I know there are a lot of haters out there when it comes to omni food magazines. I, however, am not one of those people. I've been subscribing to Bon Appetit for over 10 years. Continuously almost, too. And you know what? I've been vegetarian or vegan for the entire time (and then some. ;) ). I've gotten some really great recipes and ideas for different ways to prepare foods that I might not have thought of on my own. I absolutely love food. I love to try some of the trendy flavor groupings and make some really "gourmet" feeling food sometimes. My brain just automatically skips over the stuff that I find gross or just substitutes tofu or seitan in the place of meat in recipes.
But I digress. Why am I yammering on about food magazines? Because that's where I found this lentil chili recipe, that's why! Specifically from Bon Appetit's Green Issue (February 2008). It was even already vegan, I didn't have to substitute a thing. And that's pretty darn cool. (Though I must say, I'm unsure why they felt the need to add the "with Cumin" part to the recipe name. That's kinda weird since most chili has that in the first place.)
Don't be fooled by the minimal ingredients. I almost added a few more things as I was cooking, but then I was glad I didn't. I think the simplicity of the ingredients is what makes the flavors really shine.
Lentil Chili with Cumin and Green Onions
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (add more to make it hotter)
4 cups (or more) water
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed (I used green ones)
1/2 cup tomato puree
1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp chopped green onions
Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano leaves, and cayenne pepper; stir for 30 seconds. Add the 4 cups of water, lentils, and tomato puree. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam from the surface. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls as needed if dry, about 30 minutes. Stir in 1/3 cup green onions. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper.
Divide the chili among 4 bowls. Sprinkle with remaining green onions and serve.
I used to subscribe to Cooking Light, finding that many of their recipes were easily veganized and some were already vegan. I'm glad I'm not the only one who translates omni to vegan food in her mind! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love to eat lentils as simple as possible, and this recipe seems to be perfect!
ReplyDeleteYum! I love Lentil Chili!! =)
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the Omni mags. My mom was a big purchaser of Canadian Living...and some of the recipes in there were amazing - and those that weren't already vegan were easily veganized.
ReplyDeleteThe lentil chili looks amazing. Excellent.
This sounds really nice! My husband isn't a huge chili fan, but I think he'd dig this.
ReplyDeleteYou can never have too many lentil stews.
ReplyDeleteI am practically ashamed to admit that I have never had lentil chili. It looks awesome, however.
ReplyDeletemy mouth is watering. this is next on my list to make. thanks!
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to try this chili ever since I fell in love with that BA issue, now I want it even more, seeing how it came out perfectly for you.
ReplyDeleteYum, that looks really good!
ReplyDeleteYour chili looks really good. We are a lentil family for sure. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photography :O)
I totally agree with you regarding the omni-magazine situation. Sometimes it's more fun to take a non-veg recipe & improve upon it anyway. I mean we all had to start somewhere, right? (Unless someone's been vegan since birth, & if so - wow!)
ReplyDeleteAnyway, that lentil chili looks really good. I love chili, regardless of what time of year it is, so I'm always happy to see a new recipe. However, I do have to admit that I've always skipped over lentil chili recipes because I was worried that the result would taste like soup (which I really like, but it's NOT chili), too!
After seeing this post, I realized that I should get over my bias against lentil chili & just give it a chance!
Thanks for the delicious-sounding recipe :)
Fantastic recipe. Just made it. served it on a bed of kale and it's perfection. thank you much.
ReplyDeleteVery yummy recipe, I made it today and it turned out perfect!
ReplyDeleteYay! I remember really liking this chili. I should make it again before too long.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an amazingly yummy recipe. I love lentils they have a beefy flavor when you prepare them a certain way I use them a lot for a red meat substitute. I am not 100% vegetarian or vegan but almost, I still eat a little turkey & a bit of chicken. Well thanks for posting this it looks great. I am going to try it tonight.
ReplyDeleteThis is my favorite recipe - i make it all the time!!! To change things up a little sometimes I add black beans, and use red onions. And since i'm not 100% vegan i like to top it with a little aged cheddar - delightful!!! thanks for sharing this!!!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm glad you like it. I haven't made this in ages. Maybe it's time to make it again. Black beans sound like a great addition!
ReplyDeletewow folks... this is really a show stopper... dice up some avocado on top... I served it as a side to my cumin and lime baked basa filets... thank you for helping me attain hero status...
ReplyDeleteIt was great. My husband loved it and said it was restaurant quality.
ReplyDeleteWouldn't it be better to cook the lentils separately?
ReplyDeleteLentils cook quickly and cooking them in with the other things allows them to absorb more of the flavor. If it were something like kidney beans or chickpeas or a legume that takes much longer to cook then I would cook them separately. I think you'll get better results from the lentils by cooking it together, though.
ReplyDeleteI tried my first vegan chile recipe today and completely screwed that one up. Not horrible, but I want to somehow incorporate brown rice into so it can be a complete protein. I like how you prepare yours, so I'm gonna give it a try. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhy not try spooning the chili over some rice in a bowl? If you put rice in it, it'll absorb all of the liquid, which can get frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI would add more vegetables to the chili. I usually add a lot of tomatoes, celery, onion and raw bell pepper to add crunch. Also, chili on rice is delicious. However, the "complete protein" notion leads many to be misguided. If proteins must be "completed" they still do not need to be eaten together or even on the same day. Having a grain one day and a legume/bean the next day will "complete" the protein if need be.
ReplyDeleteTry the chili over spaghetti or any type of pasta with a tossed salad and garlic bread.
ReplyDeletei added sliced sweet peppers (in strips), and TPV for texture and protein. It was awesome! You have great recipes..
ReplyDeleteI made this and it is delicious! I was worried it would be too spicy for my kids so I stirred in some maple syrup and some ketchup too. I didn't have green onions so used leeks instead. It smells and tastes wonderful. Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteMade this for the first time tonight and it was soooooo good!
ReplyDeleteJust made (and eaten) this with a jacket potato and it was delicious! I used coconut oil to fry the onions and garlic, added chopped celery, courgettes (zuccini) and fresh peas and used organic passata instead of puree, with a little less water. Plus a sprinkle of chopped coriander at the end.. Delish! (Karen M - UK)
ReplyDeleteI discovered this last winter and made it constantly, and my obsession continues this winter - I make it around every other week. I usually add lots of random veggies (whatever I have in my fridge at the time), along with some canned chipotles in adobo and hot sauce for lots spice. Thanks for an awesome, affordable, adaptable recipe!!
ReplyDeleteThis is now a staple in our house. I make a double batch every week or two. I use red lentils, they cook faster and I Iike the texture better. To make it kid friendly, I leave out the onions and cayenne, then serve it with tortilla chips. They love it.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! My little one loves this, too. I like to add in some beans and chopped carrots sometimes, too, lately. I just love how the lentils give the chill so much texture.
ReplyDelete