Lentil Chili

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 45

Servings: bowls

Course: Lunch-To-Go, Main Dish

Cuisine: South American

Author: Heather Nicholds

Rich and satisfying, hearty chili is the perfect meal for a winter evening. Pairing those iron-rich lentils with vitamin-c-rich tomatoes and cilantro means that you’ll be absorbing much more of the energy-boosting nutrient than if you ate the beans alone.

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil, or 1-2 Tbsp water, vegetable broth, or red wine
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste, or crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup lentils, dry
2 cups water, or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 cups chard, chopped
sea salt, to taste
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 green onion, chopped

Instructions

Saute the onion and garlic in the oil, water, broth or wine - either using the browning feature of your electric pressure cooker or Instant Pot, or in a pan (if transferring to a pressure cooker) or large soup pot (if cooking on the stovetop). Once the onion and garlic are soft, add the tomatoes, tomato paste, lentils, spices, and water/broth.
Pressure cooker or Instant Pot: Securely lock the lid, make sure the pressure valve is seated properly, set to high pressure for 8-10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally, then unlock and open the lid. Stovetop: Bring to a boil, cover with a lid, then turn down to simmer for 30-45 minutes, or until the lentils are soft. Turn off the heat.
Add the chard, stirring it through to wilt. You may want to put the lid back on for a couple of minutes for it to steam.
Scoop into bowls, and garnish with fresh cilantro/parsley and green onions, maybe a drizzle of avocado cream (see note), and enjoy.

Notes

To make an avocado cream for drizzling on top, just puree some avocado with salt, nutritional yeast, green onion and just enough water to make it thick and creamy.

Nutrition