Sunday, March 11, 2012

Vegan Lentil Chili With Roasted Red Peppers

I had my writing friend Sherry Meneley over for lunch recently and served her Lentil Chili. Sherry loved it! Filled us up with some good food on a cold winter day. I think you'll also love this easy soup and make it one of your favorites.

This delicious soup comes from Kalyn's Kitchen where I find lots of yummy soups and salads. Kalyn has a real gift for finding and putting together healthy and delicious soups and salads. I often find myself making meals from her blog.

This recipe is vegan and offers a refreshing twist for chili. No time like winter to serve this hearty soup. All the ingredients were to my liking and diet needs. I couldn't find the red lentils, but that didn't make too much difference except the red lentils soften sooner than the brown making the soup thicker.

Give yourself some time to make this recipe. It's easy to put together, but the lentils require an hour to cook.

I used one tablespoon of chili powder because the chili powder I use is quite hot and I prefer a milder hot to my chili's. Take care and know your chili powder before you add two tablespoons.

Before eating, I highly recommend you squeeze a bit of fresh lime juice into the soup after ladling into a bowl. It adds a bit of pizzaz that I loved. I think you will too.

Vegan Lentil Chili with Roasted Red Peppers

Yield 4-6 servings

Category Soup
Cuisine Vegan, Vegetarian

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tsp finely minced garlic
1-2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano (preferable Mexican oregano)
1/8 tsp dried chipotle chile pepper OR cayenne pepper
1 C brown lentils
1/4 C red lentils (or more brown lentils)
3 cans (14 oz can) vegetable broth
1 3/4 C (14 oz) water
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1/2 C sliced green onions
1 can (6 oz) black olives, drained and sliced
1 jar (12 oz) roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1/2 lime

Directions
1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Add onion and saute until it begins to brown.
2. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more.
3. Add chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano and chipotle or cayenne powder. Stir well to coat onions and saute for about 1 minute.
4. Add brown lentils, red lentils, vegetable broth, water and tomato sauce. Heat until mixture comes to a slow boil.
5. Reduce heat to simmer and let mixture cook unti red lentils are mostly dissolved and brown lentils are softened (about 60-90 minutes).
6. While lentil mixture cooks, slice the green onions, drain olives and slice, and drain and chop the roasted red peppers.
7. Add onions, olives and peppers to the lentils and let simmer 15 mintues more. Serve hot with a generous squeeze of lime into each serving.

I hope you make this soup and tell me what you think.

Also linked at Easy Natural Food ~ Sunday Night Soup Night.

5 comments:

  1. Chris, I was just planning my meals for the week. Thanks for this idea. I'm going to make it! Looks delicious.

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  2. that sounds delicious! I'm a fan of chilli of all sorts. I already do add beans and lentils to my chillis to add more bulk, but a wholy vegetarian version sounds just as wonderful and actually freaking delicious!

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  3. Beth, Good job on weekly planning. Shu Han, Yay for chili! I do all mine vegetarian. Never miss the meat.

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  4. This looks delicious! I love hearty, warming soups like this one. Thanks for sharing this with Sunday Night Soup Night, look forward to seeing you again soon!

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    1. Your welcome, Debbie. I love participating when I have a great soup to share.

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