Slow Cooker Lentil Taco Chili
Weeknight dinners are a breeze with this delicious vegetarian Slow Cooker Lentil Taco Chili simmering away in the crock-pot!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry green or brown lentils
- 1 medium onion (white or yellow)
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeño pepper (plus extra for topping, if desired)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 2 cans black beans (15 oz each) drained and rinsed
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 cup salsa (choose your favorite!)
- 2 TBSP chili powder
- 1.5 TBSP ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro plus extra for topping, to taste
Easy Homemade Pico de Gallo
- 2 cups finely diced roma tomatoes (plum tomatoes)
- 1 cup finely diced white onion
- 1 jalapeño (seeds/stem removed)
- ¼-⅓ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- ½ lime , juiced
- ½-¾ tsp salt or season to taste
More Tasty Topping Options
- crushed tortilla chips
- grated cheese (skip for vegan)
- sour cream (vegan or regular)
- sliced avocado
- sliced or diced jalapeño peppers
Instructions
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QUICK NOTE: This recipe was developed using a 6-QUART slow cooker. Cook time will be approx. 5 hours on HIGH or 9-10 hours on LOW heat.
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Pick over lentils, removing any broken pieces/rocls. Rinse in a fine mesh colander or sieve.
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Next prep your vegetables. Peel and dice onion. Remove stem/seeds from peppers and dice. Peel garlic and finely mince. Measure out remaining ingredients.
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This is the fun part - toss everything but the toppings in a 6-QUART crock-pot! To your slow cooker you will add chopped onion, bell peppers, jalapeno, garlic, beans, corn, crushed tomatoes, broth, salsa, spices, and lentils. Mix it all up and secure the lid.
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Want your chili spicy? Go for it! Feel free to add extra jalapeño on top, use spicy salsa in place of regular, and you can also control the heat of the chili by adding ground cayenne pepper to season your chili.
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Set slow cooker to HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 9-10 hours, until lentils are cooked through and tender.
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Serve with rice, cornbread, or straight up with your choice of toppings. It's fabulous every which way!
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My favorite toppings for this chili are crushed tortilla chips (perfect for those broken chips at the bottom of the bag!) and fresh pico de gallo.
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To make the pico, finely chop onion, tomato, and jalapeno. Combine with the juice of 1/2 a lime, fresh cilantro, and season with salt. Add a hearty dollop on top of your piping hot chili and get ready to faceplant!
Recipe Notes
Recipe yields 6 bowls of chili or 12 cups.
Nutrition Facts below are estimated per bowl of chili (with pico de gallo) using an online recipe nutrition calculator. Adjust as needed based on extra toppings and sides chosen. Enjoy!