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The BEST Lentil Chili (45 Minutes!)
5 from 231 votes

The BEST Lentil Chili (45 Minutes!)

This Lentil Chili combines red lentils, bulgur, beans, and a blend of toasted walnuts with sautéed onion, jalapeños, and garlic to produce a thick, hearty chili. A spice mix including chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, and mushroom powder builds smoky and earthy layers. Simmered with fire-roasted tomatoes and soy sauce, it achieves a complex flavor and satisfying texture with plant-based ingredients.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 280 kcal
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ½ cup walnut halves if allergic, omit and reduce water by about ¼ cup. TIP: another option for added thickening is to stir in half a can of refried beans at the end of cooking, raw
  • 1 large onion red or yellow, cut into chunks
  • 2 large jalapeno pepper for mild chili remove the seeds; for spicier chili include all or some of the seeds, stems removed
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 2 Tablespoons avocado oil omit for oil-free, or olive oil or grapeseed oil
  • 3 rounded tablespoons chili powder the spice blend, not pure chile pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cumin ground
  • 2 teaspoons oregano dried
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons mushroom powder optional
  • 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt flakes or ¾ teaspoon regular fine sea salt
  • 1 (28 oz) can fire-roasted tomatoes crushed
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce Sub tamari for GF
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • ⅔ cup red lentils
  • ⅔ cup bulgur For GF, sub millet or quinoa; rinse and drain before adding to pot. TVP is also GF, or TVP (textured vegetable protein), dry
  • 2 (15 oz) cans bean pinto, black, and/or kidney, rinsed and drained

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Tip: Once cooking begins in Step 4, things move quickly, so it helps to have all or most of the ingredients gathered and prepped.
  2. Preheat a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Toast the walnuts until warm and fragrant, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Transfer walnuts to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until finely ground. Transfer the ground walnuts to a bowl.
  3. Add the onion, jalapenos, and garlic to the food processor (see Notes section). Blend until mostly pureed.
  4. Note: If omitting oil, reverse the order of this step; add the blended onion/jalapeno mixture to the pot first, then add the spices. Otherwise, for the best flavor, bloom the spices in oil as described below.Return the pot to the stove, and increase the burner to medium heat. Add the oil to the pot. Add the spices (3 T chili powder, 1 T cumin, 2 teaspoon oregano, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 2 teaspoon mushroom powder). Stirring frequently, cook for about 1 minute. Add the pureed onion mixture to the pot, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. Add the smoked salt, tomatoes, soy sauce, broth, and water. Bring to a boil. Add the lentils, bulgur, beans, and ground walnuts, and stir well. Return to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Once the lentils are done, turn off the heat, and give the chili another good stir. Taste and add a pinch more salt or a drizzle of soy sauce, if desired. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes. The chili will continue to thicken as it rests.

Notes

  • Preparing the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in a food processor creates a smoother chili and speeds up prep, but hand-chopping yields chunkier texture if preferred.
  • Once cooking begins, the steps progress quickly; it's helpful to have all ingredients prepped beforehand.
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; flavor improves as the chili sits.
  • The chili can be frozen for up to a month without loss of quality.

Nutrition Information

Calories 280kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 42g (14%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Fiber 13g (52%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 1307IU (26%) Vitamin C 12mg (13%) Calcium 114mg (11%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 280

% Daily Value*

Calories 280kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 42g 14%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Fiber 13g 52%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 1307IU 26%
Vitamin C 12mg 13%
Calcium 114mg 11%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.