A vegan friend of mine challenged me to make a one of my famous chilis that she could eat and so this Hearty Lentil Chili recipe was born! I am a big fan of chili (as you know if you’ve read some of my recipes!). I was delighted when this meat free version worked out so well!
Start by cooking red lentils in water. As the lentils cook, start to make the sauce by sautéing onion and jalapeños and adding seasonings like paprika and chipotle powder. Add vinegar, tomatoes, maple syrup, brown sugar, and garlic and simmer the sauce until it thickens. Drain the lentils and mix them with the sauce. Serve with rice or vegan cornbread. Yum!
To make Hearty Lentil Chili, you will need the following ingredients:
Place the lentils in a large pot. Cover them with around 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 35 minutes until the lentils are tender.
As the lentils cook, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and jalapeños for about 5-8 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Mix in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, chipotle, cayenne, sriracha, and tomato paste. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Mix in the vinegar and pour in 1 cup of water, diced tomatoes, maple syrup, brown sugar, and garlic. Turn down the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.
Combine the sauce with the drained lentils.
I like to serve this lentil chili with steamed rice but you could use tortillas or vegan cornbread if you prefer.
This Hearty Lentil Chili is a great recipe to make if you have a vegan friend coming around. Try it soon and come back to leave a comment telling me what you think.
Well done! Verified!
