There are all kinds of chilli for every chilli lover. You can have it thick and meaty, full of veggies, or filled with beans. For extra protein without going too heavy on the meat, try our slow cooker beef and lentil chili! This chili recipe gives you all the protein you need with not just beef, but beans and more beans.
This easy recipe just requires you to brown the meat to give it a more robust flavor and sauté with some vegetables, and then you can simply throw everything in the slow cooker. If you want, you can even add macaroni into the dish to cook up some spicy chilli mac, it is so absolutely yummy, and will also give you the carbs you need! For another spicy carb-loaded meal, why not check out our spicy penne recipe? If you love all things hot and spicy, you will definitely love this spicy rendition of the penne pasta!
And if you want to keep it strictly vegetarian, the chilli recipe will taste great with extra peppers, mushrooms or squash. Regardless of how you make it, this hearty chili recipe is bound to warm you in the dreary cold fall and winter nights.
How To Make Slow Cooker Beef and Lentil Chili
This chilli recipe is full of beans and beef so you will get all the protein and fiber you need to keep warm and full on cold wintry nights.
Ingredients
- ¾ lb lean ground beef
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 jalapenos, or ½ green pepper
- 1 can diced green chiles , 4 oz
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- ½ cup dried lentils, rinsed
- 2 cans diced tomatoes, for chili
- 1 can reduced sodium pinto beans, 8 oz, drained & rinsed
- 1 can reduced sodium kidney beans, 8 oz, drained & rinsed
Spices
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- ½ tbsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
Toppings
- cheese
- sour cream / Greek yogurt
- green onions
- oyster crackers
- avocado
Instructions
- Brown the beef and drain.
- Return beef to pan. With a splash of oil, add onion, jalapeno, green chiles and lentils to cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Then add garlic and sauté till fragrant.
- Place beef and veggie mixture into the slow cooker.
- Pour in beef broth, then stir in tomatoes and seasoning.
- Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on high heat.
- Add pinto and kidney beans and allow to heat for about 3 minutes.
- Top with your favorite fixings and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
While you can cook it on high heat for 2 to 3 hours, if you have the time, do cook it for over 6 hours, that will make your chilli more fragrant and rich.
Nutrition
- Sugar: 7g
- :
- Calcium: 139mg
- Calories: 283kcal
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Cholesterol: 53mg
- Fat: 6g
- Fiber: 12g
- Iron: 8mg
- Potassium: 1164mg
- Protein: 29g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Sodium: 979mg
- Vitamin A: 1821IU
- Vitamin C: 41mg
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Commonly Asked Questions
Can I cook the chilli ahead?
Yes! You can cook the chilli about 1 or 2 days ahead. After cooking, allow to cool completely before refrigerating it. When you wish to serve it, you can simply take it out from the fridge and wait for 1 hour before heating.
I cooked too much. What can I do with the leftover chilli?
There are so many ways you can use your leftover chilli for. For instance, you can use it as topping for your favorite potato dish, be it baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, or fries. You can also add the chilli to pasta to make spicy pasta. If you want to have it with some bread, add it to your favorite burger to spice it up or drizzle it over hot dogs to make chilli dogs! And you can even add it to omelets to make spicy omelets. Yum!
Conclusion
The best thing about making chilli is that you can pile it with toppings. Shredded cheese, sour cream, guacamole, sliced olives, chopped scallions, tomatoes, you can add whatever you love. To give even more texture to the toppings add some crushed tortilla chips!Have your own special recipe to share? Submit Your Recipe Today!
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