A bowl of this hearty and healthy Vegetarian Chili will warm you up even on the coldest winter night. It’s simple and easy to make, either on the stovetop or in a slow cooker, but the smoky and spicy flavors will make it seem as though it was a lot harder than it was.
5 In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, stir to combine, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, until fragrant and starting to brown.
6 To the pot, add the red lentils, black beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Fill the empty tomato can with water and pour it into the pot (or just add 3 ½ cups of water), then stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes, or until the lentils have swollen and started to pop.
7 Garnish each bowl of chili with the cubed avocado, cilantro, and enjoy!
If you're making your own black beans:
0 Place the beans in a large pot and add enough water to cover. Set the pot aside to soak for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.
1 Once the beans are done soaking, drain and rinse them. Then, return them to the pot, add fresh water to cover, and drop in the onion, garlic, bay leaf, and salt. Bring the beans to a low boil over medium heat, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 1 ½ hours, until the beans are tender. Remove from the heat and discard the onion, garlic, and bay leaf.
