Lentil Chili
Adapted from the Weight Watchers Simply the Best cookbook. I loved this hearty chili and I did not miss the meat one bit.
Adapted from the Weight Watchers Simply the Best cookbook. I loved this hearty chili and I did not miss the meat one bit.
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 lb lentils rinsed and drained
- 1 can no salt added diced tomatoes 14.5 oz
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and finely chopped
- 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth 1/2 cup extra may be added
- 1 can no salt added tomato paste 6 oz
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 2 tb red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp oregano
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- Carbohydrate 15.4293209784021 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.40842875 g
- Fiber 5.54532505983114 g
- Protein 5.627955 g
- Saturated Fat 0.066919375 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (104g)
- Sodium 13.5242109053876 mg
- Sugar 9.88399591857096 g
- Trans Fat 0.0893345 g
- Calories 84 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large saucepan, bring the lentils along with 5 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes until the lentils begin to soften.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and bring mixture to a boil once again. Reduce to a simmer and cover for another 40 minutes until lentils are tender.
Controlling the initial simmer of the lentils determines the final structural integrity of the entire pot. If the legumes boil too rapidly before the twenty-minute mark, the outer starch breaks down prematurely while the centers remain chalky. Rooted historically in the American Southwest as a utilitarian dish of preservation and spice, chili naturally accommodates plant-based substitutions without sacrificing density. Traditional iterations rely on minced beef or pork for richness, whereas this meatless variation achieves body entirely through the natural starches released by simmering legumes.
- Mince the garlic and salt together into a wet paste using the flat side of a chef knife blade to rupture the cell walls completely. This releases maximum allicin before the aromatics hit the pot.
- Dice the carrots and green bell peppers to a uniform quarter-inch square so they soften at precisely the same rate as the surrounding lentils.
- Add extra low-sodium vegetable broth in half-cup increments only if the liquid level drops below the surface of the simmering mixture.
- Incorporate canned tomato paste early in the secondary simmer phase to allow natural glutamates to caramelize slightly against the bottom of the saucepan.
- Store leftovers in an airtight glass container for up to four days in the refrigerator, noting that the starches will continue to thicken the broth as it chills.
Using canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste provides concentrated acidity that cuts through the earthy weight of the legumes. Swapping these canned items for fresh summer tomatoes requires longer reduction times to eliminate excess water content.
