We’ve been having a real winter this holiday season. We recently had a blizzard that accumulated over 12 inches of snow. Just in two days. So to say that winter foods are in the rotation would be an understatement. This warm vegan lentil and bean salsa chili is hearty and delicious to keep you warm on a cold day.
I’d been craving some good soup, but the thing with most soups is that I don’t feel satisfied after eating. Usually after a bowl of soup, I’m ready for a meal, but with this chili the soup is the meal. It does go great with crackers, cheez-its, or even nachos. I have had it with cheese nachos or even just tortilla chips. If you want to skip the sides, top it with whatever you like (shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, you name it, and enjoy. The salsa adds a lot of flavor to this delicious chili recipe.
What you’ll love about this vegan lentil and bean salsa chili?
- It’s vegan. Though you may not know it, it is a vegan dish. Take this to a chili cook-off and you may fool the meat-lovers.
- Hearty. This dish will leave you feeling satisfied. Don’t worry about being hungry after dinner, this is extremely filling.
- Delicious. With all the spices and salsa to give it flavor, it’s got great flavor.
- Meal prep friendly. This batch makes about 6 servings. Excellent for meal prep. If you want to really make a lot, double the recipe!
- It’s easy to make. Once you sauté the onion, jalapeño, and red pepper, it is all a dump and go. This doesn’t require babysitting like many other dishes do.
How to make this vegan salsa chili?
- Sauté onion, jalapeño, and red pepper in olive oil. This can be done in the instant pot
- If making this in a slow cooker, than transfer the cooked vegetables to the slow cooker now. If using stove top, than continue using your stock pot. The instant pot will all be done in the same pot as well.
- In the instant pot
- Add the tomato, tomato sauce, spices, and salsa. Mix in well.
- Then add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Once it’s boiling (if using the slow cooker, it won’t boil but make sure it’s steaming) add the lentils. Allow them to cook for 15 minutes.
- Check they are mostly tender. It may take a bit longer in the slow cooker.
- Next add the corn and beans. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 20 minutes. Check that the lentils are soft prior to serving.
- Enjoy!
If you’re looking for another soup recipe, check out this creamy vegan tomato soup with fresh basil. Personally I love soup and it’s great for meal prep, especially with a family. You can also freeze half of these if you want to save some for later, or you live alone and can’t eat it all. We used to do that with large recipes and it works great. You never know what you’ll find in the freezer. 🙂
Best Vegan Lentil and Bean Salsa Chili
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils (red or yellow)
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 8 oz tomato sauce
- 1 ½ cup vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp coriander cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, diced
- 1 can of black beans (15 oz)
- 1 can of corn (15 oz)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- cayenne pepper (optional for extra heat)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In the instant pot or stove top, heat olive oil. Add red pepper, onion, and jalapeño. Saute for about 5 minutes until onion is browned. If using a slow cooker, you’ll need to brown the red pepper, onion, and jalapeño on the stove top first.
- Add the spices (chili powder, paprika, coriander cumin. Also add salt and pepper.
- Add the tomato, tomato sauce, salsa, and vegetable broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the lentils and cook for 15-20 minutes (the yellow/brown lentils will need longer than the red variety). Check they’re mostly tender.
- Mix in the can of black beans and the corn. Cook this for an additional 20 minutes. Make sure to cover the pot to retain the steam.
- Dish up and serve with crackers, cheese, chips, or by itself.
- Left overs can be kept in the fridge for 5 days, or frozen for 2 months.
Nutrition
Let me know what you thought of this chili recipe in the comments below!
-Cassie