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Lentil Chili with Black Beans

This Lentil Chili with Black Beans is a fabulous meatless chili; it’s hearty, full of flavor, and so delicious you won’t even miss the meat. Serve this lentil chili with cheese and tortilla chips for a cozy, comforting, and satisfying meal.

Lentil Chili with Black Beans in bowls with chips
Lentil Chili is so hearty, you won’t miss the meat.

Lentil Chili with Black Beans

I’ve never really known what went into my mom’s various legume stews, but she’s fond of making creative use of all kinds of beans, saying variety is the basis of a healthy diet.

I’ve finally come to the realization that many hip and trendy ingredients are things our moms and grandmas regularly cooked with. The old is new again and nothing is really new. Food trends have brought us back to the basics, and humble legumes like soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas are on point.

Let’s talk about those lentils. Lentils deserve a regular space in the pantry, as this humble legume is highly nutritious, high in fiber, and a great source of protein. Lentils are easy to prepare and absolutely delicious in soups.

lentils in colander
Lentils are a healthy source of protein, fiber, and nutrients.

What are Lentils, Exactly?

Old school grains and legumes like quinoa and lentils have been making a comeback, which is a great thing for building variety into our pantry.

Lentils are legumes, which are plants that bear fruit that grow into pods. Because of this, they’re nutrient-dense, high in fiber, and an excellent source of protein – a whopping 26% protein in dry lentils.

Which kind of lentils are best?

For lentil chili and lentil soup, we recommend brown or green lentils, both of which keep their shape better than red lentils during cooking. Brown and green lentils are mild in flavor, though green lentils may remain a bit firmer in texture after cooking. Red and green lentils are great for Lentil Hummus.

How to Cook Lentils in Chili or soup

Because lentils are tiny sized legumes, they can be cooked directly in liquids without any prior soak time. They’re the perfect candidate for stews, chilis, and soups like our easy Lemon Lentil Soup Recipe.

Simply rinse dry lentils in a colander, drain, and add to your stews, soups, and chili. Lentils generally become tender with 30 minutes of cook time.

Note that lentils tend to soak up quite a bit of liquid during cooking, so we add extra broth into our chilis and soups when lentils are included. If your lentil chili or soup becomes too thick, simply add a bit more broth to loosen the consistency.

lentil chili in a pot
As lentil soup simmers, the flavors fuse together.

Lentil Chili Ingredients and Variations

This lentil chili recipe is packed with spices and seasonings such as cumin, smoked paprika, and oregano, with all the flavors working together to create a boldly flavorful meatless chili your family will love. Though we wouldn’t alter the herbs and spices too much, there are some ingredient variations that would work well.

Ingredient variations include:

  • Try using garbanzo beans or white beans
  • Canned hominy is a fun and tasty substitution for corn kernels.
  • Use freshly seeded/chopped sweet bell peppers instead of the carrots
  • Vegetable, chicken, or beef broth can all be used interchangeably
  • Try adding chopped cilantro or chives for garnish

Chili Recipes to Try:

lentil chili in bowl with cheese and tortilla chips
Top your lentil chili with cheese and serve with tortilla chips.

Try this Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash, Too:


Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

lentil chili in bowl with cheese and tortilla chips

Lentil Black Bean Chili

4.57 from 23 ratings
This Lentil Black Bean Chili is a fabulous meatless chili; it's hearty, full of flavor, and so delicious you won't even miss the meat. Serve with cheese and tortilla chips for a cozy, comforting, and satisfying meal.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 3 TB olive oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 cups baby carrots, thinly sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2-4 tsp chili powder, depending on desired heat level
  • 1 TB smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp allspice
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth, plus extra
  • 1 cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
  • 3 TB tomato paste
  • 2 14-oz cans fire roasted tomatoes, with juices
  • 2 cans, 15-oz black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can, 15-oz sweet corn kernels, drained
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: sliced avocado, shredded sharp cheddar, tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

  • In a Dutch oven or heavy large pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, and garlic; stir 1-2 min. Add chili powder, smoked paprika, sugar, allspice, and cumin. Stir and cook 1 min. Add broth, lentils, tomato paste, and fire-roasted tomatoes with juices. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer 30 min.
  • Add black beans, corn, and cover. Continue simmer 20 more min or until lentils are tender and mixture has thickened. If lentils have soaked up most of the liquid, add a bit more broth for your desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Serve with cheddar cheese, tortilla chips, and your choice of garnishes. Sweet cornbread is delicious with this chili. 

Notes

If you love cumin, feel free to add another teaspoon. It gives chili that aromatic, earthy flavor. 
Though regular paprika can be used in a pinch, Smoked Paprika is preferred, as it is deeper and richer in flavor.
Fire roasted tomatoes lend depth of flavor and are highly recommended. If you cannot find it at your store, you can use seasoned diced tomatoes as an alternative. 
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating 🙂 

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.6g | Protein: 14.8g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 3.7mg | Sodium: 1272.8mg | Fiber: 12.4g | Sugar: 6.5g
Course: Dinner, Main
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Method: Stovetop

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Recipe Rating




44 comments

    • David Leidheiser
    • 5 stars

    Delicious!!!! I use mixed vegetable blend instead of just corn and add either Frank’s Red Hot or Louisiana Hot sauce. Yum!!

      • Amy Dong

      So glad you enjoyed this, David!

    • Michelle
    • 5 stars

    I used a bag of mixed red , green and black lentils and it turned out great . It tasted so good!

      • Amy Dong

      Yay, Michelle! 🙂

    • Michelle
    • 5 stars

    It was actually better than chili. I also used a bad of mixed lentils black green and red it turned out so good. I definitely didn’t miss the meat and I wish I would have had vegetable broth instead of chicken broth it was still fantastic though! Five stars ⭐️

    • Michelle
    • 5 stars

    I made this and it was absolutely delicious . I added a little bit of habanero pepper and habanero hot sauce and jalapeño hot sauce. I also put a pinch of curry powder in mine since I didn’t have smoked paprika and I used Italian seasoning and basil since I didn’t have any plain oregano. I also didn’t have vegetable broth so I used chicken broth but it was so good the cumin and chili powder made it taste a lot like chili. I will definitely make this again I was thinking about adding some shredded chicken would even be good. This is a fantastic recipe! Highly recommend it!

    • Tom Evans
    • 5 stars

    Outstanding

    • Pat
    • 5 stars

    Thank you for sharing your recipe. It is delicious; will make it again for sure.

      • Amy Dong

      Awesome, Pat!

    • Kristie
    • 5 stars

    This one was sooo delicious! Great flavor. I meal prepped a batch for work and was excited to ear eat it all wekend! Goldfish crackers and an avocado on the side. Kept me satisfied.

    • Natalie O.
    • 5 stars

    Love this recipe! I add a chopped jalapeño and a TBSP of cocoa powder for some extra spice and depth. Highly recommend! I make this chili and put it in mason jars so we can reheat this as individual servings, or just to give to our friends and neighbors.

      • chewoutloud

      Love that you shared this with friends!

    • Chris R

    Hi. I want to make this but the sodium is very high. Does the recipe use full sodium ingredients and will using low sodium ingredients reduce the total?I usually use low sodium broths, tomatoes and beans in my recipes for health reasons.

    Thanks

      • chewoutloud

      Chris, sodium was calculated using full-flavored broths. You can definitely sub with reduced sodium ingredients. Enjoy!!

    • Brenda
    • 5 stars

    What a wonderful recipe. Perfect combination of spices and vegetables.
    It’s delicious. And healthy.
    Thank You

      • chewoutloud

      You’re so welcome, Brenda 🙂

    • Heather Behrends

    This recipe looks amazing! I love chili!

    • Angeline
    • 5 stars

    This chili is so comforting for winter! Thanks for sharing!

    • Sonia Seivwright

    Yummy soups. it has all my favourite things in it.

      • Lisa
      • 5 stars

      Ridiculously good!! I had to make a few substitutions because I didn’t have everything I needed. Instead of fire roasted tomatoes, I used just regular diced tomatoes, and about a tablespoon of minced jalapeno pepper, which i sauteed with the onion garlic and carrots. I also used 6oz of tomato paste, since I like my chili on the thicker side. My lentils didn’t break up, but that’s definitely not a detriment! Gives it a little more of a chewy bite!! Definitely will make again once I get the right ingredients!!

        • chewoutloud

        Yay, Lisa! 🙂 🙂

    • Clarice

    I haven’t tried making one but I guess it is worth the try. I will take your word to use brown or green ones. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

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