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.
Origins of Chili
While many think chili is a dish that was created in Mexico, apparently that’s not where it originated! Who knew?
However, one ingredient central to chili – chilies – first originated in Central or South America. They were then grown in Mexico and became an important ingredient in Mexican cuisine. So we get the confusion!
The exact origin of the dish chili isn’t clear, but most historians trace its roots to San Antonio, Texas. You can take a deeper dive into the history of chili here.
About This Red Lentil Chili
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 small jalapeño, diced with seeds (remove seeds or reduce or omit for less heat)
- 4 cloves garlic (4 cloves yield ~2 Tbsp)
- 3 Tbsp chili powder blend (divided // NOT chili flakes, cayenne pepper, or pure chili)
- 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 ¾ 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.
Madison says
Could crushed tomatoes be used instead of diced? I don’t like tomato chunks but I love the flavor.
Hi Madison! That should work!
Kate says
This is my favourite chili recipe now, I don’t even want a meat version! Is there a way to adapt the recipe for a slow cooker? Maybe pre-soak the lentils and add closer to the end? Thank you!
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, Kate. We haven’t made this in a slow cooker, but you’d want to be sure to still cook the onions/peppers separately for the same flavor. According to google red lentils should cook in ~3-4 hours in a slow cooker. Let us know how it goes if you try it!
Angelique says
I have been making this recipe for years now and decided to leave a comment to say how awesome it is. I am a vegetarian and I don’t feel like I’m missing out on a food group with a delicious hardy meal like this :) I followed the recipe except I use half a jalapeño. I can’t handle the whole lol.
Thank you!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Angelique. We are so glad you enjoy it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Margaret says
Today is my second time making this chili because it got great reviews from a group of teenagers the first time. I used home canned hot peppers instead of the fresh jalapeno, because these home grown peppers turned out a lot hotter than we expected. Added some liquid smoke, just a few drops. The rest of the spices, I kept about the same ratio. Loved how garlic-y this is! One need not be afraid of the generous garlic, chili powder, cumin, and paprika! This mixture works! I added a bit of Better than Bouillon vegetarian soup base instead of some of salt because that’s something I keep on hand and think it really improves soups. I also used a whole package of red lentils (1 pound), increased the water to 4 cups and added an extra can of tomatoes and an extra can of black beans because I wanted a fuller pot (using an 8-qt. cast iron Dutch oven ).
Have already shared this link with a couple of friends
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Margaret!
Wendy says
I made this for our Super Bowl party. I was very skeptical of this this recipe since it calls for a can of corn. Who the heck puts corn in chile? Well now I do! because this was great!!! Instead of making the chile powder, I used a whole can of Chile Adobado (with liquid) taking care to de-seed the chiles and chop the chiles in to very small pieces. Did not add the jalapeno. I put everything in to an instant pot for 5 minutes on high with a quick release and it turned out wonderfully. I also added 8 oz. of well chopped baby bella mushrooms (added when onions were cooked), 1 Tablespoon paprika (instead of 1 teaspoon) and the whole can of tomato paste. Super delicious!!!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Wendy!
Bridget says
This was super easy to make and very tasty! Even my selective 6 year old had seconds! I did make some small changes like omitting the jalapeno and adding in some chopped celery. I also only used half of the chili powder as my daughter doesn’t like spicy food. Thanks for the great recipe, this is going into our weeknight recipe rotation!
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Bridget!
Michelle R says
Could this be made in an Instant Pot?
Hi Michelle, We have an Instant Pot version here that’s adapted from this recipe! We found lentils didn’t work well in an Instant Pot chili because they lead to a burn warning unless making it watery.
Lucy says
Great chilli recipe. Didn’t have the jalapeño or cocoa, still tasted great. Love that the lentils kind of smush in, my partner didn’t even notice they were in the dish!
This makes heaps so perfect for batch cooking.
We paired this with the twice baked cauliflower stuffed baked potatoes and it was chef’s kiss!
Sounds amazing, Lucy! We’re so glad you and your partner enjoyed it! xo
Kristine Simons says
I couldn’t find my red lentil chili recipe so I searched and found this one. Boy, am I glad. This lentil chili is scrumptious: hearty, filling, flavorful without being overly spicy. The addition of the beans to the lentils ups the health benefits. Changes I made: used yellow instead of red pepper due to availability, left out the corn and ate tortilla chips with it instead, and used a 28 oz. can of salt free tomatoes along with the 15 oz. can of fire-roasted, and used vegetable broth for sauteing and instead of water.
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Kristine!
I’m Sure it’s Delish but… says
Texas used to be Mexico for the record…
Good point!
Tsa says
This is great, I make it often. Would you consider including the ingredients for the spice mix individually rather than having a link to another recipe? I find it a bit annoying to have to reference another recipe and I’m not making the spice mix in larger quantities in advance just for this recipe.
Hi Tsa, chili powder is a fairly common spice (to our knowledge) so we choose to include it over the individual ingredients, you can always buy a chili powder blend instead of making the one we link to!
Bob says
I’ve made this several times and think it’s great as is! I did get a little crazy with my most recent batch though, and liked the results. I doubled the water and added 1/2 quinoa, 2 tbls of coco powder, 2 tbls of apple cider vinegar, 1 tbls woshister, and omitted adding any addition sweetener. Instead of cooking the lentils at a low simmer, I got more aggressive with the heat, yielding a different, somewhat hearty consistency to the chili. Thanks for the recipe…
Ooo, sounds interesting! Thanks for the review and for sharing your modifications, Bob!
Julia W says
A staple in my house! So good.
Woohoo! Thanks so much, Julia!
Gemma says
Absolutely, THE BEST Chilli I’ve ever made! And ive made a lot, thank you so much for sharing this xx
Wow! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Gemma. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Thabi says
I tried this recipe for my vegetarian daughter, it has become a staple in my house and is enjoyed by everyone!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the review, Thabi!
Rachel says
So impressed with this recipe! It’s probably the best chili recipe I’ve come across – with or without meat. We’re trying to reduce our meat consumption and save some money so this will definitely be on our regular fall/winter menu.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review, Rachel!
Emelia says
Wow, this is so good! Supposed to be meal prep for dinners this week but I ended up eating a bowl of it immediately for lunch. I was making your black eyed peas and greens at the same time so added a little liquid smoke to this recipe as well but otherwise followed the recipe exactly
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Emelia! Thank you for sharing! xo
Bailey says
Loved this recipe. We are a family of 3 and especially love a meal that gives us leftovers for lunches or easy dinners. I left out the chilli for the toddler and he loved it with some pasta. Husband and I ate it as is. It’s very adaptable (have also made it with carrot when red pepper isn’t in season) and have used it for nachos and burritos. Highly recommend!
Yay! We’re so glad you and your family enjoy it, Bailey. Thank you for sharing! xo
Jess says
Incredible. What an amazing dish!
Yay! Thanks, Jess!
Linda Doherty says
So delicious and filling!
I used brown lentils. Also, I didn’t have
any peppers so substituted 1/2c of Sofrito.
Yum! Thanks for the great review, Linda! So glad you enjoyed!
Brittnie says
1. We loooove this recipe!! We use it all the time!! 2. Can you use brown lentils? Or only red? I have brown right now so that’s why I am wondering! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoy it, Brittnie! You can use brown lentils, but it you’ll need to cook them longer.
Niv says
The recipe is solid and delicious! I added some TVP to amp up the protein and just added a bit more water to compensate. The flavors were so well balanced. I would definitely make this again!
Woohoo! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Niv!
SandyG says
I only made half a recipe since there are only three of us and I made some substitutions based on what I had on hand. I used small white beans, part of a poblano pepper instead of the jalapeño and a small zucchini since I didn’t have any corn. I also only used 1 tablespoon of chili powder since two of the people I cook for can’t handle spice. I’m looking forward to making this again when I have the corn.
Yum! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Sandy. So glad you enjoyed!
Sherrie says
I knew when when I saw this recipe that I would have to make it. But I have a hard time making recipes without a few tweaks to my tastes (= I’m on a low-fat diet so I sautéed the veggies in water. I didn’t add any salt because all my canned beans and tomatoes had salt. Also I subbed 1 tablespoon of chipotle powder and 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe’s Chile lime seasoning for two of the three tablespoons of chili powder. Yum! I also topped my bowl with a handful of finely chopped greens that wilted nicely when I mixed them in. Delicious! And with the sweet corn, I didn’t find the need for the sugar. I’ll be saving this recipe to make again.
Yum! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Sherrie!
Ana says
Absolutely loved this recipe. I didn’t have chili powder, I used a pinch of cayenne instead. That was enough for our taste. The cumin gives this dish a wonderful deep flavor. I will make it again adding corn and use it as salsa. I may use tomato sauce instead of diced tomatoes to make it easier on picky eaters. Thank you for this great recipe!
Amazing! Thank you for sharing, Ana! xo
Carolyn says
This site never disappoints! I made this as written except I didn’t add corn, I added diced zucchini instead. I served it with avocado & a squirt of fresh lime. Had some black bean corn chips with it. It is amazing! I wish I could freeze it though because it makes a ton and I will never eat all this in a few days.
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Carolyn. Also – it is freezer friendly for up to 1 month. Hope this helps!
Kate Peterlin says
I absolutely loved the smokiness of this chili. I shared it with a friend of mine and she loved it so much she made it too! The only ingredient I did not include was the corn. This recipe is going into my favorites folder!
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Kate! Thank you for sharing! xo
Tami says
How would one adjust this recipe to accommodate making in an Instant Pot?
Hi Tami! We haven’t tried this recipe in the instant pot, so we cannot guarantee results. We do have an instant pot chili recipe that’s equally delicious, though! Hope this helps!
Helen says
This chili must be magic! A friend brought a big bowl of this chili when I was sick with ‘rona and it was so delicious, hearty, and comforting! I made another batch and put half in freezer bags – it froze and reheated perfectly. Thank you for posting this recipe. I love the addition of lentils (an ingredient I seem to always have and never know what to do with). I made cornbread to go with it. 😋
Aw, we’re so glad it helped, Helen! Thank you for sharing! xo
Jocelyn Allen says
The most perfect chili I’ve ever had! Perfect, smoky chili spice blend I’ve always been looking for. (Also, I subbed beef in for my husband and he loved it).
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Jocelyn! So glad you enjoyed!
Cammy says
My husband said this was as good as any meat version. Loved it! Loved the chili powder too!
Yay! Love to hear that! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Cammy!
Suzanne says
This is the best recipe!! I recently discovered lentils and came across this recipe. I tweaked it a little bit with some additional spices; extra smoked paprika and turmeric. I also added a quarter cup more lentils and only one cup of black beans. I don’t care for kidney beans. It came out amazing. My whole family loves it. I will be making your red lentil curry next.
Woohoo! So glad you enjoyed. Thanks so much for the lovely review, Suzanne!
Manny McMeatDude says
I’ll be upfront and say I’m a meat guy. Before I met and married my wife, I was /that/ guy who always made jokes about vegan food. And I still love me some meat. But now I’m married to a woman who doesn’t eat it. So when I wanted to make chili I came to this recipe.
I make a few modifications these days (I add some anchor powder, a bit more jalapenos and mix and match the beans). But overall it’s still the same base recipe. I can say that this recipe absolutely fills the hole in my stomach I have when I need chili, meat be damned. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s the perfect base for a vegan chili and from there you can experiment with adding other things and spices. Also, I highly recommend you add the optional corn.
Yay! Thanks so much for the great review and for sharing your modifications, Manny!
Nina says
I just can’t stop making MB recipes! This chili is another winner! Made a large batch for my family and shared with sick friends – loved by all. I followed the directions exactly but didn’t make the chili powder blend and instead used a premade powder. Added the whole jalapeno with seeds – truly not that spicy, especially the next day. And like another review said, the next days makes it even better!! This will be on rotation. Super easy, healthy, flavorful, all with pantry staples. Added some avocado and fresh lime at the end. I so appreciate all the confidence I have gained in the kitchen by using your recipes!
Aw, love everything about this! Thank you for sharing, Nina! xo
Maddie says
Easy to make and delicious! Will definitely make again
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Maddie! Thank you for the lovely review! xo
tc barr says
Made this exactly as written and it was fabulous. Those who never take seconds absolutely did…even though it was vegan.
Wouldn’t hesitate to make it again. Probably will make it with a little less heat.
Kudos!
We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it! Thank you for the lovely review! xo