The BEST Lentil Chili (45 Minutes!)

Name: The BEST Lentil Chili (45 Minutes!)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: ½ cup raw walnut halves; 1 large red or yellow onion, cut into chunks; 2 large jalapeno peppers, stems removed (for mild chili remove the seeds; for spicier chili include all or some of the seeds); 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed; 2 Tablespoons oil such as avocado, olive or grapeseed (omit for oil-free); 3 rounded tablespoons chili powder (the spice blend, not pure chile pepper); 1 tablespoon ground cumin; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons smoked paprika; 2 teaspoons mushroom powder, optional; 1 teaspoon smoked sea salt flakes or ¾ tsp regular fine sea salt); 1 (28 oz) can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes; 2 tablespoons soy sauce (Sub tamari for GF); 4 cups vegetable broth; 1 ½ cups water; ⅔ cup red lentils; ⅔ cup bulgur or TVP, dry (For GF, sub millet or quinoa; rinse and drain before adding to pot. TVP is also GF.); 2 (15 oz) cans beans, rinsed and drained (pinto, black, and/or kidney)

Instructions

Prep:15minCook:30min

Are you ready for some mind-blowingly good lentil chili? It is thick, rich, meaty, flavorful and won't keep you in the kitchen all day! Adapted from an America's Test Kitchen recipe, this version keeps the select ingredients and methods critical for making the best vegan/vegetarian chili, while streamlining the process so it's much simpler to prepare. The result is a vegan chili you'll return to again and again! Gluten-free and oil-free options.

Updated at: Tue, 13 May 2025 01:09:36 GMT