Description
Hearty slow cooker lentil taco chili brings Mexican-inspired comfort straight to your dinner table. Packed with protein-rich lentils and bold spices, this one-pot meal delivers delicious warmth you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein and Legumes:
- 1 cup dry green or brown lentils
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
Vegetables:
- 1 medium white or yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 jalapeno pepper
- 3–4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
Seasonings and Additional Ingredients:
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Thoroughly rinse lentils under cold running water to remove any debris or impurities.
- Finely chop onions, bell peppers, jalapeno, and mince garlic to create a flavor-packed base.
- Transfer all chopped vegetables, lentils, black beans, crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, frozen corn, and salsa into the slow cooker.
- Sprinkle in chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to infuse the chili with robust southwestern flavors.
- Mix ingredients thoroughly, ensuring even distribution of spices and vegetables throughout the mixture.
- Cover slow cooker and set to low heat for 7-8 hours or high heat for 3-4 hours, allowing lentils to become tender and flavors to meld together.
- During the final 15 minutes of cooking, fold in fresh chopped cilantro to brighten the dish with a vibrant herbal note.
- Once cooking is complete, gently stir the chili to ensure consistent texture and temperature.
- Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with optional toppings like Pico de Gallo, crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, sliced avocado, or additional jalapeno slices.
Notes
- Rinse lentils thoroughly to remove any dirt or debris, ensuring a clean and grit-free base for your chili.
- Choose fire-roasted crushed tomatoes for an extra depth of smoky flavor that elevates the overall taste profile.
- Adjust spice levels by reducing or increasing jalapeno and chili powder to match your personal heat tolerance.
- Make this recipe gluten-free by using certified gluten-free salsa and checking vegetable broth labels, perfect for those with dietary restrictions.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 12 g
- Protein: 14 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg