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If you have lentils sitting in your pantry, then you need to make this Red Lentil & Beef Chili! Lentils are a food I always have a hard time implementing into my diet because I don’t ever crave them, but this chili is going to be my new go-to recipe for using up the lentils that have been sitting in my pantry. Now I feel inspired to make other lentil-based recipes too! What are your favorite recipes that use lentils? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to hear!
Nutritional benefits of this recipe
- Red lentils are a rich source of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and folate.
- Ground beef is rich in iron, b12, protein, healthy fats, and more. It’s great for women to eat during their follicular and menstrual phase especially!
- Chicken stock is rich in amino acids like l-glutamine and lysine, as well as collagen, gelatin, protein, vitamins, and minerals.
- Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants like lycopene, as well as Vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin.
Ingredients for Red Lentil & Beef Chili
Oil for cooking – I used grass-fed beef tallow, but avocado oil works too.
Red lentils
Ground beef
Onion
Garlic
Crushed tomatoes – I used fire-roasted
Red kidney beans
Chicken broth or stock
Jalapeño for spice if desired
Spices – salt, chili powder, and dried oregano
Toppings – whatever you like! Sour cream, shredded cheese, Siete chips, toast, etc.
Method for Red Lentil & Beef Chili
- Preheat a large soup pot (at least 4 quarts) with the tallow or avocado oil to medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté about 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Incorporate the garlic (and jalapeno if using) and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef and break up and cook until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp of salt over it and stir together.
- Incorporate the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, lentils, and chicken broth/stock. Add the remaining spices (1 Tbsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp salt).
- Bring to a light boil then just simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked through. Adjust the time if using another color of lentils (see the notes for different time needs depending on what lentils you use).
- Add more broth as needed if it turned out too thick, taste test, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped parsley if desired.
Modifications
- Sub the red lentils with whatever lentils you have on hand. You’ll just need to modify the cooking time:
- Red lentils: 15–20
- Black lentils: 20–25
- Brown lentils: 20–30
- Green lentils: 20–30, but can take up to 45
- Yellow lentils: 40–45
- Puy lentils: 25–30
- Use ground turkey, bison, or venison in place of the ground beef.
- Add diced veggies of choice – red bell pepper, sweet potato, kale, etc.
- Use regular crushed tomatoes instead of fire-roasted if you don’t like any spice or if that’s what you have on hand. It still tastes amazing!
Other recipes you’ll love
Smoked Paprika Black Bean Chili
I hope you love this Red Lentil & Beef Chili! Please be sure to leave a comment and rating if you give it a try. Your engagement on my website allows me to continue creating recipes for you, and I absolutely adore hearing what you think! I truly cannot express how much gratitude I have for those who leave a comment on my posts.
PrintRed Lentil & Beef Chili
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch, dinner
- Method: Stovetop
Ingredients
2 Tbsp grass-fed tallow or avocado oil
1 medium onion, diced
4–5 large garlic cloves, minced
Optional for spice: 1/2-1 small jalapeno, finely diced
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt, to taste
1 28–oz can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1 (15oz) can red kidney beans
1 cup dry red lentils
6 cups chicken broth/stock, more as needed or to preference
Toppings: chopped cilantro or parsley, shredded grass-fed cheese or sour cream/greek yogurt, Siete chips, healthy toast, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat a soup pot (at least 4 quarts) with the tallow or avocado oil to medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté about 5 minutes until golden brown.
- Incorporate the garlic (and jalapeno if using) and sauté for about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground beef and break up and cook until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp dried oregano, and 1/2 tsp of salt over it and stir together.
- Incorporate the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, lentils, and chicken broth/stock. Add the remaining spices (1 Tbsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp salt).
- Bring to a light boil then just simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the lentils are cooked through. Adjust the time if using another color of lentils (see the notes for different time needs depending on what lentils you use).
- Add more broth as needed if it turned out too thick, taste test, and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped parsley if desired.
- Please be sure to leave a comment and rating if you give it a try. Your engagement on my website allows me to continue creating recipes for you, and I absolutely adore hearing what you think! I truly cannot express how much gratitude I have for those who leave a comment on my posts.
Equipment
Buy Now →Notes
- Red lentils: 15–20
- Black lentils: 20–25
- Brown lentils: 20–30
- Green lentils: 20–30, but can take up to 45
- Yellow lentils: 40–45
- Puy lentils: 25–30
