The Best Vegan Chili

This is probably one of the best chili recipes I've ever tried - we did not use the jalapenos because the kids don't do well with spice. Original recipe is from Kelli Foster on The Kitchn. Goes really well with this cornbread recipe!

The Best Vegan Chili

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium jalapeño, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon light or dark molasses
1 cup dried red lentils
1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
For serving (optional):
2 medium avocados, diced
4 medium scallions, thinly sliced

1 medium jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

Method

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. 

Add the onion, celery, jalapeño, and garlic, and cook until soft, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Add the cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper, and stir to combine. 

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to ensure the spices don’t burn. 

Stir in the molasses and lentils and cook for a minute more.

Add the tomatoes, broth, and beans, and stir to combine. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the chili from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Serve topped with avocado, scallions, and jalapeño, if desired.