Black Bean and Lentil Chili
This may be one of the most delicious chilis you'll ever make! Hearty lentils and black beans paired with so much flavor will satisfy everyone, vegan, vegetarian or not! This reader favorite has even won a couple of chili cook-offs!
Servings 8 to 12
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 4 medium to large carrots diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 - 6 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups lentils sorted and rinsed
- 29 ounce can tomato sauce
- 29 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn kernels
- 12 ounce jar roasted red peppers diced
- 1 - 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- salt* and pepper to taste
Topping Suggestions
- Tabasco or jalapeno hot sauce
- plant-based sour cream
- avocado cubes
- plant-based shredded cheddar
- a squeeze of lime
- fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a large heavy pot over medium high heat, add the olive oil, then the onion, celery and carrots. Sauté until the onions have softened, then add the garlic and continue to cook for just one minute.
- Add the spices next through the bay leaf. Cook for about two more minutes to get them fragrant.
- Add the broth (start with 5 cups first, you may need an additional cup later to thin the sauce out), lentils and tomato sauce and raise the heat to high, bringing the broth to a boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for about 30 minutes to get the lentils tender.
- Add the black beans, corn, red peppers, Tabasco and maple and continue to cook for about 20 more minutes. Add the extra cup of broth, if needed.
- Serve in bowls with the toppings of your choice.
Notes
I prefer using jarred roasted red peppers for a few reasons. The roasted pepper adds a nice sweet and smokey flavor that you don't get from a fresh pepper and it's so much easier to use the jarred peppers instead of roasting them yourself. If you want to roast your own…that would be delicious too!
This makes a lot of chili, but it's wonderful reheated days later and freezes well too.
*If you are using canned broth, don't use salt until the dish is completely done, then give it a taste. Even if using low salt broth, you may not even need any additional.