• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cook2eatwell
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Cuban Recipes
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Cuban Recipes
  • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • Recipe Index
    • Cuban Recipes
    • About Us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Lentil Chili

    Published: Oct 2, 2020 · Modified: Apr 10, 2022 by Elizabeth · 6 Comments

    • Share
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    Two images of the finished dish with a graphic in the center in gray with white letters with the title.

    This lentil chili is a different take on a Fall classic. I’m always looking for new ways to cook lentils, and this one’s a hit at my house.

    The chili served in a blue bowl and garnished with melted cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream displayed on a blue table with a beige linen and a spoon.

    In this recipe, lentils, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, red and black beans are cooked in a tex-mex inspired seasoned broth. It’s a filling and delicious non-conventional chili that’s affordable and makes a great meatless meal.

    Types of lentils

    Five different varieties and color of lentils in small piles on black table.

    There are four general categories for lentils: brown, green, red/yellow and specialty. For this dish we recommend using brown or green lentils. They hold their shape with longer cooking times, they’re affordable and easy to find at just about any supermarket.

    If you’re looking to add more lentils to your diet, check out this article all about how to cook lentils including recipes to get you started.

    This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    The ingredients for the chili arranged on a white table.
    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Medium Onion, finely diced
    • 3-4 Garlic Cloves, minced
    • 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, optional
    • 1 (15 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes, we used fire roasted tomatoes
    • 12 ounces Dried Lentils, use brown or green lentils
    • 6 cups Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth if you want to keep it vegetarian
    • 1-2 Bay Leaves
    • 1 (15 ounce) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 (15 ounce) can Red Beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 (6-8 ounce) can Corn, drained
    • Salt, to taste if needed at the end

    Optional topping ideas: Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Corn Chips (like Fritos), Crumbled Tortilla Chips, Corn Bread, Diced Avocado, Chopped Cilantro or Parsley, Hot Sauce

    Prep work

    The prep work for this chili is quick and easy. The only knife work involved is for the onion and garlic. Everything else is a snap.

    • Place the lentils in a large, bowl or on a clean, flat surface. Pick through them carefully and remove any foreign objects, such as tiny rocks, twigs, misshaped beans, etc. Rinse them with cold water and drain.
    • Dice the onions and mince the garlic.
    • Combine the chili powder, cumin, black pepper and crushed red pepper, if using, in a small bowl.
    • Rinse the black and red beans. Place them in colander and run cold water over them until the water runs clear.
    • Drain the corn.
    • Gather the remaining ingredients
    The ingredients prepped and separated into clear, glass bowls and arranged on a white table.

    Recipe tips

    • The cooking time offered for lentils is an estimate. Actual cooking time will depend on how soft you like them and the freshness of the beans. The fresher the lentils the quicker they will cook.
    • It’s best to wait until the end to add extra salt to this lentil chili. The chicken (or vegetable) broth, canned beans and diced tomatoes all contain a good amount of salt already. As a reference we didn’t add any extra salt to ours.
    • Taste the lentils at the end and add salt if needed. Also, keep in mind the toppings you’re serving before adding extra salt. If your toppings are salty like cheese or chips then factor that in when deciding.

    Instructions

    • Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. We used an enameled cast iron dutch oven. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until they’re translucent and start to soften, stir frequently.
    • Next, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (if using); cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring frequently.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth and the bay leaves to the pot. Stir well. Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer the lentils for 25 minutes or until almost tender. Stir occasionally. If at this point they are not close to done, then give them another 10 minutes and check again.
    • Add the beans and corn to the lentils and stir well to combine. Continue cooking, covered and still on medium-low heat, for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors to come together and to get the lentils very tender. Stir the chili occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
    • If the lentil chili needs thickening, uncover the pot for a little while and let some of the liquid cook out. Keep the chili at a simmer and stir occasionally; lower the heat a little if it starts to boil too vigorously.
    • If it’s too thick for your taste, then add a little bit of broth to loosen it up and continue cooking until heated through.
    • Use tongs to fish out the bay leaves, remove and discard.

    Serve the lentil chili with your choice of toppings and enjoy!

    The lentil chili served in a blue bowl with a beige colored linen and a spoon on the side. The chili is garnished with melted cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

    You may also like these lentil recipes:

    • Lentil Potato Soup
    • Lentil Vegetable Soup
    • Chicken Lentil Soup
    • Bacon Lentil Soup
    • Lentil Sausage Soup

    Follow Us! Subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest recipes.

    The chili served in a blue bowl and garnished with melted cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream displayed on a blue table with a beige linen and a spoon.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Lentil Chili

    This lentil chili is a different take on a Fall classic. I’m always looking for new ways to cook lentils, and this one is a hit at my house.
    Prep Time15 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chili, lentils
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 418kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Medium Onion finely diced
    • 3-4 Garlic Cloves minced
    • 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
    • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes optional
    • 1 (15 ounce) can Diced Tomatoes we used fire roasted tomatoes
    • 12 ounces Dried Lentils use brown or green lentils
    • 6 cups Chicken Broth or Vegetable Broth
    • 1-2 Bay Leaves
    • 1 (15 ounce) can Black Beans drained and rinsed
    • 1 (15 ounce) can Red Beans drained and rinsed
    • 1 (6-8 ounce) can Corn drained
    • Salt to taste if needed at the end

    Instructions

    • Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until they’re translucent and start to soften, stir frequently.
    • Next, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes (if using); cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring frequently.
    • Add the chopped tomatoes, lentils, chicken broth and the bay leaves to the pot. Stir well.
    • Raise the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer the lentils for 25 minutes or until almost tender. Stir occasionally.
    • Add the red and black beans and corn to the lentils, stir well to combine. Continue cooking, covered, on medium-low heat, for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors to come together and to get the lentils very tender. Stir the chili occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
    • Find the bay leaves, remove and discard.
    • Taste the lentils and add salt if needed. Also, keep in mind the toppings you’re serving before adding extra salt. For example, if your toppings are salty like cheese or chips then factor that in when deciding. As a reference we didn’t add any extra salt to ours.
    • Serve the lentil chili with your choice of toppings!

    Notes

    The cooking time offered is just an estimate. Actual cooking time will depend on how soft you like the lentils and the freshness of the beans. The fresher the lentils the quicker they will cook.
    If the lentil chili needs thickening: uncover the pot for a little while and let some of the liquid cook out. Keep at a simmer and stir occasionally. If it’s too thick: add a little bit of broth to loosen it up and heat through.
    Optional topping ideas: Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Sour Cream, Corn Chips (like Fritos), Crumbled Tortilla Chips, Corn Bread, Diced Avocado, Chopped Cilantro or Parsley, Hot Sauce

    Nutrition

    Calories: 418kcal | Carbohydrates: 71g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1444mg | Potassium: 1412mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 624IU | Vitamin C: 32mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 8mg
    The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate.This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.

    More Soups and Stews

    • Beef Barley Soup
    • 31 Days of Soups and Stews
    • Turkey Noodle Soup
    • Beef Stew
    • Share

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda Hudson

      October 30, 2022 at 4:21 am

      Sounds delicious! I am just learning to cook lentils. How would the instructions differ if one is using a crockpot? Thank you for your help!

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        October 30, 2022 at 12:09 pm

        Hi Linda, I don’t use a crockpot for lentils so I don’t have a recipe available. I always make lentils on the stovetop, they cook pretty quick (by bean standards) and usually take about 1 hour.

        Reply
    2. Cherelle

      September 25, 2022 at 6:31 pm

      5 stars
      I love this recipe; I add all the bell peppers l, use two tbls of chili powder, and use kidney beans instead of red. But I love love love this recipe. Thank you.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        September 25, 2022 at 10:17 pm

        Thank you Cherelle, happy you enjoy it!

        Reply
    3. Kelsey

      September 13, 2021 at 8:55 pm

      Can this be frozen? How long will it keep in the fridge and freezer?

      Thank you.

      Reply
      • Elizabeth

        September 14, 2021 at 10:22 am

        Store cooked lentils in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    aboutus

    Hi, I’m Elizabeth! welcome to Cook2eatwell. Food is my favorite subject; I like to cook food, talk about food, write about food, and most importantly, eat food. Lucky for me, my husband Eddie feels the same way. 

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Salisbury Steak
    • Easy Chili Mac
    • Mini Chicken Pot Pies
    • Fresh Tomato Pasta

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • About

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Cook2eatwell