Red Lentil Chili
This is a lovely chill recipe. We enjoyed it only mildly spicy not as a 4 alarm chill, but if you prefer, you can add more heat.
Serving Size: 6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red lentils
- 3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, de-seeded and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes (14 ounce each)
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Chop the onion.
- De-seed and chop the red bell pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
- Place the onion and bell pepper pieces in the pot and sauté until soft.
- Add the cans of crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, taco seasonings, red pepper flakes, and cumin.
- Turn the heat down and allow the flavors to warmly meld. Then allowed to sit, covered, not cooking, but seasoning. Then shortly before serving heat, and continue with the recipe.
- While the base sauce is melding in flavor, cook the lentils. Depending upon which red lentils you use it will take 10-15 minutes until they are soft.
- Once the red lentils are soft, drain off any extra liquid through a colander and add the lentils to the cooking tomato base.
- Add the apple butter and vinegar.
- Stir well to mix evenly.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, and if desired add additional heat using Tabasco, cayenne or more red pepper flakes.
- We served the chili over a bed of white rice with a dollop of soy yogurt, some vegan Parmesan garnished the meal with a few parsley leaves.
Notes:
This made a lot, so we enjoyed left overs, and one can also make burgers by adding a few dried bread crumbs to thicken and create firm burgers.