A spicy one-pot meal with browned mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and fresh cilantro, then simmered with chipotle peppers, soy chorizo, pinto beans, and red lentils, then topped with pepper jack cheese, avocado, sour cream, and pico de gallo, and served with tortilla chips. This mushroom lentil bean chili is the best of meatless meals, with a depth of flavor in a short time.
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Perfect Chili-y Day
A steaming hot bowl of chili is the ultimate comfort food, especially during those chilly days when you crave something to warm you up from the inside out. Our spicy vegetarian chipotle mushroom lentil bean chili is a flavorful sensation that strikes the perfect balance between heat and hearty goodness.
Packed with so much flavor, this easy meal is the ideal choice for a quick and satisfying dinner in cold weather. This recipe not only provides that much-needed warmth but also serves as an excellent example of how an easy dinner recipe can be both delicious and meatless.
Gluten-Free? The great thing about this chili is that it does not use thickening agents.
More Delicious Recipes
- Cheesy Chipotle Mushroom Vegetarian Birria Style Tacos
- Curry Lentil Turkey Stew
- Blackened Trout with Chorizo Beans and Garlic Broccoli
- Lemony Green Lentil Kale Stew
- Vegetarian Smoky Chipotle Chorizo and Bean Stew
- Butternut Squash Chicken Chili
- Curry Shepherd’s Pie with Cauliflower-Potato Mash
Ingredients with Steps
To make this easy chili recipe, first, make the fresh salsa with freshly chopped tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and chopped garlic. Then brown your favorite mushrooms.
Add half of the pico de Gallo (salsa) with chopped chipotle in adobo sauce, soy chorizo, spices, salt, and pepper to the pot of mushrooms. Let the seasoning bloom to enhance the aromatic spices. Then, the vegetable broth.
Now, we can finish the rest of the pico de gallo with lime juice and zest, salt, and pepper. To the pot, add pinto beans and split red lentils for a protein-packed chili. Finally, add your favorite toppings like creamy cold sour cream, fresh diced avocados, the pico de gallo, and shredded pepper jack cheese.
Don't forget to eat it with your favorite crunchy tortilla chips. The bonus is the next day, enjoy seconds when the red lentil chili's ingredients flavors have had time to meld, making it the best flavorful vegetarian chili.
See the mushroom lentil bean chili recipe card for quantities.
Instructions with Pictures
Follow the instructions and cooking tips below using the step-by-step picture guide.
Coarsely chop the chipotle in the adobo sauce into a chunky paste.
Combine the tomato, onion, and cilantro to make a fresh salsa.
Brown the sliced mushrooms around the edges before adding the salsa.
Combine the mushrooms with the half of the salsa and cook down to incorporate the flavors.
Add the chopped chipotle and soy chorizo, crumble the chorizo, and combine all well.
Add the spices, combine well, and cook to meld the flavors.
To the rich foundation of the chili, add the vegetable broth.
Then, bring to a simmer.
Once it begins to simmer, add the beans.
Then add the lentils, combine well, and cook until tender.
The liquid should cook down and look like this.
To the leftover fresh salsa, add lime juice and zest.
Substitutions
- Spice Blend - Use chili seasonings or taco seasoning with a bit of cinnamon for quick prep.
- Pico de Gallo - This fresh salsa is already made at your local deli. Just be aware of the lime juice content when adding it to the beginning of the recipe, but it should be fine. If you plan to use this instead, skip adding lime juice and zest at the end.
- Mushrooms - Use your favorite. Consider using earthy mushrooms like cremini, portobello, or shiitake for a chili recipe to add depth and umami flavor.
- Chipotle in Adobo - You might get away with using chipotle powder or rehydrating chipotle. See the Frequently Asked Questions section.
- Soy Chorizo - If you wish to leave this out, use taco seasoning or ½ a cup of real pork chorizo, small diced, for every four servings.
- Pinto Beans - For convenience, this recipe uses canned beans. Replace or use a combination of types of beans, like black beans and kidney beans.
Change Heat Level - Modify the recipe's heat level to your liking and learn more about the Scoville Scale and Chili Pairings.
Variations
- More Toppings - Add sliced green onions, sliced jalapenos, sliced black olives, sliced radishes, crumbled bacon bits, grilled corn kernels,
- More Vegetables - Add sweet potatoes, red bell pepper,
- Make Black Bean Chili - Switch out the pinto beans with black beans.
- Loaded Baked Potato - Serve the chili over a baked sweet potato.
Equipment
- Small Mixing Bowl - Used as a convenient way for mixing the spices before adding them to the chili base.
- Medium Mixing Bowl - This will be used to mix the fresh salsa.
- Medium Saute Pan, Dutch Oven, or Cast Iron Skillet - You will need a heavy-bottom pan or pot for the chili to not burn when simmering.
Kitchen Must-Haves - Find other tools I use here.
Kitchen Must-Haves Reviews
Find a collection of my reviews of kitchen equipment that I have purchased or recommend.
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
My Review: The Lodge 15-Inch Cast Iron Skillet with the signature teardrop handle is the perfect skillet to take you from stovetop to grill to campfire without skipping a beat. Its large size makes it ideal for everything from cooking a whole pizza with a crispy crust to whipping up a bunch of tacos or pancakes for a crowd at breakfast. The pre-seasoned surface gives it that unbeatable nonstick performance and rich flavor you can only get from cast iron. Whether you’re cooking indoors or outside, this skillet is built to last a lifetime. Just make sure you know how to care for it—check out my cast iron care guide to keep yours in top shape!
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Purchased: December 10, 2023
My Review: I love the clean, classic look of this Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set—it’s a staple in my kitchen. Pyrex is known for its durability, and these bowls definitely live up to that reputation. I use them for everything from mixing batters to storing leftovers, and the fact that they’re microwave-safe makes them super multifunctional. They’re also easy to clean and stack nicely in the cabinet. The only reason this isn’t a five-star for me is because I always have that little fear of breaking them when I’m using or storing them, even though they’re made to last.
Storage
- Refrigerator - To store in the fridge, you can place the lentil chili recipe in a shallow 2-inch container to cool down quickly. Then, store it in an airtight container. As a result, the meal will last up to four days.
- Freezer - Follow the refrigeration process mentioned above. Then, place it in the freezer in a labeled, airtight container. For best results, put them in a freezer-sealable bag.
Cooking tip
Quick Video Tip - Check out my short video on building flavors when cooking.
When preparing lentil bean chili, a pro tip is to let it simmer low and slow. The magic happens when you allow the flavors to meld over time.
This slow simmer not only allows the ingredients to meld fully but also ensures that the lentils and beans become tender and soak up all the delicious flavors in the pot.
So, be patient, and you'll be rewarded with a rich, hearty chili packed with depth and complexity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rehydrating chipotle peppers is a simple process that brings these dried, smoky peppers back to life, infusing your dishes with their rich flavor. Begin by selecting the desired number of chipotle peppers and removing their stems.
Then, rinse them under cold water to remove any dust or debris. Bring water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan and remove it from the heat. Submerge the chipotle peppers in the hot water and place a lid or plate over the saucepan to submerge them.
Allow the peppers to soak for about 20-30 minutes until they become pliable and rehydrated. Afterward, you can chop or blend them to incorporate into your favorite recipes, such as sauces, stews, or, in this case, a flavorful chili, to impart that distinctive smoky and spicy kick.
You can use dried beans; I suggest soaking them the night before instead of right before you are cooking. This way, you are not trying to prepare this while hungry. Dried beans, of course, have much more flavor than canned beans. But canned beans are best for convenience when you are short on time.
Beans ideal for vegetarian chili are black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, or a combination. Black beans have the most distinctive flavor; kidney beans tend to be firmer.
Finally, pinto beans have thinner skin and a milder taste, making them great. They will fit right in when added to any chili dish with complex flavors, like tofu.
Yes, you can! It is a great way to stock up on homemade frozen meals on busy days. The dense stew is filled with vegetables and legumes that freeze well. If you decide to freeze them, place them in a freezer-safe sealing bag flat; this way, you can stack them and see the labels.
Stew Recipes
Looking for other stew recipes like this? Try these:
- Creamy Curry Chicken Gnocchi Soup | Caribbean Style
- Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder with Dumplings | Dairy-Free
- One-Pot Curry Meatball Soup with Ground Turkey and Kale
- How to Make Easy Bacon Potato Leek Chowder | Creamy Comfort
Vegetarian Recipes
Looking for other vegetarian recipes like this? Try these:
- Meatless Monday Meal Guide: Plant-Powered Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
- Haitian Djon Djon Rice Recipe (Diri Djon Djon)
- Homemade Cholula Green Chili Sour Cream Sauce
- Homemade Pico de Gallo | Fresh Salsa in 10 Minutes
📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Chipotle Mushroom Lentil Bean Chili
Ingredients
Spice Blend
- ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
Pico de Gallo Pre-Prep
- 1 cup onions chopped small
- 3 garlic cloves minced or garlic pressed
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped small
- ½ cup fresh cilantro coarsely chopped
Rest of Chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoons of chipotle in adobo coarse chop
- 4 ounces soy chorizo crumbled
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 15- ounce can of pinto beans
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Finishing Touch and Garnish
- 1 lime freshly juiced and zested
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup shredded pepper jack cheese blend
Serve With Optional Toppings
- low-fat sour cream
- avocado diced
- shredded pepper jack cheese blend
- tortilla chips
Equipment
- Small Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Medium Saute Pan, Dutch Oven, or Cast Iron Skillet
Instructions
- Save time in the kitchen: Read the instructions thoroughly, then gather and prep all your ingredients before cooking! Learn Prepping Tips.
- Make the Spice Blend: Combine the Cajun seasoning, Italian herb seasoning, cumin powder, ground cinnamon, and chili powder in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
- Make Pico de Gallo Pre-Prep: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the onions, garlic, tomatoes, and cilantro and set aside.
- Cook the Vegetables and Herbs: Heat a medium saute pan, dutch oven, or cast iron skillet with oil and brown the mushroom on medium-high. Then, add half of the pico de gallo mixture and cook for 5 minutes or until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
- Build Up the Chili: Add and combine the chipotle in adobo and soy chorizo and cook for 2 minutes to allow the ingredients to meld with the vegetables, stirring occasionally.
- Finish the Chili: Add the lentils, pinto beans, vegetable broth, spice blend, salt, and pepper, combine well and bring to a simmer. Then simmer for 15 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
- Finish the Pico de Gallo: While the chili simmers, add the lime juice and zest to the rest of the pico de Gallo prep and set aside to allow the flavors to infuse.
- Serve the Chili: Bowl up the chili, top with sour cream, diced avocados, pico de gallo, sprinkle on cheese and eat with your favorite tortilla chips.
Video
Nutrition
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