Lentil chili with beans
Hearty lentil chili is loaded with pinto and black beans. With fire roasted tomatoes, onions, and garlic, it's the kind of full-meal-in-a-bowl that sticks with you. Pro tip: Using pre-cooked lentils is a convenient time saver!Finish the chili was your favorite toppings like green onions, non-dairy cheese, or vegan sour cream.
Servings: 5 people
Calories: 271kcal
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon avocado oil or your preferred cooking oil
- ½ medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons coriander
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted chopped tomatoes with juices
- 2 ½ cups (17.6 ounces) cooked lentils brown or green
- 1 ½ cups black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups pinto beans drained and rinsed
- ½ teaspoon stoneground mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Bring a soup pot to a medium heat with oil. Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes, until translucent and fragrant.
- Add coriander, cumin, and ancho chili powder to pot. Saute with onions and garlic for about 30 seconds.
- Then add the following to the soup pot: water, fire roasted chopped tomatoes with juices, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, mustard, hot sauce (if using), and salt.
- Bring the chili to a simmer. Cook for fifteen minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the chili to thicken. (The flavors only get better with time. So if you like, you can also cook the chili longer on a low heat.)
- Optional but recommended: After the chili has thickened, use an immersion blender in the soup pot for 3 or 4 seconds to break up some of the tomatoes and beans. It also thickens the soup further. You don't want to blend the chili completely. It should still be chunky. However, a few seconds with the immersion blender gives some added texture and thickens the chili even more. After blending, allow the chili to cook for a few more minutes.
- Ladle the chili into bowls. Serve with your choice of toppings, crackers, or tortilla chips.
Video
Notes
If you use Trader Joe's steamed lentils (pictured in this blog post), one 17.6 ounce package is exactly what you'll need for this recipe.
Leftovers will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator.
Reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 818mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 6.1mg
