People often don’t know what to cook with lentils, though they’re very versatile. I particularly like red and black lentils, which work well in both hot dishes and cold salads. My husband is a big fan of my braised black lentils and their color is what gives them an extra boost of anthocyanins, which are powerfully good for you.

The other benefit of lentils is they cook very quickly, making them perfect as an easy side dish, or as a base for soup or chili, such as this one, which comes together in about an hour.

Vegetarian red lentil chili recipe option:

To make this a vegetarian lentil chili, simply use vegetable stock, omit the ground turkey, and start the recipe by heating the oil and adding the vegetables as directed.

Chunky Red Lentil Chili with Black Beans Recipe

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb, ground turkey
• 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
• 1 sweet bell pepper, diced (I used red for the recipe pictured)
• 1 small jalapeno, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans
• 1 1/2 cups crushed or diced canned tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
• 1 cup dried red lentils (for less chunky chili, use only 1/2 to 3/4 cup)
• Salt, to taste, if needed

For garnish:

• Sour cream
• Finely-diced jalapeno
• Finely-diced red onion
• Chopped cilantro

Directions:

1. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes
2. Add ground turkey, season with black pepper and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until all moisture has evaporated.
3. Drizzle in the second tablespoon of olive oil and stir well.
4. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and stir well.
5. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
6. Add stock, water, beans, tomatoes, and spices and stir well. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Add lentils, stir well and continue to cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lentils are cooked and liquid has reduced.
8. Taste and add salt, if needed
9. Ladle into bowls or mugs, spoon a dollop of sour cream on top of each and sprinkle with red onion, jalapeno and cilantro before serving.

It’s beautiful, isn’t it? I love colorful dishes and this definitely is one. The spices add flavor and warmth, the addition of sour cream smooths out all the flavors and the fresh onion, jalapeno, and cilantro on top add an extra burst of crunch and flavor.

Isn’t this so simple? Probably the easiest chili recipe ever and I think you’ll be amazed at how much flavor this really has.

Enjoy!