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This hearty vegan chili recipe is made in one pot using simple ingredients. Vegan bean chili proves that meatless chili doesn’t have to be boring. It’s loaded with lentils, kidney beans and tomatoes and seasoned with a flavorful and smokey blend of aromatics and spices. Chili with lentils is filling and satisfying.
This rich vegan chili recipe is protein-packed and loaded with fiber and nutrients. Plantbased meatless chili comes together in under 30 minutes in a single pot and is flavorful and mild. Easily customize this lentil chili with your favorite veggies or add chiles to give it more heat. Even meat eaters will agree that this Vegan Bean Chili is delicious.
If you love lentils, try my Lebanese Chicken and Lentil Soup or my Lebanese Lentil Soup.
Why You’ll Love This Meatless Chili Recipe
- It’s meatless. If you are looking for an easy way to get more plantbased foods in your diet, this vegan chili recipe is a great place to start.
- It’s budget-friendly. Beans and lentils are less expensive than meat but still offer heartiness, flavor and protein.
- It’s so easy. Cook everything in one pot in under 30 minutes from start to finish.
Vegan Chili Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil: use your favorite light, neutral-flavored oil.
- Aromatics: add chopped yellow onion and minced garlic for flavor and aroma.
- Seasoning: a combination of chili powder, smoked paprika and ground cumin provides a classic chili flavor.
- Lentils: add washed and drained red lentils or your favorite color of lentils.
- Kidney Beans: add one can of rinsed and drained red kidney beans.
- Tomatoes: add both diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a smoky flavor.
- Vegetable Broth: vegetable broth is loaded with flavor, but you can also use water.
- Salt and Pepper: to taste
- Fresh Cilantro: chopped cilantro adds a bright, fresh flavor.
- For Serving: top with lime wedges, vegan sour cream, Fritos, and sliced avocados.
How To Make Vegan Chili Recipe
- Saute the aromatics. Heat a four-quart dutch oven on a medium flame and add oil. Once the oil is heated, add the garlic and chopped onion, and saute till they turn translucent for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the spices. Add in the spices, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and salt, and cook for a minute.
- Cook the beans and lentils. Stir in the lentil, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, salt, and pepper. Close the lid and cook the lentils for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are perfectly cooked.
- Stir in cilantro. When the chili starts thickening, add the chopped cilantro and turn off the flame.
- Garnish and serve. Transfer the chili to a serving bowl and top them with sour cream, Fritos, and sliced avocados and garnish with lime wedges
Tips To Make The Best Vegan Chili Recipe
- Watch the pan closely while cooking the aromatics, so they don’t burn.
- Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a smoky flavor.
- Add other vegetables as desired.
- Bring everything to a simmer to cook the lentils.
- If the lentils soak up more liquid than you expect, add additional broth or water.
- You can substitute other colors of lentils but may need to increase the cooking time.
- Make it spicy by adding jalapeno or crushed red pepper flakes.
- If your lentils aren’t as soft as you’d like them to be, simmer them a bit longer.
- Don’t overcook the chili, or the lentils will become mushy.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Lentil chili with beans is a wonderful source of plantbased protein. It’s loaded with nutrients and fiber and is great for gut health. The beans, tomatoes and onions add vitamins and minerals and are a great source of antioxidants.
Saute the garlic and onions in a separate skillet and add them to the slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cover, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Lentils cook very quickly, so simmering them for 15-20 minutes is plenty of time to cook them until they are soft and delicious.
Store the leftover chili in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add more liquid to reach the desired consistency.
Once cooled, divide the chili into individual savings and freeze them for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or use the defrost mode on your microwave.
Chili is the perfect comfort food meal on a cold day. Swerve it with crackers, cornbread, biscuits or challah bread. You can serve it over rice, with Air Fryer Zucchini Sticks or a fresh green salad.
More Vegan Recipes
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Easy Vegan Chili recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Easy Vegan Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 cup red lentils washed and drained
- 1 15oz can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 15oz can of diced tomatoes
- 1 15oz can of tomato sauce
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
- Lime wedges, to serve
- Vegan sour cream, to serve
- Fritos, to serve
- Sliced avocados, to serve
Instructions
- Heat a 4 qt dutch oven on a medium flame and add oil. Once the oil is heated, add the garlic and chopped onion, and saute till they turn translucent for 4-5 minutes.
- Add in the spices, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and salt, and cook for a minute.
- Stir in the lentil, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, salt, and pepper. Close the lid and cook the lentils for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are perfectly cooked.
- When the chili starts to thicken a bit, add the chopped cilantro and turn off the flame.
- Transfer the chili to a serving bowl and top them with sour cream, Fritos, and sliced avocados and garnish with lime wedges
Notes
- Watch the pan closely while cooking the aromatics, so they don’t burn.
- Use fire-roasted diced tomatoes for a smoky flavor.
- Add other vegetables as desired.
- Bring everything to a simmer to cook the lentils.
- If the lentils soak up more liquid than you expect, add additional broth or water.
- You can substitute other colors of lentils but may need to increase the cooking time.
- Make it spicy by adding jalapeno or crushed red pepper flakes.
- If your lentils aren’t as soft as you’d like them to be, simmer them a bit longer.
- Don’t overcook the chili, or the lentils will become mushy.
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
