Last Updated on December 17, 2024 by Christin Gillespie

This Vegan Black Bean & Red Lentil Chili is a healthy, hearty, & cozy recipe. It’s created with protein-rich black beans, tender red lentils, sautéed veggies, and lots of spices. Enjoy with your favorite chili toppings for an easy one-pot meal! 

Healthy vegan chili’s are always a staple, especially this time of year.

While there are several ways to create them, I had yet to incorporate lentils to the mix. Why did I wait so long?! Red lentils not only are a great source of plant protein + fiber, but they also provide a nice heartiness.

Along with the addition of black beans, lots of veggies, and a homemade chili mix, it’s a mix of cozy deliciousness.

The aroma alone of this Vegan Black Bean & Red Lentil Chili recipe will warm you right up!

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Vegan Chili Recipe

• Quick & Easy: Ready in about 30 minutes & requires one-pot.
• Comfort Food Made Vegan: Even though this hearty vegan chili recipe doesn’t include any meat, it still contains the authentic chili spices.
• Great for Meal Prep: This Vegan Black Bean & Red Lentil Chili stores well in the fridge, making it a perfect healthy recipe to meal prep for quick dinners throughout the week.

Ingredients

• Organic Yellow Onion: Truly a staple to any dish. You can use whatever color you’ve got though!
• Organic Bell Peppers: Red & green are used, but any color combo will do! 
• Organic Garlic: Make sure to use fresh garlic and not garlic powder. This ingredient is crucial to build flavor.
• Organic Spices: Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, sea salt, and black pepper, are the spices used to season this chili. 
• Organic Black Beans: The beans are the staple for this healthy vegan chili recipe. Plus, they’re full of healthy fats & plant-based protein.
• Organic Red Lentils: I highly recommend red lentils vs. any other lentil color. They cook quicker + they’re softer. 
• Organic Diced Tomatoes: Essential for any chili! You can use any variety of tomatoes that you have on hand.
• Organic Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth: Any broth truly works and even water, if you’re in a pinch!
• Organic Avocado Oil: Avocado oil is my go-to cooking oil, because it’s neutral in flavor & it can be used to cook at high-heat temperatures. If you don’t have avocado oil, just add a splash of filtered water or vegetable broth while cooking the vegetables.
• Organic Toppings: To complete the chili, I love topping it off with avocado and fresh cilantro. 

How To Make

1. Sauté Onion & Garlic. In a large pot, heat the avocado oil on medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and diced bell peppers. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the Spices. Add in the spices and cook for another minute, or until fragrant. If the pot is drying out, add a splash of filtered water, as needed.
3. Add Beans & Broth. Add the beans, rinsed lentils, canned tomatoes, and low-sodium vegetable broth or spring water. Bring to a light boil, string everything together.
4. Cook. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let cook for 20 minutes uncovered, stirring every so often.
5. Blend. For extra-thick chili, pulse with an immersion blender in the pot a couple times. You can also remove a few scoops of chili, and add it to a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth then pour back into the pot and mix together.
6. Serve. Ladle into bowls. Top with chilled avocado & fresh cilantro, if desired. Enjoy!

Tips for Making this Healthy Vegan Chili Recipe Perfectly

• Organic Beans: I used organic black beans. However, I think pinto beans or red kidney beans would work as a substitute for one of the two.
• Organic Red Lentils: I highly recommend red lentils vs. any other lentil color. They cook quicker + they’re softer. 
• Organic Vegetables: Use your favorite type of onion – red, yellow, or white & incorporate your preferred bell peppers – red, green, orange, and/or yellow.
• Organic Diced Tomatoes: If you don’t have diced you can certainly use crushed.
• Blending Chili: Although this step is completely optional, I highly recommend it. Blending about a third of the chili takes this vegan chili to the next level. It creates the perfect amount of thickness and heartiness!  
• Organic Spices: Wanting to crank up the heat to your chili? Add some extra organic cayenne pepper or organic chipotle pepper. Use with caution, because it’s spicy! And if you’re feeling adventurous, swap the green bell pepper with fresh organic jalapeños.
• Organic Toppings: Don’t forget them! Top with your favorites. I love chilled avocado and fresh cilantro!

Storing & Reheating

As mentioned above, this Vegan Black Bean & Red Lentil Chili recipe is perfect for leftovers & meal prep!

Fridge Storage. Transfer chili to an air-tight glass container & refrigerate for 4 – 5 days. 

Reheating. To reheat, simply transfer the chili to a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a little extra water or broth as needed until warm.

More Healthy Vegan Chili Recipes You’ll Love

• Hearty Black Bean Chili
• Classic Vegan Chili
• Vegan White Bean Chili
• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quinoa Chili
• Vegan Butternut Squash & Black Bean Chili
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Sharing Is Caring!

If you make this recipe, please leave a review & rating below! I love hearing from you and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Lastly, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, & TikTok for even more deliciousness & wellness tips!

Xoxo.

Christin.

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