Description
Mexican-inspired slow cooker lentil taco chili brings hearty spices and protein-packed legumes together in one comforting meal. Simple ingredients merge into a robust blend that satisfies hunger while delivering complex southwestern flavors you will crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dried green or brown lentils, rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsps taco seasoning
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- Juice of 1 lime
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, sautéing diced onions until they become translucent and soft, releasing their aromatic sweetness.
- Incorporate minced garlic, red and green bell peppers into the skillet, continuing to cook until the vegetables reach a tender, slightly caramelized state.
- Transfer the aromatic vegetable mixture to the slow cooker, creating a flavorful base for the chili.
- Add rinsed lentils, black beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilies to the slow cooker, layering complex textures and flavors.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning, ground cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper over the ingredients, ensuring even distribution of spices.
- Pour vegetable broth into the slow cooker and nestle a bay leaf among the ingredients to infuse additional depth.
- Secure the lid and set the slow cooker to low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours, allowing the lentils to become perfectly tender and the flavors to meld.
- Just before serving, brighten the chili with fresh lime juice, providing a zesty, citrusy contrast to the rich, hearty dish.
Notes
- Swap meat for hearty lentils to create a protein-packed vegetarian meal that keeps you satisfied and energized.
- Customize spice levels by adjusting taco seasoning or adding fresh jalapeños for extra heat lovers who want a kick.
- Make this chili freezer-friendly by storing in airtight containers for quick weeknight meals, lasting up to 3 months when properly sealed.
- Enhance nutrition by adding chopped spinach or kale during the last hour of cooking, boosting vitamins and minerals without changing the dish’s core flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours (on Low) or 4 hours (on High)
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 370 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 9 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg