This bold and flavorful vegan chili is made with meaty red lentils, creamy kidney beans, and rich aromatic spices. It's a one-pot recipe that can be prepared either on the stove or in an Instant Pot in about half an hour. Whether you're craving a cozy dinner or prepping meals for the week, this chili has you covered!
If you love easy, plant-based chili recipes, you'll also enjoy my black bean chili, jackfruit chili, or seasonal favorite, vegan pumpkin chili. Each one is a different twist on a comfort food classic.
Adapted with permission from Vegan Richa's Instant Pot Cookbook, this red lentil chili is a hearty dinner my family craves on repeat. We love it served with avocado, cilantro, and tortilla chips for scooping.
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Yummy, Easy AND Quick!
- Sylvia
Red lentils are the secret weapon in this vegan chili. They don't need soaking, cook quickly, and break down enough to make the chili thick and satisfying.
Ingredients for red lentil chili
Red lentils: Also known as dried split red lentils, they are softer than brown or green lentils. They practically disintegrate when cooked, resulting in a thick and meaty texture.
You may have tried them in soups like red lentil and potato soup. Look for them in the bulk bins of your local market or in bags in the canned bean aisle.
Tomato paste: Tomato paste helps give the chili its deeper tomato flavor. Left with extra? Try one of these vegan recipes with tomato paste next.
Herbs and spices: While it looks like a lot of ingredients in the above photo, please don't be intimidated. You can easily make substitutions for what you don't have, such as using a ancho chile powder in place of chipotle powder, or simply using more chili powder.
Please see the recipe card for the complete ingredients, measurements, and instructions.
Instant Pot instructions
- Saute the onions, garlic, and jalapeño in a little vegetable broth or water until the onions are soft and slightly translucent.
- Add the celery, carrots, and bell peppers, and saute about 2 more minutes.
- Add the kidney beans, lentils, spices, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining broth or water.
- Stir well, lock the lid, and pressure cook for 9 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. Stir in a little lemon juice, fresh cilantro, and salt and chipotle or black pepper, to taste.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Stovetop instructions
To cook this red lentil chili on the stove instead of in an electric pressure cooker, you will need to increase the liquid from 1¾ cups to 2¼ cups.
- Heat ¼ cup of the broth (or water) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, adding another tablespoon of broth or water if the garlic starts sticking or browning.
- Stir in the celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf, tomatoes, tomato paste, and cook about 2 minutes, mashing up any large tomato pieces.
- Add the kidney beans, red lentils, and 2 cups broth or water. Mix well.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are very soft. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and add salt and cayenne or black pepper, to taste.
Serving suggestions
One of the best parts about chili is enjoying it with all of your favorite toppings. I like to offer a selection at the table and let everyone choose their own.
I personally enjoy mine with cubed avocado or a simple guacamole, fresh cilantro, and tortilla chips. Vegan cheese shreds and vegan sour cream are also great choices.
You can also serve this red lentil chili over spaghetti or rice. And baked potatoes, home fries, and air fried hand cut fries are delicious topped with this rich and hearty dish.
Made this recipe or have a question? Please leave a comment below. 💙 For even more fresh vegan recipes, join my email list. It's less like a newsletter and more like emails between friends.
Love and Veggies,
Amy
📋 Recipe
Vegan Red Lentil Chili (Instant Pot or Stovetop)
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups vegetable broth, (or water) plus more, if needed, divided
- ¾ cup red onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- ½ cup carrots, chopped
- ¾ cup red or green bell pepper, chopped
- 1-15 ounce can kidney beans, (1½ cups) drained
- ½ cup dried red lentils
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika, (smoked or sweet)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, (or ancho chile powder)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
- salt, to taste
- cayenne pepper, or black pepper, to taste (optional)
- avocado, red onion, tortilla chips, etc., for serving (optional)
Instructions
Instant Pot instructions:
- Preheat the Instant Pot by selecting the Saute setting. Heat ¼ cup of the broth (or water) in the preheated pot, then add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, adding another tablespoon of broth or water if the garlic starts sticking or browning.1¾ cups vegetable broth, ¾ cup red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeño pepper
- Stir in the celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook until heated through, for about 2 minutes.1 cup celery, ½ cup carrots, ¾ cup red or green bell pepper
- Add the kidney beans, red lentils, cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf, tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining 1½ cups of broth or water.1-15 ounce can kidney beans, ½ cup dried red lentils, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 bay leaf, 1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, 1¾ cups vegetable broth
- Stir well to mix and pick up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pot. Select the Cancel setting. Lock the lid into place, set the Pressure Release Knob to Sealing, select the Pressure Cook/Manual setting at high pressure, and set the cook time to 9 minutes.
- Once the cooking cycle is done, let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and stir in the lemon juice and half the cilantro. Taste and add salt, as needed, and cayenne or black pepper, to taste.1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, salt, cayenne pepper
- Serve the chili hot, topped with the remaining cilantro, avocado, red onions, tortilla chips, or your favorite toppings.¼ cup fresh cilantro, avocado, red onion, tortilla chips, etc.
Stovetop instructions (You will need 2¼ cups vegetable broth or water):
- Heat ¼ cup of the broth (or water) in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, adding another tablespoon of broth or water if the garlic starts sticking or browning.1¾ cups vegetable broth, ¾ cup red onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 jalapeño pepper
- Stir in the celery, carrot, and bell pepper. Cook until softened, for about 2 minutes.1 cup celery, ½ cup carrots, ¾ cup red or green bell pepper
- Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, oregano, chipotle powder, garlic powder, onion powder, bay leaf, tomatoes, tomato paste, and cook about 2 minutes, mashing up any large tomato pieces.2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 bay leaf, 1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices, 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- Add the kidney beans, red lentils, and 2 cups broth/water. Mix well.1-15 ounce can kidney beans, ½ cup dried red lentils, 1¾ cups vegetable broth
- Cook, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes, until the lentils are very soft. Stir in the lemon juice and half the cilantro. Taste and add salt and cayenne or black pepper, to taste.1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, salt, cayenne pepper
- Serve hot, topped with the remaining cilantro and your favorite toppings.¼ cup fresh cilantro, avocado, red onion, tortilla chips, etc.
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Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation.
Chenee says
OMG!! This is delicious…. It’s gonna be on repeat for the fall and winter!
Amy Katz says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Chenee!
Larry Folkerth says
Made this yesterday everybody loved it
Amy Katz says
That's wonderful to hear, Larry!
sylvia says
Yummy, Easy AND Quick!
Thank you.
Amy Katz says
So glad you enjoyed it, Sylvia!