Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili
This hearty vegetarian chili combines red lentils, kidney beans, and black beans with carrots, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers. Chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic, and jalapeño create a smoky, warmly spiced flavor with a gentle kick. Serve it as a comforting weeknight meal or a satisfying bowl for casual gatherings.
- Prep15 mins
- Cook45 mins
- Serves6
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 62 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 13 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 94 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 50
- Heart Health
- 87
- Metabolic
- 57
- Digestive
- 49
- Inflammatory
- 56
- Performance
- 60
- General Wellness
- 1
Heat oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add carrots, zucchini, onion, poblano pepper, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
- 2
Remove the zucchini from the Dutch oven and set aside. Add garlic and jalapeño pepper to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Add tomato paste, chili powder, and cumin; stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Once the liquid boils, stir in kidney beans, black beans, and red lentils.
- 3
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, leaving the lid ajar, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with the remaining chili powder and cumin to taste.
- 4
Return the zucchini to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover and allow the flavors to blend for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- 5
Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in the kidney beans, black beans, and red lentils.
- 6
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with the remaining chili powder and cumin to taste.
- 7
Return the zucchini to the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the flavors blend for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Calories 340.89 kcal Moderate 17%
- Protein 18.14 g Good Source 36%
- Carbohydrate 52.94 g 19%
- Total Fat 9.37 g Moderate 12%
- Saturated Fat 1.22 g Moderate 6%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 3.34 mg Low Source 1%
- Sodium 932.7 mg High 41%
- Dietary Fiber 16.92 g Good Source 60%
- Total Sugars 11.2 g --
- Added Sugars 0.41 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 163.48 mg Moderate 13%
- Iron 8.56 mg Good Source 48%
- Potassium 1154.24 mg Good Source 25%
- Vitamin A 193.27 mcg Good Source 21%
- Vitamin C 36.12 mg Good Source 40%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili is made with 19 ingredients and serves 6. It takes about 1 hr and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Beans, Carrot, Chili Powder, and Diced Carrots. Each serving provides about 340.89 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Beans, Carrot, Chili Powder, Diced Carrots, Diced Tomatoes. The full list of 19 is above.
- How long does it take to make Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili?
- About 1 hr in total: 15 mins to prepare and 45 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 340.89 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 7 steps.
- Is Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili healthy?
- Smoky Red Lentil Bean Chili has an easyChef Pro health score of 54/100. Per serving, it provides 340.89 calories and 18.14 g of protein, or 36% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron, potassium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 932.7 mg (41% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.22 g (6% of the Daily Value). It contains Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products
easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.
The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.
Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.
For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.
Score a recipe free, no app required