🌮 Mexican · Main · Medium difficulty · Vegan
Lentil Chili
A fragrant Mexican main built around lentil, seasoned with onion and arlic cloves.
- Prep time
- 17 min
- Cook time
- 38 min
- Total time
- 55 min
- Servings
- 6
- Calories
- 401 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Course
- Main
About this Mexican stew
Lentil Chili is a Mexican main built around lentils. It takes about 55 min from start to finish, 17 minutes of prep and 38 minutes of cooking, and serves 6.
Cooking method: stew. Difficulty is rated medium. Vegan, and marked gluten-free in our data.
Good for: budget friendly, meal prep, one-pot wonders, comfort food.
Ingredients
Quantities are for 6 servings. Change the servings in the app to rescale them automatically.
- 300 g lentils, rinsed
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 400 g canned tomatoes
- 400 g kidney beans
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
Step 1. Pat the lentil dry, season and brown in batches in a heavy pot; set aside.
- Heat
- Off, no heat yet
- Look for
- Pieces are roughly the same size, so they all finish cooking together.
- Why it matters
- Even pieces cook at the same speed. Prepping everything first (mise en place) stops you scrambling once the pan is hot.
- Avoid
- Cutting pieces of mixed sizes: small ones burn while big ones stay raw.
Step 2. Soften the aromatics in the same pot, scraping up the browned bits.
- Heat
- Medium to high, stir or flip now and then
- Look for
- Golden-brown edges, a steady sizzle and a toasty smell.
- Why it matters
- Browning (the Maillard reaction) creates deep savoury flavour that boiling cannot.
- Avoid
- Overcrowding the pan: the temperature drops and food steams. Cook in batches.
Step 3. Add the onion, arlic cloves, chili powder and canned tomatoes and just enough water to cover.
- Heat
- Keep the heat steady
- Look for
- The new ingredient is coated and the mixture returns to a gentle bubble.
- Why it matters
- Adding things in order lets each ingredient cook for just the right time.
- Avoid
- Dumping everything in at once: delicate items turn mushy before tougher ones are done.
Step 4. Return the lentil, cover and simmer gently for 29 minutes.
- Heat
- Keep the heat steady
- Look for
- The new ingredient is coated and the mixture returns to a gentle bubble.
- Why it matters
- Adding things in order lets each ingredient cook for just the right time.
- Avoid
- Dumping everything in at once: delicate items turn mushy before tougher ones are done.
Step 5. Uncover and reduce the sauce for 10 minutes until rich and glossy.
- Heat
- Low, with small lazy bubbles
- Look for
- Small bubbles break the surface gently; the sauce thickens and the food turns tender.
- Why it matters
- Gentle, steady heat softens tough fibres and lets flavours blend without drying things out.
- Avoid
- Letting it boil hard, which toughens meat and reduces the liquid too fast. Lifting the lid too often loses heat.
Step 6. Season, rest for 10 minutes and serve with cumin.
- Heat
- Off, no heat
- Look for
- Everything is evenly coated or just combined, with no dry pockets.
- Why it matters
- Mixing spreads salt, fat and flavour through the food so every bite tastes the same.
- Avoid
- Overmixing batters and doughs makes them tough; stop once just combined.
Chef's tip
Brown the meat well - that is where the flavour lives.
Equipment you will need
- Heavy pot with lid
- Wooden spoon
- Plate for browned meat
Nutrition per serving
Estimated per serving: 401 kcal, 16 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate and 27 g fat. Roughly 16% of the energy comes from protein, 24% from carbohydrate and 60% from fat, using standard energy values.
Nutrition values are estimates from typical ingredient profiles. They are not medical data, and brands and portions vary. Consult a doctor or registered dietitian about your diet.
When to cook Lentil Chili
Substitutions and variations
- Brown the meat in batches for deeper flavour before adding liquid.
- Use lentils or chickpeas for a meat-free version and shorten the simmer time.
- Stews taste better the next day; cool, refrigerate and reheat until piping hot.
Frequently asked questions about Lentil Chili
How long does Lentil Chili take to make?
It takes about 55 min in total: 17 minutes of prep and 38 minutes of cooking. Times are estimates and depend on your stove, pan and how small you cut the ingredients.
How many calories are in one serving?
Each serving has about 401 kcal, with 16 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate and 27 g fat. These are estimates for the recipe's 6 servings.
Is Lentil Chili gluten-free?
It is marked gluten-free in our data. Still check labels on stock, sauces and spice blends, which can contain gluten.
Is it suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
Yes, it is vegan. Check labels on stock and curry pastes, which can contain animal products.
How difficult is it to cook?
It is a medium-difficulty recipe: it needs some timing and several steps, so read through the method before you start.
Can I make Lentil Chili ahead or freeze it?
Yes. Cool it quickly, refrigerate for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot throughout.
How many servings does it make?
This recipe makes 6 servings. To change the amount, scale each ingredient in proportion. The interactive app's servings control does this automatically.