Yeah, I know, it’s 90 degrees outside and most people don’t want to be eating chili right now, but I’m a year ’round chili eater. Especially back in the day when I worked in a building that kept their AC set to 68 and it felt like winter all year long. I know I’m not the only one who suffers in summertime office AC, so this one goes out to all you fellow members of the always cold club. And the rest of you? Just bookmark this page and set a reminder in your phone to revisit this awesome Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili two months from now. ;)
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It’s All About The Toppings…
I’ve written and priced this recipe for Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili as just the chili itself, without toppings because toppings are very personal, and often depends on what is already on hand. I love adding something creamy (cheese, sour cream, or avocado), something green (green onion, cilantro, or avocado), and sometimes something starchy (tortilla chips, oyster crackers, cornbread, or crusty bread for dipping). Make the chili your own with the toppings and take advantage of this opportunity to use up some leftovers from your fridge!
Vegetarian or Vegan?
The chili itself is actually vegan! But I titled it with vegetarian because I’m picturing it with non-vegan toppings, but you can customize that to your needs. ;)
Freezer Friendly
This chili is extremely freezer friendly, so as soon as you’re done cooking it, I suggest dividing it into single portions. Once those portions have cooled completely in the fridge, transfer at least a few to your freezer for long term storage. You can take one out at a time whenever the craving for chili hits and reheat either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove.
Chili Seasoning Short Cut
For this recipe, I used a slightly modified version of my Homemade Chili Seasoning, but if you want a shortcut you can use a store-bought packet of chili seasoning in its place. But I have to say, I think the herbs and spices listed in the recipe below will definitely yield a better result. ;)
Serve with a side of Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread
Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili
Servings 6 1.5 cups eachIngredients
- 1 yellow onion ($0.33)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
- 1 15oz. can petite diced tomatoes (with juices) ($0.48)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.48)
- 1 15oz. can black beans, drained ($0.59)
- 1 15oz. can kidney beans, drained ($0.59)
- 1 cup brown lentils, uncooked ($0.70)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil* ($0.13)
- 4 cups vegetable broth ($0.52)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker along with all the other ingredients and stir to combine.
- Place a lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours (or low for 8 hours). After cooking, the lentils should be tender. Taste the chili and add salt to taste, if needed (this will depend on the salt content of your broth).
- Serve the chili hot, with your favorite toppings.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
How to Make Slow Cooker Lentil Chili – Step by Step Photos
Dice one onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker along with one 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (with their juices), one 6 oz. can of tomato paste…
One 15 oz. can black beans (drained), one 15 oz. can kidney beans (drained), one cup of uncooked brown lentils…
1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper (about 20 cranks of a pepper mill). If you don’t have a well stocked spice cabinet, you can substitute one packet of store bought chili seasoning.
Also add 4 cups vegetable broth and 2 Tbsp coconut oil. I like to use coconut oil because it has a similar mouth feel to animal fats (because it’s a solid saturated fat), but you can use your favorite fat or oil in its place. Give everything a good stir to distribute the spices and tomato paste.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours (or low for eight hours). Once it has cooked the lentils should be tender. Give it a taste and add salt if needed.
Then grab whatever toppings you have in your fridge and GO TO TOWN.
Each bowl can be unique, which means leftovers of this Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lentil Chili will be a little less tiring…
But don’t you just want to dive in, tho?? 🤤
I’ve made this recipe many times over (as written and modified for my mood). I make this guy in my instantpot, slow cooker mode and pressure mode depending on how impatient I am. This is truly one of my favorite recipes. I’ve gotten so many compliments when I bring it to work for lunch, as the aroma fills the office with nostalgia for so many people.
I love the fact that the hardest part of this whole thing is chopping up the onion and mincing the garlic. I learned a lot about the kind of flavor profiles I prefer just from using this recipe and building off of it. I love how I now have a go-to chili seasoning I can use for taco meat, because of it. So really, thank you for this. I came in looking for something to put in a brand new instantpot and came out years later with more knowledge about food I actually enjoy.
I’m looking to triple this recipe for a potluck – how much room does it typically take up in the slow cooker/will I be able to do it in one batch? Thank you!!
We used a 5-quart slow cooker and had some room leftover. You MIGHT be able to double it in 5 quart, but it will be right up to the top, if not overflowing.
This is dope. I just made this today for the first time, and it turned out great. I cooked it according to the recipe, save for a couple small things. One, I don’t have a super strong sense of taste so when I make recipes off the internet I generally double all the spices except for heat (cayenne) and salt (…well, salt). This was very flavorful. I didn’t have a pepper grinder so I just added about a teaspoon of black pepper and that seemed about right.
Cooked for the whole 8 hours and in my bowl added some mild cheddar, avocado, cilantro and green onion. Splashed a little Cholula in for a finish because she is my favorite lady. I think this is one I will be making again.
I bought a bag of TVP on a whim this weekend. Would it be a good addition here?
This is easy, delicious, healthy, and budget friendly. My grandson had 4 helpings the first time I made it. Used evoo since I didn’t have coconut oil, and half of the cumin (I’m not a huge cumin fan).
Trying to do oil free, will this still taste delicious? Don’t want to mess it up :) thanks for any help!
It will still taste great!
I love this recipe so much honestly, I’ve been making it for about 4 years now and I still enjoy it every time… It’s cheap, relatively easy to prepare, and leaves a lot of leftovers
This came out perfectly, so easy, and my entire family loved it! Make it tonight!!
How can I modify it if I don’t have a slow cooker? :D
Check out this comment left by a reader who adapted it! https://www.budgetbytes.com/slow-cooker-vegetarian-lentil-chili/comment-page-9/#comment-675637 you can also take a look at our vegan winter stew, it has similar ingredients, but it’s made on the stove. It will give you a good idea of how long to cook the chili! https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-winter-lentil-stew/
What size crock pot to use for this recipe?
We used a 5 quart!
Any suggestions for making this on the stove? I don’t own a slow cooker, but really want to try this out!
If you want to take a look at our vegan winter stew, it has similar ingredients, but it’s made on the stove. It will give you a good idea of how long to cook the chili! https://www.budgetbytes.com/vegan-winter-lentil-stew/
I just made this on the stove top — we don’t have a slow cooker either. I sauteed the savories in the oil to soften, stirred in the spices real quick to let them bloom, and then added everything else as written except reduced the liquid to 3 cups (1 cup less, since there would be less time for evaporation). Brought to a boil and then reduced the heat, covered the pot, and barely simmered for 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Longer lets the flavors marry, so it’s more about today’s schedule and patience level!
It was a hit! Freezes well too. Next time I’m making a double batch!
This hit the spot!!! I used frozen chopped onion (that’s what I had on hand) and added frozen roasted corn (since I had a half open bag). Just had three bowls and am so content. THANK YOU!
Were the onions supposed to be sautéed first? They are raw after 4 hours of slow cooking. I almost sautéed before with the garlic but decided to be very literal with the directions.
That’s very odd! No, they should definitely be fully cooked and soft after that long. Were you cooking on high? Was everything else cooked through? The only other thing I can think of is maybe the onion itself was tough some reason.
Delicious! Made exactly as written and turned out so well. Love a hands off, cheap, filling meal with tons of leftovers for the freezer! Thanks!
I’m very new to cooking, I’ve been living off of frozen meals that didn’t make me feel happy or healthy. Your recipes have inspired me to start cooking, and this is absolutely amazing! I can’t believe I cooked something that tastes so good. Thank you!
Would this be okay to make with green lentils?
The type of lentils I used here are sometimes labeled “green lentils” it just depends on the brand. To find out if it’s the same kind, check the cooking instructions on the back of the bag. If it says to boil or simmer for about 20 minutes, they will work in this recipe. If it’s a lentil variety that needs more like 45 minutes to an hour to cook, I’d need to test it first to see if they’ll work in the slow cooker.
This is the best vegan/vegetarian chili I’ve ever had, and I’ve been vegan for about 7 years. I love the simple ingredient list, and the fact that this chili is packed with flavor and protein without the use of meat substitutes.
I’m usually a terrible cook but this recipe is pretty hard to f*** up. It’s so easy and tasted great!
Another Budget Bytes winner! So many layers of rich flavor, and SO easy – I dumped everything in the crock pot before work, and came home to a delicious dinner (and a great-smelling house).
Made this recipe in my instant pot instead, swapped out the coconut oil for vegetable oil as I didn’t have any on hand and wanted to keep cost down. Swapped beef broth for the vegetable broth purely for preference and added a small serano pepper for just a bit more kick.
Based cooking time on the lentils, instant pot recommends 10 minutes for brown lentils, so went with that.
It turned out amazing, the chili should hopefully get even hotter overnight, and the spice level came out juuuust under truly hot, so a jalapeño should be just fine for anyone looking for a bit more kick, but nothing too crazy.
Total instant pot cook time was around an hour. Had it sit for natural release for 30 minutes after the pressure cycle, and then vented because I got impatient lol.
So yummy! Swapped coconut oil for olive oil. Onion powder bc I didn’t have an onion. 9 oz of tomato paste. 3 cups of broth. Def will make again!
This recipe means so much to my family. We’re all meat-lovers, but I made this one day because meat is so expensive and money is tight. All the meat-lovers in my family genuinely LOVE this meal, and get excited when I tell them I’m making it. Even the 2-yr-old likes it!
I’ve made it as written, I’ve made it with different spices, I’ve made it with different beans, or chickpeas instead of beans, or double the lentils and half the beans, with different combinations of broth or water or bouillon—all based on whatever is left in the pantry. It has been delicious every time. I made it in the crockpot the first few times, but these days I usually make it in the Instant Pot (10 minutes on high pressure; natural release for 20 minutes).
It always feeds my family of four for at least 3 dinners—sometimes 4. We’ll eat it for days in a row. A scoop of it over scrambled eggs, grits, or toast for breakfast is also wonderful!
This recipe is firmly a part of our family culture now. Thank you, Beth!
So good, and so easy! I didn’t have chili powder, so I used creole seasoning (I didn’t add an extra salt). This was super yummy and very easy to put together.
Have made this a few times with swaps based on whatever I have and always love it. Times are particularly tight with the obv inflation but also moving and car repairs so looked in my cupboards to determine what to make for my Sunday meal prep. This immediately came to mind when I spied my lentil jar. Even when times are harder, we eat well. Your site and cookbook have helped me greatly over the years. Thank you
My husband really liked this recipe especially the leftovers. He said the spices were nicely balanced.
My whole family is obsessed with this recipe! I was out of vegetable broth so I used beef broth but it was still delicious! I also sautéed the onions first. Yum!
I made this the other night in an Instant Pot… I sautéed the onions and garlic in a little olive oil first, then put everything in the IP. Cooked on high for 30 minutes, natural release for 20 then quick release. The time might have been overkill (I saw someone else post that they did it in the IP for 15 minutes, then quick release) but the way I did it came out really good. My only very minor complaint was that I wish the liquid was a little thicker, but seriously it’s such a minor issue, and maybe slow cooking it results in thicker liquid.
Love your recipes Beth! I was wondering if you would have a suggestion if I wanted to substitute more lentils in place of the can of black beans. Would you happen to know off the top of your head how much more lentils+broth would work?
Sorry, we haven’t developed the recipe without the black beans and don’t have accurate measurement to share with you. XOXO -Monti
Thoughts on adding a Tbsp of vinegar to help it pop? Have seen this elsewhere. Thanks! Your website is a go-to and I recommend it often.
I have made this in an instant pot on the slow cooker setting. I strongly recommend first using the sauté setting for the onion and garlic, or the chili will have a strong raw onion taste. Or if you can’t sauté in the cooker, do it separately in a pan before adding to the cooker. Also nice to add in some Impossible burger or some plant-based sausage or meatballs when you sauté the onion and garlic. I also cook longer than the recipe – about 7 hours on high. And I like to use about double the onion and garlic.
With these tweaks, it’s a delicious, simple chili recipe!!
I’m going to try this recipe as it sounds really good. I’m wondering though, do you think it would work to use beef broth instead of vegetable? I have a really fussy eater, and presenting it as “vegetarian” chili would likely cause upturning of the nose before he even tried it … I’m thinking beef broth may give it a meat taste that would make it less likely to be sneered at.
Yep, absolutely. :)
I want to love this because it smells great, and is easier than my other vegan chili, but …. Why is it more like lentil soup with beans than chili? 4 cups broth looked like a lot when I poured it in and after 8 hours it’s still much too much broth. Where did I go wrong?
You can try smashing some of the beans, that should thicken it right up for ya! :)
I made this recipe a couple of weeks ago for my wife & I, as well as my sister-in-law and her husband. It was a total hit. I did however make two modifications (1) I sautéed the onions and garlic until translucent and fragrant before adding everything else to the pot and (2) I made it stovetop. After all the ingredients were in the pot and it came to a rapid boil, I lowered the heat to low, and let it simmer for an hour. The flavor and texture was perfection. Today I’ll be making it again, since we have a friend coming over. We’re sure he’ll love it.
Made this and it was delicious. Used cannellini beans instead of black beans. Topped with cheese and sour cream, would’ve used avocado if I’d had it… So good.
Great flavor and fulfilling. Just wasn’t a fan of the lentils. If you’re sensitive to textures, I suggest red lentils or a different bean. Thank you for the recipe.
This is a great recipe, and has become one of my favorites. I’ve already made it a few times in the past few weeks!
This is an awesome recipe. Followed it exactly, and served it on rice with a spoonful of guac on top. Absolutely delicious. Not vegan myself but my housemate is and he loved it.
Ended up with heaps left over and it still tasted great reheated for lunch. It’s definitely going to be part of my regular rotation.
The chili seasoning link goes to Easy Apple Crisp instead just so you know!
Thank you!
This was great! It made a ton and the leftovers froze well. Would definitely make again.
This is so good! I made with red lentils and added sweet potatoes. Wonderful flavor and perfect on a cold, snowy night!
This has been a fall and winter favorite of me and my husband for a few years now. I almost always have a few quart bags of this frozen for easy dinners. I made a fresh batch last night and found two quarts in the freezer – whoops! I know it’ll all get eaten though.
Delicious! My meat-loving husband says it’s a keeper! To appease him, I used 1/2 lb of ground chuck in place of half the lentils. I also cooked this on the stovetop and let it simmer for a few hours, but otherwise followed the recipe. The seasoning was spot on.
This chili is so good it made me write my first review ever! This is so tasty and well seasoned. Huge fan.
This was the first recipe I made from this site and it turned out extremely well. Between sour cream, cheese, and avocado, it was easy to dress it up in different ways and I finished it all by myself within a few days.
I’ve been a vegetarian for years who struggles with protein. I love this soup and make it nearly weekly. My non-vegetarian s/o loves it too. Especially good with rice. Been able to substitute beans as necessary for what I have on hand. Flavorful and filling.
This is my go to plant based chili recipe! The flavors are perfectly balanced in my opinion. I made it in the instant pot by sautéing the garlic and onion right in the pot then added the rest of the ingredients and cooked on high pressure for 15 minutes with a quick release. Delicious!
Just made this with green lentils, and it’s fantastic! One question- could I use dried beans instead if I soak them overnight before adding to the slow cooker? Thanks!
I wouldn’t use dry beans for this recipe for two reasons. Kidney beans contain a natural GI toxin that needs to be boiled heavily for at least ten minutes to break down and slow cookers usually don’t get quite hot enough to accomplish that, so it’s not a good idea to ever cook kidney beans from dry in a slow cooker. Black beans tend to make everything blue-ish black when they’re cooked with other ingredients, so it would probably make this chili look fairly unappetizing.
For people asking about using dried beans— I didn’t have lentils so I used dried great northern beans along with dried kidney beans and black beans. I soaked them all together for 8-10 hours then boiled them for 30 mins before adding to this recipe to finish cooking in the slow cooker.
It worked well!
Great recipe :) I added bell peppers, frozen kale, and a little cinnamon but kept the rest the same and it was really delicious.
Thanks for sharing! Made it in our slow cooker on high for 3.5 hrs and it was great! No one missed having the meat in it, either.
Thanks this turned out really great. used the instant pot. I love the lentils in it and the flavor. thanks Beth!
One of our favorite chili recipes now. So easy!
This chili recipe is a my go-to. I’ve made it, usually with a variation here or there, many times and it’s always a hit. My husband and kids love it and even my extended family were fans. This recipe will please vegans and non vegans alike. I always make a double batch because it goes quickly and I usually substitute half the lentil quantity for split red lentils and it really thickens the chili up. Sometimes I add a meat substitute, I’ve used various brands and they’re always good, but it’s delicious without as well.
hi could only find green lentils or canned brown can i use either….ThanX
Sometimes brown lentils are labeled green (there is no real consistency here). So just check the cooking instructions on the package. You want the kind that cook in about 20 minutes, not the kind that takes 45 minutes of simmering.
thanX Beth making tonight
I made this in the Instant Pot instead of slow cooker for a fast dinner – sautéed the onions & garlic, then put everything else in the IP for 15 minutes, Quick Release. Didn’t change a thing about the recipe ingredients-perfect chili flavor. Hubs didn’t even miss the meat with the chili flavors and chunky bean lentil mix. Added 1/2 tsp of salt after it was done cooking. Served as vegan with corn muffins and avocados. Perfect! This will be on our regular rotation now that the cold midwest winter temps have set in. Great recipe – Thank you!
Thank you for instant pot info. About to try it now!
Is this ok to freeze? Not sure how lentils freeze. Thanks!
Yes, lentils freeze great. :)
Can I use red lentils?? Love this recipe!
Red lentils tend to break down and lose their shape really easily, so it would turn out with a texture a bit more like split pea soup. Their flavor is a bit more mild, too, IMHO. So there definitely will be both flavor and texture changes if you try this with red lentils.
I make this on the stove top and it is great.
Did you make any modifications for stovetop?
This chili is so delicious and wonderful! It was super easy to make and made my whole apt smell amazing!
I rarely comment on recipes, but this one was a winner!!! Such a quick, easy and delicious vegetarian/vegan recipe. Perfect meal prep for a busy week.
I was wondering about the oil. I see no need to add oil to a recipe when I am sautéing anything I have made chili and bean soup recipes tons of times and never added oil. but I hate to make it and at the end it doesn’t taste right so I though I would ask. Why add oil at all?
Adding fat to this recipe makes the soup a little richer, and carries the flavors better. I’ve also found adding a bit of fat to something with a lot of tomatoes make it taste a bit smoother.
Very yummy – after it came out of the slow cooker I found it to be quite watery, so I finished it off by simmering it on the stove uncovered. Will do this again, or may try adding cornflour to thicken it up, as I’m hesitant to add less liquid for the cooking.
Hi I’m new to cooking so I’m sorry if this is a stupid question.
Can you show me how 4 cups vegetable broth (about 32oz) cost $0.52? At my grocery store, 32oz of broth of various types usually cost $1.50.
Thank you so much!
You can find out more about our recipe costs here https://www.budgetbytes.com/how-to-calculate-recipe-costs/
If you use Better Than Bouillon it is a LOT cheaper than buying actual liquid vegetable broth! I think that may be where the price in this recipe came from.
Delicious! My husband and I love beef or turkey chili, but this was a great alternative. Served it with shredded cheese, greek yogurt, and cornbread on top! Cooked on high for 4 hours and low for another hour and it was perfect.
This chili was SO delicious! I made it a few weekends ago and I can’t wait to make it again this weekend!
Made this today with olive oil instead of coconut, and I used chicken broth, because I prefer it over vegetable broth. Came out really good, but a little heavy on the onions for me, and I only used 1/2 the onion. Next time, I will use 1/4 onion, and blend the tomatoes first with my immersion blender, to make them a little less chunky. Like others, it did take a little longer for the lentils to cook. I cooked it in the slow cooker for 4 hrs in Hugh, and 2 hours on low.
I made this over the weekend and it is amazing! It has such good flavor and is so filling. I took the easy route and used frozen diced onions, so all I had to do was chop the garlic and open a few cans. The prep could not have been easier! I highly recommend this recipe.
If using stove top, what cooking time would you recommend please?
I’m looking forward to trying this tonight however I just gave it a quick taste after cooking 8hrs on low and my lentils are still hard…not raw but not soft and need more cooking. Should I have soaked them?
I did not soak my lentils. 8 hours should have been plenty of time, so I wonder if your slow cooker’s low setting is extra low? Or if the lentils are old? Sometimes beans and other pulses don’t ever soften if they are too old.
Great flavor! I didn’t have enough lentils so I finished the cup with quinoa. Perfect.
LOVE this recipe, but can’t seem to find the nutritional information. Any help with calories per serving?
We only recently brought on a Registered Dietician to our team. She’s working hard behind the scenes to update the entire recipe database, over 1500+ recipes, with nutritional information. She’s working her way from the newest recipes back and it takes some time to update them all. Stay tuned!
Obviously it’s full of fiber! 😉
I calculated it as I cooked it in My Fitness Pal, and it came out as around 213 cal per serve – without any sides (e.g. the avocado, corn chips etc. were additional). Keep in mind this is based on the ingredients I used in Australia, but might give you a rough idea?
Can I used canned lentils?
Since canned lentils are already cooked and have absorbed all their liquid, you will need to reduce the amount of broth in the recipe or else the end result will be more soupy. It’s hard to say how much without testing it, but I’d guess somewhere around 1-2 cups broth instead of 4.
Made this in a pressure cooker as some others have mentioned. I sauteed the onion and garlic in the coconut oil for 5 minutes. Cooked on high pressure for 10 minutes and let it naturally release for 10 minutes before quick releasing. Tasted amazing! I used frozen black beans i had previously made, just threw them in straight from the freezer.
We needed a quick dinner so we made this in the Instant Pot instead. We cooked it for 10 minutes at high pressure, then a quick release after 5 minutes. It came out perfectly! For vegans or anyone else who has an Instant Pot, this is a great “go to” recipe for when you need a quick dinner with a minimum of work from items you can easily keep on hand.
We tried this twice, with lentils each time. The flavor was decent, but the lentils, even after 6 hours on high, were like little rocks. Even tried this on the stove top with similar results. The lentils were just crunchy and not good. Made it a third time, subbing in lean ground chicken mince and, well, wow! The flavor was way better overall; it turned out wonderfully.
Maybe you put too much salt?
when you cook hard beans / lentils in the slow cooker you have to add salt and seasonning after they’ve softened or it will never happen!
did you try soaking the lentils over night before using them? That’s usually the trick :-)
Made a double batch of this in my 8 quart instant pot last night because I didn’t have time for the slow cooker. I sauteed the onions in some olive oil on the saute setting first, then dumped everything else in. I cooked on high pressure for 8 minutes and let it do a natural release because I had the time. The lentils weren’t falling apart, but in hindsight I could have probably done 6 minutes. It was great!
This recipe was AWESOME! I Love to cook…and reading over many vegan chili recipes liked the sound of this one…my son in law is Vegan and I was visiting them for the Holidays…Thumbs up to you! The Smoked Paprika really set if off for me…I’m back home making it today for myself
Happy to hear you loved it as well as everyone else! Great work Sharon
Really satisfying, richly flavoured chilli! I’m trying to do meatless meals more often for environmental reasons and this one fits the bill. I squeezed it into a small slow cooker by adding 1 cup less vegetable broth and used fire-roasted diced tomatoes since it was what was in the pantry, but everything still balanced and cooked beautifully! Especially with a bit of cheese and green onion garnish, this thing is the real deal!! Thanks for another great recipe! Happy belly :)
Thank you Catherine!
The 1 Tbsp of Chili Powder was way too spicy for me!!! Gonna have to reduce it next time I make this.
The lentils didn’t seem to cook too well in my Tefal All-In-One CY505E40 Cooker on the Slow Cooker setting. Has anyone got tips for conversion to different machines?
Can you double this recipe in a 8 quart crock pot?
We haven’t tried it yet Melissa but you can certainly try!
Could you make this with ground beef instead of lentils? I’m looking for a non vegetarian chili recipe.
You could try it Danielle but we have a great chili here that may be more up your alley https://www.budgetbytes.com/basic-chili/
As usual, this recipe did not disappoint!
I didn’t read the directions initially and didn’t notice this was a slow cooker recipe, so I ended up making it on the stove top.
I added a poblano pepper and 2 large carrots. Otherwise kept everything the same.
My 6 yr devoured it and asked to take it to school tomorrow!
That’s a win all around! Great work Cinda!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe. Tonight is my 6th time making it. It’s delicious. I’m cooking it tonight and it will be done just before I get up. Even my carnivorous son loves it. I haven’t put the coconut oil in. I’m not sure what to buy at the store as I’ve never used it before. The seasonings are awesome. This has such wonderful flavor. Thank you.
That’s awesome! You can just swap olive oil for the coconut.
Can I use red or French green lentils instead of brown?
Thank you
Red lentils break down very quickly when cooked, so instead of holding their shape in the chili like the brown lentils, they’ll just turn into mush. That might not bother some people, but you’ll definitely end up with a different texture than what’s pictured. :)
This chili was fantastic and as a rule I don’t even like chili to begin with! My daughter gave me the recipe when I told her I had some lentils I didn’t know what to do with. I was really skeptical that I would like it, but I made it anyhow because my son is vegetarian. We both absolutely loved it and will definitely make it again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Laurie! :)
I can’t find lentils in any local stores, can I substitute something like quinoa?
I’ve seen recipes for quinoa chili before, but never tried it myself, so unfortunately I’m not sure just how well it would perform in this recipe.
Fall has arrived in the Midwest, and this chili is exactly what we needed today. It was super easy to make and extremely flavorful. This one will definitely make the regular rotation. Thanks!
Finally right Ginny! Happy to hear you liked it!
Hi I am just wondering what the fat content per serve is for this recipe without all the optional toppings.
Can you please let me know?
Thanks
Natalie
Thanks for the request! We do get that request a lot, but unfortunately we don’t have a reliable source for the nutrition information. The calculators and databases that most bloggers and websites use to calculate the info can be extremely inaccurate, and for something that can so severely impact the health of people with health conditions, we just don’t feel comfortable publishing unreliable numbers. We prefer to leave it up to the reader to use the database or calculator they trust. I’m sorry and I wish accuracy were easier than shipping the food off to a lab for analysis!
Very flavorful and filling!
Is there a way to prepare this without a slow cooker?
It should be pretty easy to convert to stove top. I haven’t tested it so I can’t give exact instructions, but you should be able to just add all the ingredients like you do in the slow cooker, bring it up to a boil, then turn it down to low and let it simmer until the lentils are tender.
TLDR yes, you absolutely can make this without a slow cooker.
So I’ll chime in here and say that this recipe is nearly identical to the basic chili recipe from this same site, the differences being no brown sugar (why Beth?), four cups of broth, and less salt (because of the broth). And of course lentils vs ground meat. I also add the optional smoked paprika, because once you try it, it’s no longer optional.
I LOVE the basic chili recipe and make it all the time. Usually I’ll use TVP in place of meat, but I will also often use lentils instead and can tell you it’s delicious. If doing lentils, I cook the lentils in the broth with the onion and garlic, then add the rest of the ingredients (omit the cup of water from the basic recipe since you used broth cooking the lentils) and simmer on low for about an hour. I eat this all the time.
I just found the lentil slow cooker version about a week ago and I’m making it today, and I’m kinda kicking myself for not just dumping everything in the pot and cooking the lentils while simmering the chili, but I never claimed to be the sharpest tool in the shed.
Great tips Scott!
How come the stuff in the image isn’t on the ingredients list, such as avocado, sour cream, etc? It would be hard to replicate the image and stay in the cost range.
They’re optional toppings that not everyone wants to include. So we keep them out of the ingredient list for that reason.
You can save a couple bucks by buying dried beans and cooking them yourself! Then you can buy an avocado for the topping. 😃
This recipe is fantastic. I’ve been looking for a good, easy, and budget friendly recipe like this. Absolutely mouth watering, I can’t wait to try more recipes! I am so glad I found your site.
We’re happy you found us!
Would I be able to combine everything except the lentils and freeze it. Then pop in the slow cooker and add lentils when I cook it?
It’s hard to say. I’d really have to test out that method to know if it would work or if it would need some tweaking.
This looks really good. Especially since I’m hungry right now ( everything looks good when you’re hungry.) What other veggies would make good additions? I want to add some bell peppers ( red are my favorite) and something else. Does anyone else have any ideas? I just think it might need more veggies. I’m around food all day (I’m a prep cook) and you’d think I’d have more ideas.
Sweet potatoes are always awesome in chili!
Hi Beth, just wondering what size slow cooker you used for this recipe? Thanks!
I’ve had this one for about 15 years now, so I’m not exactly sure, but I believe it’s a 6 quart.
Super fast to throw in the crockpot for a Sunday workday but having company later. It’s perfect! Doubled it for friends and leftovers for lunch. Love!
Use refined coconut oil and it won’t have a coconut taste at all, and you get all the benefits.
My family’s favorite chili recipe, bar none. Something about the lentils gives it a meaty feel (even without the coconut oil). The smoked paprika makes it really special.
Are uncooked lentils the same as dried lentils? I soaked my lentils for a few hours and put in 1 cup… hopefully I did it right…
Yes, uncooked and dried are the same, but you do not need to soak them. They cook quickly, even without soaking, unlike beans. They will expand in volume when you soak them, so if you measured after soaking you’ll have an incorrect amount.
I added 1 tablespoon liquid smoke, 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, 2 sweet potatoes (cubed), and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice at the end. I looove the sweet-savory flavors mixing together, so good. I calculate about 1800 calories with my additions, 1400 without. Might just be my slow cooker, but after 3.5 hours on high it started simmering pretty hard, so I turned it off since it was done.
Correction: 1 tsp of liquid smoke, not a tablespoon.
This is easy and delish! I drained and rinsed my beans, just because I usually like to with canned beans. I poured myself a bowl right after 4 hours on high and then realized a few bites in that the lentils were still a little bit undercooked (not all of them, just the occasional semi crunchy one). I ate my bowl anyways (oops) and ended up letting the rest of the chili cook on low for an additional 2 hours while I watched a movie and the leftovers today taste perfect! And nothing suspicious happened to me from the slightly underdone bowl. I think I was guilty of stirring too often and maybe that’s why the lentils needed longer. Topped it with pepper jack and sour cream and it is great!
This recipe is delicious! I made it on the stove top and followed some of the guidelines from other comments. I left the lentils out until about 20 minutes before the chili was done simmering. Freezes well, too!
Absolutely fantastic and my favorite recipe from BudgetBytes. We’ve made this chili every Sunday for the past 3 weeks and it is perfect for our week-end meal with toppings of freshly shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream, some chopped green onion, sliced avocado, and crinkled tortilla chips as suggested. Aside from our Sunday night meal, we always have enough servings that we use for several lunches or leftover dinners for the chilly weekdays. Very hearty – love it!
This is my favorite for making lunches all week! Thank you for this!
Great chili but needs more liquid. It comes out too dry. I would add one to two coups of broth.
Do you need to soak the lentils overnight before making the chili?
Please help!
Nope, brown lentils cook very quickly with no soaking required. That’s why they’re one of my favorite ingredients. So much easier than beans! :)
Have made this 2 or 3 times!
I made this recipe for dinner with a few changes. Added in a healthy amount of liquid smoke, two small sweet potatoes (orange not white), a bit of bittersweet chocolate. I did have to switch back to sauté after cook time was up to thicken and finish cooking sweet potatoes. What I ended up with was an immediate success to my wife ( a bit of a picky eater and vocal when it misses the mark). Re-heats extremely well and freezes too! With about 2 cups of reheated some corn chips a few sunnyside up eggs and some melty cheese or cojita cheese instant chilaquiles for breakfast. Super filling and is officially in monthly rotation (both the chili and chilaquiles). Thanks for such a great recipe!
Great pantry meal! I don’t have a slow cooker and it’s not really my thing, but I made it on the stovetop. I added the same ingredients but sautéed the garlic and onion in a pan with oil first. I also added some chopped jalapeños (already had them leftover) at the same time. Then I added the tomatoes, beans, broth, and everything else. I did up the spices slightly to taste and subbed beef broth. Heated til boiling then simmered til done. Delicious and thick.
Absolutely delicious!!! I upped the garlic to four cloves and used bacon fat to appease my carnivore husband. This is now a regular in our rotation, he said he can’t tell there’s no meat. Thank you!
This chili is great and my whole family loved it! I adapted this for the Instant Pot – sautéed onion and garlic, added the other ingredients and cooked it all on high pressure for 15 minutes. Delicious and perfect chili texture.
Emma, how long in total did it take for the pressure cooker to cook the chili? I’m hoping to make a double batch of this in the instant pot for friends. Thanks!
Do you recommend rinsing the beans?
I didn’t rinse mine, just drained them. :)
Thank you. I served the chili to a friend, my adult children, and their significant others. It was a big hit. :)
This was easy and cheap to make and went nicely with the frozen garlic bread recipe on here. I might experiment with adding something a little sweet next time as I was missing it a little from my usual chili recipe.
One suggestion, microwave the onions, garlic, paste and oil before adding to the crockpot for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. Softening and blooming these ingredients go a long way, a microwave & crockpot a great combo, who knew?
I accidentally bought WAY too many lentils a while back (planned to make a lentil dish, kept forgetting that I already had some, picked up another bag at the store, repeat), and I love beany chili, so this recipe has been enormously helpful in clearing out my pantry! it’s delicious every time. I like to add in a square of dark chocolate, as well as upping the cayenne for personal taste.
Accidentally buying too many lentils, story of my life! Haha!
I used French green lentils instead of brown because that is what I had on hand. I added them an hour before I added beans and it was the perfect cooking time! I noticed green lentils dont tend to break down as much as brown lentils and they have it a very meaty texture. Great recipe, Beth!
Thanks for sharing that for others, Stephanie! :)
My coop didn’t have brown lentils. I have black or red. Would either of those work?
Red will break down and give you a thicker chili with a little less texture. I’m not sure how long black lentils take to cook, so if they need a long cook time there is a chance that they will not soften completely in the slow cooker without adding a lot of extra time.
So delicious! Question, should you adjust the cooking time if you double the recipe?
I suppose it depends on if your slow cooker takes longer to get the contents of the soup up to the right temperature. Unfortunately it’s kind of hard to estimate without testing. I wouldn’t expect that you’d need to double it, though. If anything probably just an hour or two more.
This vegetarian chili recipe is completely phenomenal. I didn’t have the time for using the slow-cooker, so I preboiled my lentils then threw everything into a pot on the stove with an added tablespoon of maple syrup, and simmered for 45 mins. The flavors were bold, complex, and wonderfully satisfying.
Thank you so much Beth for a wonderful recipe, that will now be on permanent rotation.
Is there any way to thicken this up so that it resembles chili instead of soup??
Yes, the lentils should be very tender, to the point where they are beginning to break down. Slightly mash them as you stir and it should naturally thicken it up to a chili consistency. If they’re not that soft, you may need to cook it a little longer (slow cookers can vary).
My favorite way to thicken chili is to mash some of the beans. As the chili cooks, the mashed beans thicken it up nicely.
This is a keeper! This one is good enough to enter in the chili cook off at work. Made it last night. 4 hours on high then transferred it to the cast iron dutch oven and simmered it on the stove top because I needed the slow cooker to make the slow cooker apple recipe.
I’m making this chili for the second time today – it’s perfect for a chilly, drizzly, Sunday, and will leave me at least a couple delicious lunches from the leftovers! My husband and I both loved this meal with corn muffins last time, but I think I’ll make a cheese quesadilla to enjoy with it this evening. I made the recipe as-is, and it’s a great medium-spicy flavor.
This chili is amazing. The best thing about it is…you can leave it in your crock pot ALL DAY LONG. Like 7am-6pm work day long and it is still delicious! The second best thing about this chili is how quickly it comes together. I just made it for the second time and made a few tweaks – chicken broth instead of veggie, I didn’t cut up an onion or garlic (because, hello I was making this at 6:30am while feeding my two kids breakfast and getting them ready for school) and instead just used powder garlic and onion. I also didn’t measure out the spices and instead used a low sodium McCormick Chili spice pack because…(see above).
My 3 and 4 year old love it!
This just came out of the slow cooker and is absolutely delicious! I used diced toms with jalapeno and habanero and also added a can of hominy! Thank you!!
This is THE best vegetarian chili! It is similar to Forks Over Knives recipe, but SO much more flavorful, and the lentils are a nice addition. I used red lentils because I already had them in the house, but I just threw them in for the last 45 minutes of cooking since they do cook fast. Goes great with avocado and sour cream!
I made this recipe because I wanted sometime simple and bean-y for the slow cooker during the week. I was skeptical as to how well it would turn out – you don’t even brown the onions (let along the spices)! But after a day in the slow cooker (and it turned out to be a long day at the office – so nearly 12 hours later) I had a bowl of this chili and it was fantastic: thick, full of beans, and lots of flavor.
Possible ‘improvements’ for next time might be browning the onions and adding a bit of sweetness – maybe a cinnamon quill or a little bit of maple syrup?
Yum, I love the cinnamon and maple syrup ideas!
Hi Beth, thanks again for a successfull recipe! We enjoyed it so much! I used beluga lentils because I can’t seem to find brown lentils here in The Netherlands. We have something called mountain lentils, and they look brownish, but I haven’t used them ever. Do you happen to know if brown lentils are actually red lentils with their skin still on? Because I read somewhere that mountain lentils are red lentils with their skin on and that would mean our mountain lentils are the same as your brown lentils. Whoa long story, sorry!
forgot to add my rating!
Hmm, no, I don’t think brown lentils are red lentils with their skins. But perhaps those mountain lentils will cook similarly to our brown lentils. :)
Thanks for taking the time to reply!
I was worried about making this because my husband is a big meat eater, but he loved the lentils! The only change I made was that I added a jalapeno pepper with seeds because we like it hot. Next time I will add a teaspoon of cocoa powder for a tiny bit of sweetness. But this is a great recipe that I feel like anyone will love it just as written!
Hi Beth! Would this work with presoaked dried beans (ie. Would they cook up in the slow cooker?) Or would they have to be fully cooked up beforehand? Thanks!
Cooking kidney beans in a slow cooker is not suggested because it doesn’t get quite hot enough to break down one of the kidney beans’ natural compounds, which can be a GI toxin. Because of that and the fact that you’d need to alter the liquid ratio even with soaked beans, I’d suggest just cooking them separately first. :)
@Beth I have red and green lentils already – would either/both work as a substitute for brown lentils?
If you use red lentils they will break down really quickly and give the chili more of a mushy consistency. If you have French green lentils, those usually take twice as long to cook as the brown lentils I used, so I’m not sure if they’ll soften in the slow cooker. If you have the package for the green lentils, check to see the recommended cooking time. If it’s in the neighborhood of 20 minutes (boiling on stove top) they should work fine. If the package recommends boiling for closer to 45 minutes, I’m not sure those will work in this recipe.
Hey Sara! I used green lentils last night and they came out fine. I added them an hour before I added the beans. I hope that helps!
This is the amazing. Meal number 3 my picky family all agrees on.
Speaking of picky…I had to make some changes so my kids would eat it.
I skipped the onions and tomatoes, and just added extra onion powder. Those were my only main changes. It also tasted great with pinto instead of kidneys (didn’t have any on hand). I bet it is crazy good with the tomatoes and onions! Oh well, maybe in 9 years, lol!
Thanks so much for my new multiple-times-a-month recipe!
$0.59 for a can of black beans? Where do you live?
I live in Nashville. Kroger, which is a national chain, has great prices on beans. Aldi also has canned beans for about this same price. :)
I live in Canada and it’s also available here for about $0.70. even less if you use dry beans (and cooking them first)
If you have a Walmart nearby, they also sell canned beans for even less than that, sometimes only like 30 cents.
As I was preparing this, I kept thinking how underwhelming it was going to be and how it would be pushed to the back of the fridge to mold. I’d been craving chili, and even though I had low expectations I decided to throw this together.
I was terribly mistaken- this is amazing! I made it 4 days ago and I’ve eaten it all; I’m planning on making t again next week! I didn’t change anything except for using a pre-packaged chili powder packet that I always use in chilis. This is a fantastic recipe and defied all expectation!
So satisfying. I added a teaspoon of cayenne for a bit more heat.
Followed the instructions exactly and used the high setting on the Crockpot. Perfectly seasoned and delicious. I went with 1-cup rather than 1.5-cup servings (which seemed huge to me), so this recipe is even more economical. :-)
I would think that this could be dehydrated super well to take on hikes..
I have a pretty tiny slow cooker, what size would you recommend as a minimum for his recipe?
I would say a 5 quart minimum.
Do you think I could make this on the stovetop? No room for a slow cooker.
Yes, absolutely. :) Just let it simmer until the lentils are tender, or about 30 minutes. It can go longer if needed and the flavors will just get better.
This turned out amazing! The carnivores loved it! I do need to say that the lentils didn’t cook well on low temp. I had to up the crock temp to finish it off. Other than that it was perfect. Thanks!
Looks yummy and I like the use of lentils. I have no issues with chili in the summer as long as I’m not cooking over a hot stove!
This looks great and similar to something I make often, I will definitely try it! Question – why the coconut oil? I use it often in cooking but curious what it’s purpose is here.
Looks fabulous! My doctor would approve, except for the coconut oil, not allowed that after my cholesterol related stroke. I’m always cold at work, I bring a cardigan every day and always keep a fleece throw there.
Thanks for another easy, delicious-looking recipe!
You are one of my top rated bloggers! You make pretty basic
(but tasty) food and you give detailed directions for making it.
I hear you on the cold office issue. I always have a sweater or shawl handy. Sometimes I wish I could put on a hat!
Would you be able to adapt this to an Instant Pot? I’m obsessed with making stuff quickly at night :)
I believe most slow cooker recipes translate pretty well to the IP, since they are similar cooking methods (one just adds pressure, which makes it faster). That being said, I haven’t tested it in the IP, so I don’t have any specific instructions for doing so.
I used the crock setting on the IP for this but make sure to use the high temp.
I did 20 min on manual and allowed it to natural release for 20 min. Really quite happy with the end product- lentils were soft and delicious.
@Funkyeah – Just wanted to double-check: you were able to pressure cook it in the Instant Pot for 20 minutes? I’m still getting comfortable with my IP, but I love it!
@Beth – And I love Budget Bytes! I’ve been following you for years, and my boyfriend and I have enjoyed every single recipe we’ve tried. You are doing an amazing job. :D
Thank you, Pam!
Can’t wait to try this! I’m always looking for more vegetarian slow cooker recipes, and this looks delicious!
Why use caned beans if you are slow cooking? You can just use uncooked, right?
No, unfortunately you can’t simply swap dry for the canned beans. Dry beans will require using a LOT more liquid in the slow cooker, and the black beans will color the entire pot a dark grey-ish black color. So, while you could make something similar using all dry beans, it would require a lot of other changes to the recipe and the end result would still be slightly different.
You can always just cook your dry beans in advance! Takes a little thinking ahead, but that’s what I do.
Obligatory reminder to soak and boil raw kidney beans for 10 minutes before adding to the slow cooker. http://moderndaymoms.com/do-not-cook-beans-in-the-slow-cooker-until-you-read-this/
I’ve been wanting to add lentils to my diet for ages! I’ll have to make this next week and give it a whirl!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Perfect slow cooker recipe! Similar to my curried lentils, just a slightly different spice profile, no dairy products and some naan as an accompaniment. I hadn’t thought about creating lentil chili, but this one should make DH VERY happy–and provide a lot of lunch satisfaction.
I have all these ingredients on hand, but my lentils are canned…Do you think would still be fine?
Since canned lentils are already cooked and have absorbed all their liquid, you will need to reduce the amount of broth in the recipe or else the end result will be more soupy. It’s hard to say how much without testing it, but I’d guess somewhere around 1-2 cups broth instead of 4.
This looks so good! Could you recommend a way to cook it in an instant pot?
It’s hard to say for sure, since I haven’t tried it, but I think the first thing I would try is the bean/chili setting.
Yeeesss. Year round chili eaters, unite! Will definitely give this one a go soon. Looks delish.