slightly drained” mean for the canned beans? Do I just tip 1/3 of the liquid they are canned in out, and then add the rest of their liquid to the dish? :)
You bet!
i made this chili tonight. I was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was. I haven’t had good luck with vegetarian chilis, but this one I liked. Fresh Lime juice squeezed on top really gave it a nice flavor. I didn’t cook it with the jalepeno only served it on top because my kids don’t like spicy.
Quick question- How are you doing the nutrition information?
Thanks Stephanie! Those are rough estimates calculated with caloriecount.com.
Versatile, easy, and tasty. Made quite a few modifications based on what I had in the cupboards. Used a red onion instead of white, left out the black beans because I didn’t have any, added 2 roasted red peppers at the same time as the tomatoes, and subbed green lentils. Used soft left over tomatoes instead of canned, I did add the corn and left out the jalapeno, and added lots of splashes of water throughout cooking. Also didn’t have much chili powder and it still turned out yummy. Came out with 4 portions instead of 6.
I loved this, and so did my decidedly meat-eating parents. Swapped the sugar for about a teaspoon of cocoa powder
This recipe is amazing! I just recently become a vegetarian, and this is my number one recipe! I make this twice a month and a whole pot lasts me almost a whole week! I always add a little bit more paprika and ground cumin – but that’s just a personal preference!
Thank you for sharing this! You’ve made my switch to a vegetarian diet a lot easier.
Can I freeze this for late?
Yes, for up to 1 month!
I LOVE this recipe! My partner is obsessed with Amy’s chili… but I think it is mainly because of the TVP added. I am wondering if you have any recommendations on adding TVP to this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Rebecca! We haven’t tried adding TVP to this recipe but if you experiment with it, report back on how it goes!
I’ve recently become interested in exploring meat-less dishes and this is the first one I’ve made. Oh my gosh this is so delicious! And it tastes even better the day after. I used only two tablespoons of chilli powder and it was just the right balance of flavour and fire. Absolutely adding this to my recipe collection and definitely will make again.
I made this last night for dinner and found it to be absolutely delicious. My husband said it has “gravitas”! Definitely a do-over.
Thank you fir this recipe! I made it last night and it was absolutely to-die-for delicious! The only change I made was to substitute vegetable broth for the water.
I will make this again and again.
Hello. This recipe is amazing!! Just an FYI that the instructions do not list when to add the coconut sugar or maple syrup.
I made this as the big Sunday family meal on the weekend for my meat-eating husband and children and got rave reviews! My kids are still quite young and can’t tolerate very much chilli so I reduced the amount of chilli powder by about half and it still had a nice spicy warmth that they were comfortable eating. I also made two batches of the fritos – one including the chilli for the adults and the other with all other spices and seasoning for the kids. A really fantastic, hearty and filling family meal!
Yay! Glad to hear it, Shannon!
I made this last week and it was amazing it was so good I shared it with my sister, my neighbor, my church member and now my granddaughter wants me to make a pot for her. I will be making more for my niece during the holiday recommend this for all Chili lovers.
We are glad to hear that everyone enjoyed this recipe, Doris! Thank you for sharing!
This is THE BEST CHILI! The flavor profile is completely accurate. Here are some of my tips:
1. Wait one day before you eat the chili – it tastes a lot better on day two;
2. Use corn on the cob if in season (I drench three in water, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 for 25 minutes; remove, let cool and then peel off the leaves; take a knife and cut the corn off);
3. Try topping with avocado crema (1 avocado, cilantro, approx 1/4 cup sour cream, lime juice, salt)
Great tips, Jenyce!
Absolutely top notch chilli. Even the meat eater in my life loved it and she’s hard to please.
I used 2 large tablespoons of maple syrup but other than that inWouldn’t change a thing on this recipee. It’s that good
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Frank!
I have made this recipe about 10 times now in my college dorm and it is my favorite! Everyone always asks what I’m making because it smells so good! It lasts a long time too. I don’t use tomato paste, oil, or sugar, and can’t find any jalapenos where I am so have been subbing with a red chili. I always garnish with green onions. Love this recipe!!
What size pot should I use?? Is 4 quarts big enough?
Definitely!
I love this recipe !