Red Lentil Chili Recipes

SPICY RED LENTIL CHILI

Steps:

• Bring lentil and 2 cups water to boil on high heat. Turn off heat. Remove half the lentils and liquid. Place in food processor and puree. (Or use stick blender and partially puree in the pot.).
• Melt butter in 3 quart pot. Add onions and sweat without browning about 2 minute Add celery and garlic. Sweat 5 minutes more. Add tomato and cook 5 minutes.
• Add vegetable broth, 2 cups water and seasonings. Bring to simmer.
• Add reserved whole and pureed lentils plus liquid, and cook about 15 minutes, till lentils are tender.
• Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water to make a slurry. Bring chili to boil, add slurry and stir a minute to thicken slightly.
• Turn off heat and add green peppers.

VEGETARIAN RED LENTIL CHILI

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, zucchini, onion, poblano pepper, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook until onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Remove zucchini from Dutch oven and set aside. Add garlic and jalapeno pepper to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add tomato paste, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 1 tablespoon cumin; stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Once liquid boils, stir in kidney beans, black beans, and red lentils.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, leaving lid ajar, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with remaining chili powder and cumin to taste.
• Return zucchini to the pot and reduce heat to low. Cover and allow flavors to blend for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

HEALTHY LENTIL CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Cook until vegetables are just tender and browned in spots, stirring occasionally, about 6 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, oregano and cumin, then continue to cook until fragrant and brick-red in color, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
• Stir in the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, beans (and their liquid), lentils, bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a couple grinds of black pepper. Bring to a steady simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover with a lid and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the chili has thickened slightly, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf and stir in the vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings as desired.

BEEF AND LENTIL CHILI

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook ground beef and onion, crumbling meat, over medium-high heat until beef is no longer pink, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Add next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Add lentils and water. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until lentils are soft, about 1 hour, stirring often. Add water if mixture seems too dry.

RED LENTIL CURRY

Steps:

• Wash the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear. Put lentils in a pot with enough water to cover; bring to a boil, place a cover on the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, adding water during cooking as needed to keep covered, until tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onions in hot oil until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
• Mix curry paste, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt, sugar, garlic, and ginger together in a large bowl; stir into the onions. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato puree, remove from heat and stir into the lentils.