Name: Easy Stovetop Lentil Chili (7 Ingredients)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 Tbsp oil (30 mL); 1 medium white onion (diced); 1 1.25 oz packet chili seasoning; 8 cups vegetable broth (1.9 L); 1 16-oz bag brown lentils (453 g); 2 14.5-oz cans petite diced tomatoes (400g cans); 1 15 or 16-oz can black beans (do not drain)

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With just seven ingredients, this lentil chili recipe is incredibly easy to throw together in one pot on the stove! Packed with flavor and ready in under 45 minutes, it’s a healthy, high-protein meal your friends and family will love.

I’m a big fan of chili when it comes to feeding crowds, emptying out the pantry, or just having something cozy to eat on the couch. We’ve done a classic vegetarian chili, a hearty black bean chili, a sweet potato chili, and now…we have lentil chili.

high in protein and delicious

I brought this chili to my book club meeting, and everyone went crazy over it (they fought over the leftovers!). If that alone doesn’t convince you, you’ll also love this chili because it:

Requires just 7 ingredients
Is ready in under 45 minutes (max!)
Can be customized to whatever you have in your pantry
Is high protein (28 grams per serving)

Reader rating

★★★★★

“This was such a good and hearty soup! Love the high protein! I added some cooked quinoa to it…..we love it!” —Karin

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here’s what you need

You’ll need just seven pantry staples for this chili! This is just an overview – jump to the recipe for all of the measurements and full instructions!

Oil: A splash of oil will help the onion to cook up nicely. Feel free to reduce the amount of oil if you’re watching calories!
Onion: The one non-pantry staple in the recipe! White onion is best here, but you can also use yellow.
Chili Seasoning: Flavor the chili with a blend of spices, including chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder (here’s our easy McCormick chili seasoning copycat recipe!).
Vegetable Broth: Lentils need a lot of liquid to soak up and cook properly, and a flavorful broth fits the bill.
Lentils: Brown lentils are our favorite type of lentil for chili because they have the perfect texture: not too soft, not too firm. I wouldn’t use canned lentils, though, because this recipe has enough liquid to cook the lentils.
Diced Tomatoes: Two cans of tomatoes add major savory flavor to this chili.
Black Beans: While you could really use any type of bean here, black beans are our favorite! Don’t drain the can before adding it; that liquid is packed with flavor and helps thicken the chili!

the best vegetable broth to use

You can use any kind of broth here, including cartons of broth or broth made from bouillon cubes. Our personal favorite? Make your own vegetable broth using veggie scraps!

How to make Lentil Chili

This easy vegan chili has just three steps, and it’s all done in the same pot on the stove. So easy!

Create a flavor base by cooking the onions and adding the spices.
Assemble everything by adding the rest of the ingredients to the pot.
Serve hot with your favorite toppings!

make it spicy

I love a spicy chili, but this lentil chili is middle of the road on the spicy spectrum – a little heat from the chili seasoning mix but not too spicy. To make this a truly spicy chili, I would add a sliced jalapeno at the same time that you add the chili seasoning mix, and top with slices of jalapenos!

Storage & Meal Prep

This lentil chili is great as leftovers or made as meal prep because the lentils don’t become too soft when cooked! It stores well for 5 days in the fridge and can also be frozen for longer-term storage.

How To Thicken Chili

This chili is pretty thick, thanks to the absorbent power of the lentils. For an even thicker chili, you can:

Blend: Ladle a small amount of the chili into a blender and blend, then pour it back into the pot. This creates a thicker chili by simply using the magic starches hidden in those beans without adding any ingredients.
Simmer: Let the chili simmer uncovered for an extended period. As the liquid evaporates, the chili will naturally thicken. This method can take some time, so be patient.
Add Cornstarch Slurry: Mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water. Stir until it forms a smooth mixture. Add this slurry to your chili, stirring continuously. Allow it to cook for a few more minutes until it thickens.
Add Masa Harina: Mix a few tablespoons of masa harina (corn flour) with water to form a slurry. Add it to the chili and let it cook for a few minutes. This method also adds a nice corn flavor to the chili.

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