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.
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Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
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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?? 🤤
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?