This Lentil Chili with Black Beans is a fabulous meatless meal; it's hearty, full of flavor, and so delicious you won't even miss the meat. Serve this with cheese and tortilla chips for a cozy, comforting, and satisfying meal.
Optional: sliced avocado, shredded sharp cheddar, tortilla chips for serving
Instructions
In a Dutch oven or large, heavy 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.
Notes
Use brown or green lentils for this recipe, as they'll result in the best texture for chili.
If you love cumin, feel free to add another teaspoon. It gives chili that aromatic, earthy flavor.
Feel free to use chicken or beef broth, if you don't need it to be vegetarian.
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.
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 more broth to loosen the consistency.
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