A hearty vegetarian soup, my Lentil Chili hits all the flavor notes.  My take on this classic soup adds black beans and corn to give it a more robust mouthfeel and taste.  My preferred lentils to use are red lentils, but any will do—keep reading to learn about the different varieties.

Lentils

The star of my Lentil Chili is…LENTILS!  They grow in a pod, making them part of the legume plant family along with beans, peas and peanuts.  Lentils, like other legumes are an excellent source of plant-based protein and fiber.  What they have over beans is their quick cooking time that does not require them to be pre-soaked or cooked for multiple hours.

Lentils are a staple in my kitchen because they are inexpensive and have so many applications based on the variety used. In addition to adding them into Lentil Chili, I love cooking green lentils separately and mixing with salad greens and other vegetables.  Any variety can be used to replace chickpeas in making a hummus.

Lentil Types¹

Lentils come in many color and sizes, but they all have similar nutritional profiles and would all be delicious in my Lentil Chili.  In the U.S. the different types are referred to by their color—red, green, French green, brown and yellow lentils.  Let me breakdown the difference between a few of the most popular lentil types.

• Red Lentils are my preferred lentil to use in my Lentil Chili, they are yellow lentils that have been hulled and split. They are used to make dal, a popular Indian dish. Because they have been processed they are the quickest cooking lentil—hint, hint this is a speedy recipe!—becoming a creamy and nutty puree.  By adding canned beans and corn gives the Lentil Chili a nice texture, which is super important.
• Brown Lentils take longer to cook than red’s, but will still turn into a puree with a long enough cooking time. They have a mild flavor and are readily available.  They work well in soups and stews.  After red lentils this would be my next preferred choice in my Lentil Chili.
• Green lentils are the bigger and flatter than other lentil varieties. They retain their shape when cooking and are great to add to salads and mixed with other vegetables.  The larger size means they have a longer cooking time.  This is a great option for my Lentil Chili if you want more texture and are willing to let it cook for a longer time.
• French green lentils are super pretty, and are also known as Puy lentils. They have a speckled dark green appearance that are slightly smaller than the standard green lentils, and have a slightly longer cooking time. They can be a bit tricker to find, but can be found at Bob’s Red Mill.  For those of you that are a fan of Yotam Ottolenghi will know this is a staple ingredient in his cooking.

Nutrition ^2,3

Lentils are a delicious and inexpensive way to get protein, fiber and a lengthy list of nutrients into your diet.  Each lentil variety that I discussed above has a slightly different nutrition profile. A cup of cooked lentils provides about 18 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, B-vitamins, iron, magnesium, phosphorous and potassium.

They are also rich in polyphenols, which are plant compounds that have antioxidant activity.  For anyone that is a vegetarian out there, iron can be difficult to consume in adequate amounts and lentils are full of it!  That one cup serving has 37% of the recommend daily intake.

Let’s Get Cooking!

A pantry staple recipe, my Lentil Chili can be easily modified to meet what you have on hand and your taste preferences.  The cooking time is based on the lentils used so if you use a different variety, go off the cooking time on the package.  Do not skip out on the corn and black beans, it gives it a super hearty chili profile.

Toppings make just about any dish better and I love adding sour cream, avocado and shredded cheese to make this a complete meal.  As always with chili, have a bottle of your favorite hot sauce nearby! Cilantro is another great topping, adding an herbaceous freshness.  Something pickled is good for an acidic tang.  My favorite is red onion quick pickles (Google it, super easy to make!) and pickled jalapenos. Enjoy!

Similar Pages

Looking for more soup recipes? Try my Instant Pot Bean Soup, Pumpkin Chili with Turkey, and my Broccoli Ginger Soup.

References

1. Homey and Versatile, Lentils Add Fiber and Protein to a Meal. The Spruce Eats. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-are-lentils-1328630
2. FoodData Central. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/1100438/nutrients
3. Boston 677 Huntington Avenue, Ma 02115 +1495‑1000. Lentils. The Nutrition Source. Published October 28, 2019. Accessed January 29, 2021. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/lentils/

lentil chili

4.25 from 4 votes

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Course: Main Course, Soup

Keyword: chili, lentil, vegan

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Chef Abbie Gellman RD

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 bell pepper diced
• 1 jalapeno diced or minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 can 15-ounce crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups low sodium vegetable stock
• ¾ cup dry red lentils
• 1 can 15-ounce low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Optional: 2 cups frozen corn
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• Optional: diced avocado shredded cheese, sour cream

Instructions

• In a large pot over medium heat, add oil. Then add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, salt, and pepper and saute 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and tomato paste and saute 1 minute.
• Add diced tomatoes, stock, lentils and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add beans and reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Add honey and optional corn, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Stir in cilantro.
• Serve with avocado, shredded cheese, and sour cream.

Video