Lentil Chili (vegetarian recipe)
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I think you’re going to appreciate this recipe for Lentil Chili. It’s a vegetarian dish that uses orca beans, lentils, vegetables, and spices. It’s incredibly nutritious, simple to make and unique! I love the combination of ingredients in this recipe. It’s a recipe that feels good to make and feels good to eat!
How many chili recipes are there? Probably thousands, millions, billions! First, I love chili because it’s a one pot meal, it’s comforting, it’s easy to make and because there are soooo many different ways to make chili. There is no right way or wrong way either.
Wahoo!
Today I am sharing a Vegetarian Chili. This chili is incredibly healthy and you will not miss the meat, I promise. It tastes very similar to a traditional chili but has a ton of healthy vegetables and beans in it that will fill you right up. It reminds me of my Healthy Turkey Chili recipe. It tastes and looks like chili, but is packed full of nutrition.
Vegetables like zucchini and beans and red lentils and orca beans!
I know…totally different right?
As I mentioned, there is no right way or wrong way to make chili…or any kind of “soup.” The ideas are endless, the flavors are endless, the textures and colors are endless – you can add whatever you want as long as you get the spices right. I simplified this recipe and used chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. That’s it! Easy right?
The red lentils add a nice orange/red color to the chili and thicken it up quite a bit. The orca beans have nice texture and I love the black and white color! I like black and white, if you couldn’t tell from the blog design…
I topped this vegetarian chili with traditional garnishes like cheddar cheese and cilantro. Instead of sour cream, I used Stonyfield’s Plain Greek Yogurt which is super creamy and slightly tart, adding the perfect cooling element to the spicy warm chili .
Want a bowl?
Lentil Chili (vegetarian recipe)
A delicious vegetarian chili made with lentils, beans, tons of veggies, tomatoes and spices. It's hearty, nutritious and leaves you feeling satisfied.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Red Lentils, washed and drained
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Orca Beans, cooked according to package directions
- 1, 14 ounce diced tomatoes
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon diced garlic (about 3 cloves of garlic)
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 8 cups vegetables stock (2, 32 ounce containers)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Olive oil
Garnishes
- Cheddar Cheese
- Stonyfield Plain Greek Yogurt
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Cook the orca beans according to the package directions.
- To make the chili, in a large pot, drizzle a few tablespoons of olive oil and add onions, celery, zucchini and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Next add all of the ingredients except for the orca beans. Bring the chili to a boil then immediately reduce to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Once orca beans are done, add them to the chili.
- This is optional but will thicken up the chili – place 3 ladles of chili into a blender and blend until smooth then add back into the pot and stir.
- Taste for seasoning – add more to your preference. Garnish with Plain Greek Yogurt, cheddar cheese and cilantro.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 373Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 1123mgCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 20gSugar: 17gProtein: 21g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated. Use as an approximation only.
