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–+ servings

Vegan Chili

Loaded with hearty lentils and two kinds of beans, this chili tastes even better the next day!
5 from 1 vote
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Course Main Course
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 7 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 heaping tbsp mild chili powder
  • 1 heaping tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 heaping tbsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • Liberal dashes of fresh black pepper
  • 8 oz good beer I used Sam Adams lager, but see note for advice on choosing a beer
  • 4 cups water plus extra as needed
  • 1 cup dried brown lentils
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans rinsed and drained (15 oz can) *
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto beans rinsed and drained (15 oz can) *
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • The juice from 1 whole lime

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat a large stockpot over medium-high heat, then sauté onion in olive oil with a big pinch of salt for 5 minutes, until onion is translucent.
  • Then add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, followed by all of the spices (chili powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, salt, cloves, pepper...pre-measure them all into a small bowl so you can dump them in all at once) and toast for about a minute.
  • Add 8oz of beer and deglaze pan, then add 4 cups of water and lentils, cover the pot, and bring to a boil. Boil for 20 minutes, checking in on things and giving it an occasional stir.
  • Add crushed tomatoes and beans, stir it all up, then cover the pot again and turn the burner down to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir it a few times until the lentils are nice and tender. During this 30 minutes, take note of how much liquid is cooking off -- you may want to add up to 2 cups of water to thin the chili out to your desired consistency.
  • Once finished, turn off the burner, add lime juice, maple syrup and taste for seasoning. Sometimes I’ll add a bit more salt or pepper, or any of the other spices you think it might need. I always find most chili recipes are far too mild for my liking so I use a heavy hand with spices so it’s extra hearty, warm, and satisfying. Nothing worse than bland chili, am I right?

Notes

*note on beans: you can also use black beans, white beans, chickpeas...really, whatever you have on hand. This is a great recipe to use up half-full bags of dried beans in the pantry, just make sure you soak and cook them before using them in here!
*re: beer. Here is a good piece on how to choose beer for chili.
*This chili tastes even better the next day. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days, or freeze in smaller portions to thaw and enjoy later. You may need to add a bit of water when you reheat leftovers as the lentils and beans absorb liquid from the chili.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!