What should I serve with this lentil chili recipe?

I love to serve this recipe topped with cilantro and diced jalapeños, red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper to amp up the heat. However, it’s also great with diced tomatoes, avocado slices, dairy-free sour cream, or vegan shredded cheese. It’s filling enough to serve on its own but also pairs well over white rice, brown rice, quinoa , or with a side salad or grain-free naan ! Or, it makes for a great dip with grain-free tortilla chips !

How long do leftovers last?

Stored in an airtight container, leftovers will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Can I freeze this recipe?

Yes! Allow the chili to cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for 1 to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to serve. TIP: If you store your chili in zip-top freezer bags, you can lay it flat. This way, it’ll take up less room in the freezer!

How can I add more protein to this recipe?

Feel free to include beans like black beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans! Or, if you don't need to keep this recipe vegetarian, you can include cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.

Crock Pot Lentil Chili

Description

This BBQ lentil chili recipe combines lentils and fresh veggies in a sweet and tangy BBQ tomato sauce for a flavorful, nutritious, hands-off, comfort food meal!

Ingredients

Units Scale

16 oz red lentils (green lentils will cook more al dente)
1 cup white or yellow onion, diced
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
1 - 2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced bell peppers (about 1 large)
15 ounces canned tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth (3 cups for thicker chili)
1/3 cup Gluten-Free BBQ sauce
1/4 cup unsweetened ketchup or tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon molasses
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard (optional)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Black pepper, to taste
Toppings - cilantro, avocado, and/or dairy-free sour cream

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Instructions

Place lentils in a strainer and rinse thoroughly. Set aside.
Place the onion, garlic, oil, peppers, and tomato in the crock pot, then stir to combine.
Add the rinsed lentils, broth, and remaining ingredients (minus the salt and pepper) into the slow cooker. Stir everything to combine.
Cook on HIGH for 3-4 hours, or LOW for 5 hours. Halfway through cooking time, check for taste and add more seasoning, if needed. Add salt and pepper during the final 10 to 15 minutes of cooking. Salt toughens lentils as they cook, so you don’t want to add it too soon.
Adjust the consistency- Feel free to adjust thickness by adding more broth. Then, stir and continue cooking. See notes if the lentils are not soft enough for you liking.
Once cooked, move to warm mode then serve and garnish toppings of choice.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

*See blog post for stove top option.

Notes

Ingredient Tips – Feel free to omit the ground mustard, Ground mustard adds more depth and complexity to soups and other dishes, but feel free to omit it if you don’t have it on hand.

Prep Tips – Red lentils don’t hold their shape as well as green or black lentils, which tend to cook more al dente. If you are using green or black lentils, they will probably take closer to 4 hours on HIGH, but they’ll be firmer and hold their shape. I found that cooking the red lentils on HIGH for 3 1/2 hours made them soft enough

Consistency Tips – If the lentils aren’t soft enough, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the chili (after cooking), which will help thicken it and improve the texture.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 3 hours
Category: Soup
Method: slow cooker
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1.5 to 2 cups
Calories: 373
Sugar: 11.4 g
Sodium: 949.4 mg
Fat: 3.5 g
Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 65.4 g
Fiber: 12.5 g
Protein: 23.5 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg