This simple meal of Lentil Chili is a great way to feed your family a hearty meal without breaking the bank. My meatless chili recipe is perfect for those who strive for Meatless Monday and for those who just want more vegan meals.

A serving of lentil chili in a white bowl with chips and avocado pieces on top. — Disclaimer: This post may contain links to products we recommend. When you order through these links, we earn a small commission.

What Are The Best Lentils to Use for Chili?

Lentils are a member of the pea family and are the easiest bean to prepare. They require no presoaking and take only 30 minutes to cook.

These great little gems can be used in many ways, including but not limited to soups, and casseroles, and I’ve even used them to make meatless burger patties.

I’ve heard of some even sprouting lentils and using them on their salads. I’ve never tried that use, but sprouts are so healthy for you so I hope to soon.

There are many various lentils when it comes to colors. They are only slightly different when it comes down to taste and cooking methods.

A photo displaying three different colors of dry lentils: Red, green, and black.

I’m familiar the most with brown, green, and red lentils so those are the ones I cook with most often. We’ll talk a little about each of them here.

Brown Lentils

This is by far the most common variety of lentils, and probably the one that you see at your local grocery store. They can range in color from khaki-brown to dark almost black color.

These have a mild earthy taste and can be cooked in about 20 to 30 minutes. I love that these lentils tend to hold their shape very well when cooking on the stove or Instant Pot.

I’ve used these brown varieties often in this chili and I order them in bulk from Country Life Natural Food. Fun fact the dark brown, or “black” lentils are sometimes called Beluga lentils.

Green Lentils

These lentils are my go-to color and the one I use the most in this chili recipe. They will have a green-brown color and they have a nice bold earthy flavor that is the most “bean-like” to me.

Green lentils seem to take the longest to cook, upwards of 45 minutes, if you are boiling them on the stove. If you soak them overnight or at least for several hours you might get it down to 35 minutes.

My favorite thing next to the flavor of the green lentils is that they have a firmer texture even after cooking, which means they work out great in the Instant Pot.

Again, I ordered mine in bulk from Country Life Natural Foods where you can get them in bags ranging from 5 pounds up to 50 pounds.

Here’s the link to the green lentils I order.

Red Lentils

Although not my favorite variation, I would say the red is definitely the prettiest of the lentil colors.

They range anywhere from orange to actual red, and they seem to have the nuttiest flavor profile of all the lentils I’ve tried so far.

Definitely so out of the three, we are talking about here in this post. I’ve only purchased the red a few times and when I have it has been on the bean aisle from my local Walmart.

One thing I’ve also noticed with the red is they tend to overcook quickly and get mushy. So in my opinion this would be my last resort when I want to make this chili because we use the Instant Pot and I prefer the other two that hold shape a little better in the cooking process.

But they can be used in a pinch if they are the only color you have the day you plan to make this Easy Lentil Chili. I order these red lentils.

Preparing the Lentils for Chili

There are two ways you can prepare the lentils for this chili recipe. One is my go-to method when I need a fast meal and I forget to think ahead.

Then there is the method that many people use and prefer since it can be a little easier on the tummy during digestion. Let’s talk about those methods here.

The first, and quickest method to prepare the lentils is to just open the bag, measure out how many you need for your recipe, and wash them thoroughly.

Then you could just add them to the chili recipe and check your Instant Pot manual for the cooking time for unsoaked lentils. Follow the directions in your manual for the lentils.

If you have a little more time, or you don’t forget to plan ahead like I often do, then you can open the lentils and cover them in cold water to have them soak.

They will need to soak for a few hours up to overnight to get the full benefits of soaking them. If you go this route and soak your lentils you will not need to cook your chili the full 18 minutes as the recipe calls for.

Again, it is important to follow the directions and cooking times for your pressure cooker when it comes to the soaked lentils because they cook much faster than the unsoaked ones.

This recipe uses the unsoaked method and comes together in about 45 minutes altogether.

A white round bowl of lentil chili with a spoon and a handful of tortilla chips.

Instant Pot Lentil Chili Variations and Topping Options

This easy meatless chili is super tasty just as it is written in the recipe card but if you want to change it up some or adjust it to your liking here are a few ways you can add some variations to the recipe.

Black Beans: If you want to bump up the protein a little more without adding any meat then add in a can or a jar of home-canned black beans. I like to do this often just to change up the flavor profile.

To add the black beans I suggest you drain and rinse them well before adding them in. Oh and if you don’t like black means swap them out for kidney or pinto beans.

Add More Spice: If you like your chili to have a bold kick of flavor then you can totally jazz this lentil chili up by dicing up two fresh jalapeno peppers (seeded or not for even more spice). Once they are diced just toss them in with the rest of the ingredients before starting the cooking time on the Instant Pot.

Juicier Chili vs. Thick Chili: As you can see from the pictures of my lentil chili we like ours really thick and with less juice, but if you prefer more soup liquid in your chili then you can adjust the amount of water or broth you add by adding 2 more cups to the Instant Pot.

Another option would be using the same amount of liquid as I suggest in the recipe card but reducing the number of lentils you use down to 1 pound.

A bowl of lentil chili at the bottom of the photo with the view of an Instant Pot control panel in the background.

Add Meat: If you aren’t needing this chili to be vegan then you could add in a 1/2 to 1 pound of ground turkey or lean beef to add more protein and make this chili even heartier.

No matter if you eat this chili just as it is or if you adjust it to using one of the variations one thing is for sure, you will love this Easy Lentil Chili!

Toppings: What is chili without some good toppings right? Here are a few vegan options for toppings: raw onion, avocado, diced fresh tomatoes, fresh cilantro, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, jalapenos, and chips.

Serves 8

Easy Lentil Chili

Name: Easy Lentil Chili
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 38 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound + 1/3 cup of dry lentils, brown or green; 6 cups of fat free veggie broth or water; 2 cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes; 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn; 1 (4 ounce) can of green chilies; 1 packet of Chili Seasoning or 3 Tablespoons of homemade chili seasoning; 1/2 tablespoon dried cilantro, optional; salt and pepper to taste.

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 38 minutes

This hearty vegan chili is perfect for those times when you need a hearty meal without meat. It can be served with a side salad or crusty sourdough for the perfect budget-friendly meal.

Ingredients

1 pound + 1/3 cup of dry lentils, brown or green
6 cups of fat free veggie broth or water
2 cans of diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
1 (4 ounce) can of green chilies
1 packet of Chili Seasoning or 3 Tablespoons of homemade chili seasoning
1/2 tablespoon dried cilantro, optional
salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions

Add all of the ingredients into the Instant Pot and stir to combine.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the pressure valve to closed.
Use the "Manual/Pressure Cook" button and make sure the pressure level is on high.
Next, add 18 minutes to the cooking time and let the pressure begin building pressure.
After the cooking time has finished carefully turn the pressure valve to open and rapidly release all the steam.
Remove the lid and taste for seasoning. Adjust to your liking if needed.
Serve hot. I like to serve mine with optional toppings like diced avocadoes, fresh cilantro, diced onions, jalapenos, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

This amount of lentils and broth makes a large batch of thick lentil chili. If you would like more juice or a less thick chili reduce the number of lentils to 1 pound or add a couple more cups of broth of water.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

2 cups
Amount Per ServingCalories 416Total Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gCholesterol 15mgSodium 239mgCarbohydrates 69gNet Carbohydrates 55gFiber 14gSugar 9gProtein 25g

I am not a nutritionist. If you have strict dietary needs I always recommend using an online nutrition calculator to calculate your totals using your exact brands you're using in this recipe as values may vary per brand.

Keri Bucci

I am a southern girl through and through that loves to laugh, cook, read and spend time with family. My passions outside of home schooling my son are ministering to those in need and creating art in the kitchen! Every day is an adventure in our little house and I wouldn’t trade it or the chance to share here with you for anything!