Red Lentil and Bean Chili

You won’t believe this recipe doesn't have any meat in it!

Now, I’m a big fan of cooking and being married to a chef has had its perks in my culinary development. I’ve been vegan now for nearly a year and during the colder months I crave a good chili. I was determined to come up with something hearty and spicy! After some research and trials, I’ve landed on my very own vegan inspired lentil and bean chili.

If you are a meat eater, you could easily add your favorite ground beef or turkey.

I used a Dutch oven to make this entire recipe. I’m all for one pot wonders and this recipe makes about 2-3 quarts. I ended up freezing half of what I made in a food saver and taking it to a Friendsgiving we had a few weeks later.

Ingredients and Recipe:

1 diced Red Onion

5 cloves of garlic

Sauté all of this in about 2 tbsp of olive oil

Once the onion and garlic are cooked (approximately 5mins) add the following spices:

1 tbsp Chili powder

1 tbsp Cumin

1 tbsp Turmeric

1/2 tbsp Spanish Paprika

1 teaspoon Chipotles in Adobo (you can substitute an actual pepper if you can find it)

Salt and Pepper

I generally eyeball all of my spices and taste test until I get it where I want.

Add all of these at the same time:

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 giant can (28oz) of tomato sauce

1 cup of red lentils

3 cans of tri-beans (or use whatever beans you like)

2 cups of veggie broth

Simmer everything covered until lentils are tender. I simmered on low for about an hour and it was perfect.

Top with cheese of choice, I used a cashew mozzarella and it was super tasty!!

Please note : I use all organic ingredients but feel free to use what you‘re comfortable with.