Recipe: Vegan Chili
Red lentils and a duo of beans makes this vegan chili super meaty, and a slew of pantry ingredients impart a ultra-deep, rich flavor.
Serves6 to 8
In this bowl lies every single thing I want in a really good batch of chili. A slew of pantry ingredients leave it with just the right balance of spicy, sweet, and bitter flavors, making this a plant-based pot of chili that will leave you fully satisfied. The chili gets its heft from red lentils and a duo of beans. As a result, it has a texture so meaty, I have to remind myself that there’s not actually any meat in the pot. It checks all the boxes, and then some. If you’re looking for a simple and satisfying vegan chili recipe, this is it!
Use Cocoa Powder + Molasses for a Deeper Flavor
Not only are cocoa powder and molasses baking staples for full-flavored cookies and cakes, but here they are also the power couple responsible for the hearty depth of flavor in this meatless chili. Neither stands prominently at the forefront — instead these pantry ingredients enhance the warmth of the spices and impart subtle undertones, including chocolatey notes from the unsweetened cocoa powder and sweet, bitter notes from the molasses.
Vegan Chili
Red lentils and a duo of beans makes this vegan chili super meaty, and a slew of pantry ingredients impart a ultra-deep, rich flavor.
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons
olive oil
- 1 large
yellow onion, diced
- 2 stalks
celery, diced
- 1 medium
jalapeño, seeded and diced
- 4 cloves
garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon
unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons
chili powder
- 1 tablespoon
ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon
smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon
light or dark molasses
- 1 cup
dried red lentils
- 1 (28-ounce) can
fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 1/2 cups
low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can
black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can
kidney beans, drained and rinsed
For serving (optional):
- 2 medium
avocados, diced
- 4 medium
scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 medium
jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
Instructions
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, and garlic, and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the spices don’t burn. Stir in the molasses and lentils and cook for a minute more.
Add the tomatoes, broth, and beans, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Serve topped with avocado, scallions, and jalapeño, if desired.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers will keep for up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.