Lentil Chili Recipe
This lentil chili is meatless comfort food with a BIG flavor that satisfies the whole family on busy weeknights. It's simple, hearty, and made for the stove or pressure cooker!
Servings: 8 1-cup servings
Calories: 138kcal
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot for pressure cooker method
- 3.5 quart saucepan for stove cooked method
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or any cooking oil
- 1 Onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Bell Pepper (any color) diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 tablespoons Chili Powder *see recipe note
- ½ teaspoon Cumin
- 4 cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 ¼ cup Dried Lentils sorted and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce can) Black Beans drained and rinsed
- 2 medium Carrots or 6 ounces diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 (15-ounce can) Crushed Tomatoes don't drain
- ⅓ cup Tomato Paste about half of a 6-ounce can
- ½ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes or pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon Cocoa Powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 Bay Leaf
Instructions
See recipe footnotes for the pressure cooker method.
- Set a 4-quart sauce pot over medium heat until hot. Add OLIVE OIL and heat until shimmering.
- Add ONION, BELL PEPPER, and GARLIC. Sauté for a few minutes until softened and fragrant, stirring as needed.
- Stir in CHILI POWDER and CUMIN. Cook 1–2 minutes to bloom the spices.
- Add BROTH, LENTILS, BEANS, CARROTS, TOMATOES, TOMATO PASTE, RED PEPPER FLAKES, COCOA POWDER, SALT, BLACK PEPPER, and BAY LEAF.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, loosely cover, and simmer 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender and chili thickens.
- Remove the bay leaf and serve with your favorite chili toppings.
- To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months (longer if vacuum-sealed).
Video
Notes
Chili powder: Use a standard chili powder blend, usually labeled “chili powder” in grocery stores. If using pure chili powder, add only a pinch or two and season to taste.
Lentils: I prefer using brown lentils because they are inexpensive and require relatively little cooking time. If you use black or green lentils, be sure to increase the cook time accordingly.
Beans: You can substitute the black beans with kidney, navy, pinto, or any beans you have on hand.
Instant Pot instructions: Select sauté and heat OLIVE OIL. Add ONION, CARROTS, and GARLIC; cook a few minutes until softened. Stir in CHILI POWDER and CUMIN; cook 1–2 minutes. Press cancel and add remaining ingredients. Lock lid, set valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before carefully turning valve to venting. Remove bay leaf and serve.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 138kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 726mg | Potassium: 452mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4541IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg