Vegetarian Lentil Slow Cooker Chili
Made with dry brown lentils, beans, and a handful of pantry staples, this vegetarian chili is a delicious fix it and forget it crockpot meal.
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 253kcal
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup dry brown lentils
- 15 ounce can light red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 small sweet yellow onion diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 15 ounces diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 3 ½ cups vegetable broth
- optional toppings: cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils well under cool running water. Remove any debris.
- To a 4-quart or larger slow cooker add the lentils, drained beans, diced onion, diced pepper, garlic, cocoa powder, cumin, chipotle chli powder, chili powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, and vegetable broth. Stir again.
- Put the slow cooker lid in place. Adjust heat to "low" and cook for 8 hours. Test a few lentils to ensure that the chili is fully cooked. If not, increase the heat to high and continue slow cooking until ready.
- Serve topped with cheddar cheese, cilantro, and sour cream.
Video
Notes
Low vs high heat: I prefer a slow simmer for this chili because I find that it cooks dry lentils more evenly, but it can be made quicker by selecting high heat and cooking for 5 to 6 hours.
To make on the stovetop: I recommend sauteing the onion and garlic over medium heat for about 6 minutes, then add in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer over medium-low. Cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Continue simmering to develop flavors, as desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 253kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 991mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 883IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 5mg
