1-Pot Red Lentil Chili

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 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’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 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 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 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 literally just finished making this and OMFG so delicious!!! I’m hurt I didn’t make it sooner!!

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!!

This chili is delicious. It is now the go to chili in my house. It is very hearty and tasty!!

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!!!

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.

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?”

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!

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!

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.

So good! My go to vegan chili recipe every time!

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.

Just made it. Fantastic!!!

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!

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

Made this tonight! Yum! Omitted the jalapeno and the sweetener and turned out great! Thank you!

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!!

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.

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’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 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!

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 last night and it tasted very similar to Canadian Tim jorton’s Chilli sans the meat. Reminded me of home. Excellent recipe :)

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!!

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.

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!

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 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.

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!

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

I just made this and it is going to become our new favorite chili! Such depth of flavour! Thank you so much!!!

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 :)

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!

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.

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!!

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!

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 !

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!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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 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!

Delicious!

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!

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!

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.

making this right now…very happy about it. already tasted it and i love it! thanks for another home – run! xo.

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!

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 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!

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!

Made this and served with smashed potato. Toned back chilli. Added celery at the beginning. Was absolutely fantastic!

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 :)

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!

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.

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!

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.

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 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!

I made this and baked some faux fritos, then paired it up chopped green onion. Very tasty and easy!

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!!

I’m loving this recipe, just doubled it for the neighborhood Xmas party!! So much chili ?

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.

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!

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

Fantastic flavor! This is one of my favorite recipes and is the only chili I make now.

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. :)

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!

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.

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

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!!!

This was amazing…made it a week ago and already making it again tonight. Seriously best chili EVER!

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.

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)

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).