Switch up your chili game with this incredibly easy one pot red lentil chili, made with fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika. Minimal chopping, ready in about a half hour!

red lentil chili in brown bowl with black spoon
Ready in about 30 minutes, this easy one pot red lentil chili has just the right amount of smokiness from canned fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

When I first became a dietitian, I did NOT think of myself as creative. I have always been a big nutrition nerd…so one of the things I love so much about creating plant-based recipes for you, whether on the blog or in one of my cookbooks, is the creativity it takes to think of new and exciting ideas to inspire you (and me!) to eat more plants. 

But I also feed a family, and I feel like I am always walking a tightrope between the comfort of familiar favourites and sudden declarations of boredom/I don’t like that anymore. The creativity that comes naturally in my work is sometimes conspicuously absent at 5PM ha ha. 

We are hardwired to be comforted by the familiar…and there is something so soothing and comforting about a really good pot of chili. So, I have been making my (admittedly very delicious) black bean and sweet potato chili for a looooooong time now. 

And as much as I love it, it was time for something new. Somehow, I had never thought to make chili with red lentils before?!? Dried red lentils cook so quickly and they’re so affordable, making this a really budget-friendly and nutritious dinner to feed a hungry family, serve a crowd on game day or even to meal prep lunches for the week. 

Plus it’s not a lot of chopping – just onion, garlic and red pepper – so you only need about 10 minutes of prep and the whole shebang comes together on the stovetop in about 30 minutes so it’s my new weeknight staple.

If you’re trying to add more plant-based meals to your repertoire, this red lentil chili makes a satisfying Meatless Monday option because it’s a naturally vegan dinner that also happens to be gluten free. Each serving contains about 18 grams of plant-based protein, 10 grams of good-for-your-gut fiber and a whopping 8 grams of plant-based iron. 

How to make this easy vegan red lentil chili

Before we get started, a little heads up about cooking dried red lentils. Because of the acidity of the tomatoes, salt and shorter cooking time in this recipe, they will hold their shape nicely so they have a good texture but should still be tender enough to chew.

Red lentils are the fastest cooking lentil…but if your lentils are quite old, they might take a bit longer to cook or seem tough. If you’ve got the time, just let them go a bit longer (the chili will get even more flavourful!). But you can also add a tiny pinch of baking soda to the chili to speed things up…an actual pinch, because if you overdo it, the whole thing will turn to mush.

Sound good? Now, let’s grab those ingredients. 

red lentil chili ingredients in bowls
Okay, I know this looks like a lot…but it’s mostly pantry stuff!

You’ll need oil, onion, garlic, canned diced tomatoes (I like fire roasted here), chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, frozen corn, one red bell pepper, dried red lentils, a can of navy beans, some brown sugar, cocoa powder, and half a lime. Plus any toppings you love! I like some fresh cilantro here, but diced avocado, pickled jalapeno slices and/or crushed tortilla chips would all be delicious. 

Step One: Cook the onion in oil in a large pot over medium heat until it’s glossy and softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper and stir for a minute so the garlic doesn’t burn. 

Step Two: Next, add the tomatoes, fill the can with water and add that, then add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, cocoa powder, brown sugar, corn and bring to a boil over high heat.

hand pouring red peppers into pot
Cook the onions 5-7 minutes to soften (it’s worth it!), then add the garlic and red pepper and stir for a minute so the garlic doesn’t burn.
hand pouring chili powder into pot
Once that’s done, you’re going to add all of the spices, the corn, the tomatoes and water and bring it to a boil.

Step Three: Once boiling, add the red lentils and navy beans. Return to medium heat and let it bubble away for about 15 minutes, until lentils are tender but not mushy. 

Step Four: Turn off heat, stir in the lime juice and taste. Adjust salt if needed and serve with your favourite toppings.

hand pouring red lentils into pot
Once it’s boiling, just add your lentils and beans and let it bubble away for 15 minutes or so.
hand squeezing lime into pot of chili
Once the lentils are tender, add the lime juice, taste and adjust! Add more salt, some hot sauce..whatever floats your boat.

Flavour notes: this chili has a nice, not-too-heavy smokiness and it’s quite mild…as long as your chili powder (the seasoning blend, not actual ground chile peppers) is mild! So it’s a pretty family friendly flavour profile. Want more oomph? I like to add some hot sauce or jalapeños to my own bowl.

More wonderful red lentil recipes…all plant-based!

red lentil chili in brown bowl with black spoon

Smoky Red Lentil Chili

4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Switch up your chili game with this incredibly easy one pot red lentil chili, made with fire roasted tomatoes and smoked paprika. Fully plant-based but minimal chopping, ready in about a half hour!
5 from 6 ratings
Leave a Review »
Pin Print

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil, or your fave neutral oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes, or just regular diced tomatoes
  • 28 ounce can water, I just use the tomato can to measure the water!
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar, or maple syrup
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 14 ounce can navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup dry red lentils
  • half lime, juiced

Optional Toppings

  • fresh cilantro, minced
  • fresh or pickled jalapeño
  • crushed tortilla chips
Imperial – Metric

Instructions 

  • In a large pot over medium heat, warm the oil and then cook the onion until glossy and softened, 5-7 minutes. Add the red pepper and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for one minute.
  • Add the tomatoes and water, the chili powder, cocoa, paprika, cumin, salt and brown sugar and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Once boiling, add the red lentils, corn and navy beans and return to medium heat. Let it bubble away until lentils are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes.
  • Add lime juice, taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve with your favourite toppings!

Notes

Want to extend this meal to feed a crowd? Serve it with a hearty cooked whole grain like brown rice, quinoa or millet. 
This chili would also be delicious over nachos, chili cheese fries or veggie dogs!
Red lentil cooking note: older legumes can take longer to cook…if the lentils are still tough after 15 minutes, either let them cook longer if you have the time or add a tiny pinch of baking soda to help them break down a bit. Just don’t overdo it!
Cuisine: American
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Author: Desiree Nielsen, RD

You'll Also Love: