Description
This hearty Lentil Chili recipe is a flavorful, plant-based meal that combines lentils, black beans, and a rich blend of spices simmered in vegetable broth and tomatoes. It offers a comforting, protein-packed dish perfect for chilly days and can be prepared on the stovetop or quickly in a pressure cooker for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or any cooking oil)
- 1 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large bell pepper (any color), diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 ¼ cups dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
Spices & Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add diced onion, carrots, bell pepper, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are tender and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Bloom Spices: Stir in chili powder and ground cumin into the sautéed vegetables. Continue cooking for a few minutes, stirring frequently to release the spices’ aroma.
- Simmer: Add vegetable broth, lentils, black beans, crushed tomatoes with their juice, tomato paste, crushed red pepper flakes, cocoa powder, sea salt, black pepper, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and the chili is thickened.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf from the chili. Serve the chili warm with your preferred toppings such as shredded cheese, sour cream, or fresh herbs.
- Pressure Cooker Method – Sauté Vegetables: Select the ‘sauté’ function on your pressure cooker and heat olive oil. Add diced onion, carrots, and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin; sauté for another couple of minutes, then press ‘cancel.’
- Pressure Cooking: Add the remaining ingredients—vegetable broth, lentils, black beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red pepper flakes, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf—to the pressure cooker. Secure the lid and seal the vent. Select the ‘manual’ or ‘pressure cook’ setting and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Natural Release: Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully manually release any remaining pressure.
- Serve: Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately, garnished with your favorite chili toppings.
Notes
- Sorting and rinsing lentils before use removes impurities and improves texture.
- Adjust red pepper flakes to control the heat level of the chili.
- This recipe can be easily doubled for larger batches.
- Leftover chili stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and freezes beautifully.
- Serve with toppings like avocado, cilantro, shredded cheese, or a dollop of sour cream for added flavor.
- For a gluten-free version, verify that your broth and canned ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
