Cozy on up with a bowl of this bold & flavorful lentil white bean chili! It’s packed full of wholesome ingredients and is ready to go in just 1 hour!! This is the perfect easy-to-make meal for those cold winter nights.
Our family is kind of obsessed with lentils. We also really like chili. So it just seemed obvious to combine the two! This thick & hearty chili is made just like the classic version only with green lentils instead of kidney beans.
Why lentils? Because they’re packed full of potassium, calcium, zinc, niacin and vitamin K, dietary fiber, lean protein, folate and iron! And their texture is perfect in chili! It’s also nice to switch things up every once in a while. Our toddler ate his bowl of chili before we even had a chance to sit down at the table… it was that good ????
The overall method for this dish is quite simple. Sweat the veggies, brown the meat (I used half ground beef and half pork, but ground turkey would work too), add the seasonings, add the tomato-based products, pour in the liquids, bring to a boil and then add the beans & lentils. As soon as the lentils begin to burst and they are tender throughout, the chili is done! Super easy, right?!
I’d highly recommend garnishing it with a sprinkle of freshly minced parsley and serving it up with a side of buttermilk cornbread or a few cheddar bay biscuits! I hope you’ll enjoy this lentil white bean chili as much as we did- it’s a tasty twist on a classic!
Lentil White Bean Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper - diced
- 1 small onion - diced
- 4 cloves garlic - minced
- 1/2 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground Italian sausage - sweet, mild, or hot
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp kosher sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 32 oz low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 (15 oz) can white beans
- 1 cup dried green lentils
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley - minced
Instructions
- In a large Dutch-oven or stock pot set over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bell pepper and onion, cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Place the beef and sausage in the pot and cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes, breaking it up in the meantime. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, ground paprika, ground cayenne pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, sea salt and black pepper. Continue cooking until seasonings are fragrant.
- Pour in the tomato sauce, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sauce from burning. Stir in chicken stock and water, bring to a boil. Add the beans and lentils and simmer on medium until the lentils are tender, about 30-40 minutes. (Our family enjoys extra tender lentils, so we usually let the chili go for 5-10 minutes longer)
- Stir in the parsley, remove from the heat and serve hot.
Are green lentils similar to split peas? Could brown lentils be used?
Hi Ronda, green lentils are similar to split peas, but they have a different flavor. You can use brown lentils, but the taste will be different. Brown lentils have a mild, earthy flavor and green lentils have a robust, slightly peppery flavor.
Do you know the nutrition facts for this recipe? Fat, protein, etc? My favorite healthy chili recipe for sure!
Hi Emily, I haven’t calculated the nutrition for my recipes because it varies depending on the brand of ingredients you use. Feel free to plug it into an online nutrition calculator 🙂
Looks great! Would like to know serving size, number of servings and calories….please….thank you
oh this looks so yummy!