Name: Lentil Chili
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 medium yellow onion (diced); 1 medium green bell pepper (seeded and diced); 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 28 ounces crushed tomatoes; 1 cup red lentils; (2) 15-ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed); 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts; 4 cups vegetable broth; 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (or brown sugar); 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste; vegan sour cream; shredded cheese; chopped chives or cilantro; tortilla chips; diced or sliced avocado; vegan cornbread

Lentil Chili is an easy, hearty, and delicious 1-pot vegan meal. Made with hearty red lentils, black beans, walnuts, vegetables, and a handful of smoky spices, it’s perfect for layering on tons of toppings and will brighten up any cold or gloomy day!

If you are looking for more ways to enjoy inexpensive and nutritious lentils, make sure to check out my 1-Pot Lentil Bolognese, Vegan Lentil Soup and Lentil Shepherd’s Pie.

dark grey bowl of lentil chili with pickled onions, avocado and cilantro

Each bowl of this lentil chili is packed with protein and fiber thanks to the mix of lentils, black beans, vegetables and walnuts. And did I mention it’s crazy delicious!?

The best part? This simple lentil chili can easily be made on the stovetop, in the Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker. It isn’t too spicy, either! Go ahead and play with the ingredients and spices to make each spoonful as spicy, smoky, or mild as you like.

You’re going to want to make this rich and flavorful vegan chili ASAP because it’s:

Easy to make in one pot
Cozy and hearty comfort food
Inexpensive and budget friendly
Perfect for meal prep or freezing for later
Flexible! Play with the spice level, add more veggies, or pile on as many toppings as you like.

grey pot on grey background full of lentil chili with a wood spoon stirring it

Ingredients needed (with substitutions)

Yellow onion
Green bell pepper – Or any color bell pepper you like. Feel free to add some of your favorite veggies to the mix, like corn, zucchini, squash, carrots, or jalapeno.
Garlic
Spices – You’ll need a sweet and smoky blend of chili powder, cumin, maple syrup, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt to give this chili its flavorful charm.
Crushed tomatoes – Diced tomatoes or even tomato sauce will work.
Vegetable broth
Red lentils – I like using red lentils in this chili, but you can use green or brown if you’d like them to be more visible throughout the chili.
Black beans – Or pinto beans. Want a meatier vegan chili? Cook some vegan ground beef with the onions instead of beans.
Walnuts – I added finely ground walnuts which make a really great addition. They thicken the chili, and make it taste a bit “meaty”. Leave them out for nut allergies.

How to make vegan lentil chili on the stove

First, sauté the onion until translucent, then add the green bell pepper and garlic and cook for a 1-2 minutes. Add the spices and stir into the vegetables for 30 seconds.

light grey pot of sauteed peppers and onions with spices added on top

Add the crushed tomatoes, lentils, beans, walnuts, broth, maple syrup and salt. Then stir well and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

grey pot with broth, beans, chopped walnuts and lentils

Instant Pot method

Saute the onion in the Instant Pot using Saute mode. Add the bell pepper and garlic and cook until fragrant.

Pour the spices, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, lentils, beans, walnuts and syrup into the pot. Stir it all together before turning off Saute mode.

Seal the lid closed and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before quick releasing the remaining pressure.

Give the chili one last stir, season with salt to taste, then serve.

Slow cooker method

Saute the onion, green peppers and garlic in a separate pan on the stove.

Transfer this mixture to the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the spices, tomatoes, lentils, beans, walnuts, broth and maple syrup to the slow cooked and stir well.

Next,cover the crockpot with a lid, then cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 hours. You’ll know the chili is ready when the lentils are tender.

grey bowl with chili, pickled onions and avocado

The best lentil chili toppings

Serving this lentil chili to a crowd? Place all of these toppings and more into small bowls and let your guests customize their chili any way they like:

Vegan sour cream
Shredded vegan cheese
Chives
Fresh lime juice
Cilantro
Tortilla chips
Avocado chunks
Chopped cilantro
Pico de gallo
Hot sauce

Don’t forget a slice or two of vegan cornbread on the side!

*This recipe was originally published in Feb. 2022 and the recipe was quite different, using Beyond Beef and green lentils. I played with the recipe and enjoyed this version so much more. I hope you like it!

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