This Smoky Black Bean Lentil Chili is a hearty and healthy meal. Seasoned with jalapeño and smoky paprika, this makes the perfect comfort meal on a chilly winter day!
Happy Monday friendly faces! I hope you had a nice, long Christmas weekend. It was an eventful weekend here! Dad flew in early last week to spend quality time with me. That meant he fixed various things around the house while I tested a few healthy recipes of chocolate chip cookies. He will only eat chocolate chip cookies and the family recipe is not so heart friendly so I was a mission to get him to eat something better and the good news is I think I nailed it. Once I get some pics, I’ll be posting the recipe!
On Christmas day Mom flew in to celebrate with us. She was just in time for the Packer-Cardinal game yesterday too. I bought my parents tickets for the game. How many times in your life will you be able to see your favorite team play in your state and only a few blocks from your house? I haven’t been to a Packer game in forever and it was a lot of fun seeing them here in my state!
Can you believe it’s the last week of 2015? When I started seeing new years resolutions posts popping up last week, I was a little annoyed. I mean can we enjoy Christmas first without thinking about the 15 healthy recipes we should be eating in January? Yes, I’m all about the healthy, in case you haven’t noticed, but I really hate it when our culture rushes things hop scotches over the holidays. But now that Christmas is over, it’s time to detox and get some good-for-you food in the body to drown all the holiday sugar and keep you warm this winter starting with this hearty chili!
This is a spin off of my slow cooker vegetarian black bean chili with zucchini. I wanted to make something with lentils so I replaced the zucchini with them and added a whole lot of spice (I love spice). It does have a bit of kick so if you’re sensitive to spicy foods, I recommend you omit the jalapeño and stick with the smoky paprika. Hearty and filling, this chili makes the perfect healthy winter meal. I know what I’ll be eating the next few weeks!
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Smoky Black Bean Lentil Chili
Ingredients
- 1/2 medium white onion diced
- 2 large carrots diced
- 1 medium jalapeño pepper ribs & seed removed & diced
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup black or green lentils
- 2 - 15 ounce cans black beans
- 2 - 6 ounce cans tomato paste
- 1 - 28 ounce can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- dash of salt
- optional toppings: plain nonfat Greek yogurt, cilantro & more jalapeño
Instructions
- Heat a large pot over medium heat, add oil, carrots, onions & jalapeños
- Cook until onion are tender ~5 minutes then add garlic allow to cook 1-2 minutes
- Add cumin, paprika, chili powder, cayenne & salt
- When the spices become fragrant, add vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste & lentils
- Stir to combine then bring to a boil
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover & simmer 20 minutes
- Remove cover, add black beans & cook another 10 minutes
- Serve immediately & add options as desired
- Refrigerate up to a week or freeze up to 3 months
Recipe Notes
Makes 8 servings, 222 calories each, add more for additional toppings
*Can also substitute extra virgin olive oil
Custom Meal Plans
Work with Megan to develop a custom macro or standard meal plan to reach your goals.
What I Used For The Recipe
Do you like spicy foods? How did you celebrate the holidays?
[Tweet “Add a hearty & smoky Black Bean Lentil Chili to your #dinner menu! #vegan”]
There is nothing like a good chili thi time of year. It’s my favorite way to make a meal in teh slow cooker where you can smell the flavor all day long.
Ah yes! Slow cooker anything makes the house smell amazing.
Oh my gosh, Megan, I can’t wait to try this recipe. I love vegan chili, and you had me at jalapenos. 😉 I usually add chipotle peppers to my chili to give it a smoky flavor, but the smoky paprika is a great idea. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You are the first jalapeño lover I’ve met Beth! Hope you love the recipe.
Saw a few photos and it looked like a great weekend! I have the same soup bowl and think it photographs so well – this looks incredibly delicious 🙂
Oh yes, it’s quite versatile.
these past 2 weeks of complete rain and sadness are totally calling for some chili!
YAY for chili weather!
Spicy chili is one of my faves year round! Thanks for linking up today for Meatless Monday have a great week
Wish I could eat it year round. When it’s 115 it’s not on my mind so I have to get my fill during the winter. 🙂
SO happy that both of your parents were there for Christmas, even if the Packers did get smoked (you were cracking me up on IG). I will say that I would rather be at a game (outside) in Arizona than in GB… We’ll be seeing Alex’s family this weekend and my family for a week the weekend after!
Ugh…tell me about it. They played AWFUL! We left during the third quarter. Got booed out of the stadium by jerks sitting behind us.
I love chili, but I’ve never made it with lentils before. This looks delicious!
Thanks Debbie, hope you try it!
I LOVE chili, but I’ve actually never had lentils!? I need to try this and initiate myself 😉
You’ve never had lentils? You really need to try them Morgan, they’re delicious!
Love me some spice too. But Dave doesn’t so I dial it back just a little for him. Daves from Wosconsin so I totally know how passionate Packers fans are. So cool you got to go to a game especially with your parents. Can’t wait for those cookies!!
I still love the Packers even if they did play like cheese yesterday.
My hubby LOVES spicy food, so I will need to try this out!!!
Oh yes! Let me know how he likes it Bri.
Wow I love using lentils in the stew. I would pick lentils over zucchini any day. I am going to have to try it.
Let me know if you do Nicole!
This looks so yummy! Love the bowl, too!
I seriously crave chili at this time of the year, so I’m definitely keeping this recipe in mind. And pinning it, obviously. 😉
Hey girl! It’s so cold, food is the only way to warm up other than a good workout. Hope you had a good holiday!
Sounds like an awesome present for your parents and being from MN I know how serious fellow neighbors get about their Packers. 😉
The holidays here seem to be a week long to almost 2 week sometimes food feast and my body just can’t wait to get back on track. More sugar than usual, treats, and things I don’t usually consume along with the alcohol, lots of coffee, and crazy schedules I start to really really feel it. We host Christmas and usually a New Years party so there is usually a lot of leftover food that needs to get eaten. Luckily this year lots and lots of veggies and fresh fruit but there is a lot of cheese, crackers, carbs, cookies, and treats too.
Love spicy food, my tummy doesn’t handle it as well as it use to but I still try to push the limits! This looks delicious and so warm and comforting! With the snow coming down right now this may have to be on the schedule tomorrow.
I know what you mean about eating so many sweets the week of Christmas and sometimes it follows into the week of New Years too. It always good to get back to fresh and whole foods to balance things out. You can always eliminate the jalapeño in this and it would be equally delicious!
It sounds like you had a nice holiday! I’m excited to see those cookies too. I have a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe for the holidays made with half quinoa flour but other than that, they’re not very healthy.
This chili looks like the perfect meal to ring in a healthy new year with. It got super cold here all of sudden so this looks like heaven to me right about now! 🙂
Would you believe I didn’t write the recipe down? Now I have to make them again to be sure the ingredients are what’s in my head. I’m so bad at that!
I was JUST talking to Lucie about the need to chili. It’s cold and rainy. In San Deigo. Blech.
It’s crazy cold in Phoenix this week too. Supposed to warm up by the end of the week though. My parents were joking that it’s been colder here than in Wisconsin. Guess I should have made the trip there this year.
Oh yum! This sounds perfect for a cold winter day! Thanks for sharing on Marvelous in my Monday 🙂
Welcome! Glad you like it.
Made this for Meatless Monday last night. It was so good! Easy to make, too! Our timing was a little longer. I think the lentils took almost 40 minutes before they were cooked. Great flavor and will definitely be repeating it! Thanks!
Yeah! It’s one of my favorites dishes. Thanks for letting me know Kelli!
Hi Megan… This looks absolutely delish! I see it serves 8, do you happen to know approximately what those 8 servings are each?
No, I portion mine evenly into plastic containers. Maybe 1 or 1 1/2 cups each.