Lentil Chili

This is an excellent recipe and I highly recommend it. I like to increase the chili powder a bit to make it hotter. As a note, I have found that I need to simmer the lentils in water for 20 minutes then drain prior to making the chili otherwise they stay too firm and need much more liquid than the recipe calls for.

Best vegetarian chili I EVER had, husband loved it as well. The only thing I did different is I added 1 can of kidney beans because I love them in chili. It was superb. Thank you for this wonderful recipe which I will be making often!

I really enjoyed making this recipe! Like some of the other reviewers, I prepped my lentils ahead of time by boiling them for a bit before I ever started the chili. I also had to add water to the mix since the chicken stock soaked up pretty quickly, but then, that might have just been me. I like just a tiny bit of spice and the two tablespoons was plenty. It was a really easy one to make, and nice and filling as well!

This is a marvelous dish. I have a little suggestion for those who are a little timid around spicy foods. Instead of adding more chili powder, (which tends to overwhelm the flavor,) I suggest dicing anaheim chili peppers. One nice large crisp one is a good starter, they are very mild and extremely flavorful, I even add them to my chicken soups etc. Enjoy, and God bless. Wolf

Fantastic recipe! I substituted the 2 cups of tomatoes for a 14 1/2 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes (the liquid included!) I am also watching my carbs so I substituted the bulgur wheat for 2 cups of chopped celery, and substituted the vegetable oil for olive oil. I did cook it a little while longer than the recipe called for. It was fantastic! We ate it with cornbread (it could have also been a nice side dish, or over white rice)Next time I think I will attempt to throw it in the crock-pot and see how it turns out. Thank you!

This is easy, affordable and very healthy. I'm adding it to my regular rotation of meals. I did need to double the liquid even though I soaked the lentils for an hour before cooking. I also added kidney beans, as another reviewer suggested, which made it seem more like chili.

This is a great week night meal. Flavorful, easy and quick. I added extra cumin and topped with grated cheese and sour cream.

Not lentil chili, but just regular lentil soup but in chowder form. It was good though I needed to add a heck of a lot more ingrdients so it had flavor. I wouldn't make again because my lentil soup tasts much better.

This recipe was easy to make and very tasty (I did cut down the amount of chili powder to 1 tsp, because I don't like spicy food). However, I had to cook it for 1 full hour to get the lentils to be even slightly tender! I added the juice I had reserved from the canned tomatoes so that there would be enough liquid for the longer cooking time.

I have made this recipe a number of times now. This recipe takes no times to make and is a much healthier alternative to the original! I add a little grated cheese and sour cream as garnish. I will make this over and over, thanks!

Delicious, hearty and nutritious!!! Very simple recipe. Served it over white rice and the family loved it. They were actually surprised when I told them there was no meat in it. My only issue was that the lentils seemed like they should have been cooked somewhat prior to making the chili.

Recipe is great but I did a few changes, the vegetable oil I change to olive oil and the dry bulgur wheat I change to 1/2 of ground beef, the lentils I soaked it in water for one hour and then boiled it got soft. But the recipe was great.

my chili turned out really good, but with a LOT of modifying. There was definately not enough liquid.. i ended up added 4 cups of the stock, and almost another 4 cups of water just to keep it from turning to a solid. This also meant I had to keep adding seasonings to taste, and so it wouldn't taste watered down, I added 3 fresh tomatoes. I also added some hot sauce and a can of kidney beans. Instead of 2 cups of the whole canned tomatoes, I added 1 can of diced tomatoes and a can of tomatoe sauce. I also used quinoa instead of bulgar wheat. it took a LONG time to cook. It did end up tasting fine but was almost a pain trying to keep the flavors consistant while adding more and more liquid!!!

I tried this recipe yesterday cause I had about 2 cups of ready-to-eat lentils from Trader Joe's. I only had 8 oz of veggie broth, so I added a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes w/basil and maybe 1/2 cup of water in place of 2 cups of tomatoes and the other 2 cups of broth since the lentils were already cooked and I only needed the cup of bulgur to soak up liquid. I added another Tbs of cumin also, because I didn't have chili powder. I had some leftover pesto filled tortelini from Trader Joe's also, so I added that too. IT WAS DELICIOUS! I will make this again and again... great chili! Thank you! I know it sounds like I changed a lot, but I really didn't. I 'improvised" :)

Great chili and a very healthy recipe. I thought it was very favorful, although I added some fresh cilantro toward the end of cooking.

This was very tasty and something I'll add to my regular rotation with an "open" attitude. I used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, and barley instead of bulgur because it's what I had. I loved the nutty taste of the lentils and barley. As others said, it needs more liquid. I am freezing the rest and will add more liquid and whatever goodies I have on hand when I need a good dinner. I also agree it would be a good crockpot meal because the lentils and grains need more than 30 minutes to soften.

This was really good. After reading the other reviews I decided to soak the lentils and the bulgar together overnight (I usually soak bulgar before I use it because it makes it more fluffy). The lentils were nice and soft when the soup was done, yummy!

I used tomato sauce instead of tomatoes, and it was fine. Mine didn't need extra time to cook, like other people said, but I did have to add extra water. It wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was good, and I was glad to find another use for bulgur! (If anybody knows any recipes that use bulgur, I'd appreciate hearing them)

taste was okay. i used exact ingredients and followed directions but ended up having to double broth because when with cooking time the 'chili' had the thickness of a pot of cooked rice. Not one drop of broth left and the lentils were still not cooked through. Maybe I did something wrong

Fantastic Robyn!! I made this late last night for today but after a taste, I just couldn't wait and scooped myself a midnight snack. Like another reviewer I decided to use quinoa instead of the bulgar wheat but that's just a personal choice as both work well. I'm not a fan of whole tomatoes in chili so I added tomato sauce instead and as I do with all my chili recipes, I also added black coffee and cocoa powder. A few more seasonings such as garlic and onion powders and a bit of cayenne pepper and it was the perfect bowl of chili! It doesn't get much healthier than this and I thank you Robyn for a fantastic recipe!

This recipe was really good, but I boiled the lentils for about 45 mnutes and they were still really hard. Next time I think I will soak overnight and then follow the recipe here. Flavors were really good though.

Super duper easy, yummy, inexpensive meal. Reheats well. I used fresh tomatoes instead of canned, and I used a little extra broth to compensate for the lack of tomato liquid. My husband is a "meat man" but inhaled his whole bowl.

Good but a little bland and not enough tomato flavor to make it like a rich tasting chili that I like. I had to increase the time and liquid for the lentils to cook. I also added 1/2 a can of tomato paste, some chopped carrots, roasted red pepper, and roasted corn. For extra liquid I added two small cans of V8 and another whole can of chicken broth.

Delicious. I followed the recipe, adding only celery and carrots since I felt it needed a few more veggies. Like others I enjoyed this immensely topped with shredded cheddar and a dollop of sour cream. What a great way to sneak more lentils and bulgur into my diet =)

Great stuff!! Easy, healthy, and filling too!!

This was delicious! And an awesome recipe for a new vegetarian! Like many others I pre-cooked the lentils for about 25 minutes prior to adding them to the recipe. I substituted veggie broth for chicken broth, and 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes instead of the whole tomatoes. I also added a can of undrained pink beans to it as well. Even my husband who is a die-hard meat eater thought it tasted great, and had a wonderful *meaty* texture to it.

One of my personal favorties and I add ground turkey.

I made this last night and loved it! In fact, I told everyone I saw today all about it. I added green peppers and cut some broth so I could add 12 oz of porter to it, which rounded out the deliciousness. Awesome chili!

This got rave reviews from everyone who ate it. I do recommend soaking the bulgur and lentils (together) overnight and adding more stock/broth than the recipe calls for. It continued to soak up the liquid and got thicker as it stood. A little shredded cheddar, a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lime...perfect! Great delicious, guilt free recipe...I will definitely make this again.

I used pearl barley instead of the bulgur wheat and added a can of spicy beans in chili sauce. It turned out great! But did need a bit longer to cook, I left it on low after the first 30 minutes and let is simmer for about an hour. It could also use a bit more spice and I might add crushed red next time I make it.

Amazingly easy and quick to make. I boiled the lentils and let them soak for about 25 minutes before I added them to the chili. So good!

This had a very good flavour and I love that I was able to use up some of my bulgar wheat.

This was great. and healthy! even my meat loving husband raved about it!

Delish! I didn't have any bulgar wheat, so I substituted with more lentils. I also added a can of kidney beans to make it more chili-ish.

Excellent and very healthy. Like another reviewer said, it is even better the next day.

I'm a novice cook. I found this recipe fairly easy to prepare, and the result was quite tastey. I did boil my lentils a little before (3-4 minutes) as advised in another review, but they seemed to soften quickly so I only did that a little.

Great Recipe, I added kidney beans and ground beef to make it more a chilli dish. came out amazing. the lentils i read from other reviewers that they had to soak them overnight and cooked it for an hour. I didn't have that problem. i soaked my lentils for about 2 hrs and cooked no more than 40 minutes. it was a success. my husband loved it too. will be making it again, thanks :)

This is a good basic recipe, but I think you need to add a few things to make it really flavorful. I didn't have bulgar wheat; I subbed a can of corn and a can of black beans. I also added a pinch of cinnamon, and when I make this next time I will also add some bell pepper, cocoa and maybe a chipotle in adobo sauce. Oh - and definitely soak the lentils overnight before cooking. I did, and I didn't have to add extra liquid or extend the cooking time.

This was a good start, but needed a fair bit of doctoring up to really be interesting. It also required far more water than required. Just think: lentils and bulghur need way more than 3 cups of water to cook! I would estimate that I added an additional 5 cups of water during the cook time. For extra flavor, we added ground turkey, some red wine vinegar, and topped with cheese.

Very good ad easy. I used quinoa instead of bulgar and fresh peeled tomatoes instead of canned. Will definitely make again!

This was really good! I used barley instead of bulgur and added a can of kidney beans and some celery. I did miss having more vegetables in it so next time I'll add more celery, peppers and any other veggies I have in the fridge. Otherwise a very good, filling meal. Thanks!

This is really good. It required quite a bit more liquid than called for. I used 6 cups of veggie broth and used a can of tomatoes (including the liquid).

Yum! Added meat and some other stuff. Turned out good 👍

I used half a cup of bulgur and added 2 rinsed cans of kidney beans. Upped chili to 3 T and cumin to 2 T and added a few dashes of cinnamon and a t or so of cocoa powder. Used BTB beef base. I kept thinking it was missing something so I added a can of HOT Rotel. Still missing something so I added half a can of tomato paste. That made it perfect. I steamed my lentils first, I like the texture better that way. I messed with it but it was good.

At first I wasn't to sure about this recipe. It had a strong smell when cooking. The first few bites I wasn't a fan but the more I ate the more I enjoyed it. It was very filling. It was even better as left overs. I was a vegetarian for some time so I do enjoy meals like this as for my meat loving husband he still prefers regular chili but he did eat this.

I love, love, love this recipe, and so do my 9, 6, 4 and 18 month old. I do tweak the process to make it more kid friendly. Saute the onions and garlic then add that to the tomatoes in a blender and blend until smooth (sometimes I even add a couple handfuls of fresh spinach). I always need to add more chicken broth and it still makes a yummy, thick, and hearty chili. Top with cheese, sour cream, and cilantro and it's delicious! Healthy and tasty!

It was good but it needs beans for me to consider it chili. Next time I think I will half the lentils and bulgur wheat and add 2 can of beans. I highly recommend soaking the lentils and bulgur wheat overnight.

I made this last week. I think overall it turned out okay. I think next time I will lesson the amount of bular and lentils. It seemed toward the end, they were soaking up most of the liquid. I also think I will add more spices to bump up the flavor. It tasted a bit bland. Overall I will keep working with this recipe because I like the healthy ingredients.

This is now a regular in my house. I do have hot chili powder and half mild chili powder- lots of flavor! This time I added 3 stalks celery and I sautéed the onions and garlic in real butter. It's best to cook the lentils first as noted before doing this recipe. Fabulous! Love this and so does everyone else!

Be careful with the amount of chili pepper. I used 1 T and it was almost too much; I guess our chili is potent. I backed off the cumin to 1/2 T ... the salt, too. Next time I'll use 1/2 T chili, and adjust from there. The lentils took about 50 minutes to cook, and I kept a pot of hot water nearby to top off the liquidity. The family gave it a thumbs up ... it's definitely a repeat!

Excellent recipe! We added corn and a bit more water. Berberie spice (popular in Ethiopian dishes) might be a nice addition.

pretty good recipe, I added kidney beans, an extra cup of lentils instead of bulgar wheat and next time I'd use teaspoon of cumin instead of a tablespoon as it over powered the dish. great way to make a keto friendly and tasty chili!

added two bay leaves to let simmer for 30 minutes.

This recipe turned out fabulous. I was a bit nervous at first but the seasoning was wonderful and I added the same things I would add to meat chili like celery, mushrooms, and kidney beans, I am looking forward to sharing.

A little bland and boring. Good vegan choice, but I probably would not make again otherwise.

I used chicken stock and a chili seasoning.

Wonderful- can also be used for sloppy joes and tacos. I love it!

I liked it, but I'll probably halve the cumin the next time I make this.

amazing! you do need to keep an eye on and add more stock, tomatoes, and spices than recipe calls for. also, worthwhile to cook lentils first. ended up delicious! added cheese, a dollop of Greek yogurt and some Frank's red hot to my bowl for a traditional chili experience.

This chili was so good that I didn't miss the beef or the noodles!!

Okay but I would eliminate the bulgar & double up on th tomatoes & lentils. I added jalapeño

Very tasty, will definitely make again. I used red quiona in place of bulgur wheat.

There wasn't enough liquid to cook the lentils and wheat--after half an hour of simmering, as stated, the bottom was burnt. I transferred to another pot and added 2 more cups of broth (beef, because I was out of chicken). And then I still ended up with a thick chili. So the amount of liquid is a major flaw in the recipe. The concept is delicious, though. A good base. I used a can of diced tomatoes, with the liquid, in addition to the extra broth added later. I also substituted coconut oil for vegetable and added a bit of nutmeg and coriander, and a generous sprinkle of cilantro, for a bit more complexity. I think the beef broth was a good idea, too--the bulgar wheat has a similar texture to ground beef, and beef broth gives it the flavor as well.

We just did not care for the blandness of this recipe. But then, we love chili as it is traditionally made, so that may be why we did not care for this. I will not make it again. sorry

I did not add the bulgur wheat. I did add garlic (lots of it) and cilantro (for the health benefits and my families taste. My little people came downstairs to get a drink of water and stated how good it smelled in the kitchen. The quality of ingredients you use is just as important as the ingredients....it upgrades the taste from my experience. This recipe is great for one because we are trying to faze meat out of our family's diet. Options to add are sour cream, your choice of cheese, (I like jalapenos).

I was pleasantly surprised at how good this chili was. The bulger really bulks it up, giving it a more meaty texture than ordinary no-meat chili. And my three children, who normally turn their noses at anything different, ate it without a fuss. If I had to do it again, though, I would boil the lentils on thier own for a while first. It took an hour of simmering, and adding extra chicken broth, before they were tender enough to eat.

I happen to have every single ingredient available and it made a big pot. I winded up freezing the leftovers to use another day.

It was so easy to make! I added kidneys beans too. A great meatless meal that fills you up.

This was delicious and filling. I did have to substitute Pearled Barley for the Bulgur as I did not have any on hand. Even though the calories are higher, the nutritional benefits are worth the substitution. I did follow the recommendation of others to add a can of Kidney Beans and an additional cup of chicken broth. The Lentils and Barley did soak all of the liquid up, thus I added an additional 2 cups of chicken broth and one cup water. Note: I was preparing for 4 servings. Thank you, I will absolutely be making this dish again as the family really enjoyed it.

I "Doctored-up" this recipe quite a bit, however, it is a very good base for lentil soup. I used olive oil instead of veggie oil, 4 c. chicken broth, and 2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes (1 w/ green chilies + 1 plain) instead of the whole tomatoes. I didn't have any chili powder, so I tossed in about 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. My husband thought it looked a little wimpy, so I added about 7 slices of jarred hot jalapenos (minced), 2 med. chicken breasts cut into 1/2" cubes, a chicken bouillon cube (crumbled), and about 5 c. water. Even thought I cooked it about 20 min. longer than the recipe called for, the lentils were still al dente. Served it with a salad (Spring Mix, carrots, cucumbers, & tomatoes). 3 out of 4 adults eating it liked it a lot. Next time, I think I will soak the lentils before cooking, and add some sliced celery and bell peppers when I saute the onions & garlic.

Really good lentil chili, however I did make some alterations in my attempt to recreate the Lentil Chili I had on an airline flight. (Yes...I know.)