This lentil and black bean chili is a thick meatless meal built around inexpensive legumes and pantry spices.
Tips for lentil and black bean chili
Add tomatoes after lentils soften. No cheese, sour cream or rice included. For a vegan meal, check spice blends for animal ingredients.
Helpful equipment: A vegetable chopper can help with the onion and pepper for this batch of chili. Compare vegetable chopper on Amazon. I use this type of tool in my kitchen; the linked model may differ.
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Smoky Lentil & Black Bean Chili
Equipment
- 1 large pot or baking dish as directed food thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry brown or green lentils, rinsed
- 2 (15 oz) cans canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 (14.5 oz) cans canned diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 1/4 cups onion, diced
- 1 1/3 cups bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 2/3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 5 cups water
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1 3/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 2/3 tsp table salt
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and pepper for 7 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Add lentils and water. Bring to a boil, partly cover and simmer for 25–35 minutes until lentils are tender. Older lentils can need longer; add plain water if needed.
- Stir in tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, drained canned beans and salt. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until thick and hot throughout.
- Mash a spoonful of beans against the side of the pot if you want a thicker chili. Divide all chili into four equal dinner portions.
Notes
Storage and meal prep
Refrigerate in shallow containers at 40°F or below within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Use within 3–4 days. Reheat to 165°F throughout; bring soups and stews to a rolling boil while stirring. Freeze a trial portion for up to 2 months for quality, then thaw in the refrigerator. Do not reheat in a slow cooker.
Ingredient notes
Use the ingredient quantities and food states listed in the card. Choose store brands and frozen vegetables where the same plain ingredient fits the method. Meat, cheese, sauce or grain swaps can change both cooking time and nutrition. No unlisted sides or toppings are counted.
About the nutrition
One serving is one of 4 equal portions of the whole batch. Nutrition is an estimate based on the listed ingredient assumptions. Finished yield has not been weighed or measured. This development recipe has not been personally cooked or kitchen tested.