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. ;)
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
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?? 🤤
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! :)