This Red Lentil Chili Recipe is made in the Instant Pot for an easy weeknight meal! Packed full of flavor, this will become a family favorite!
Are you afraid of Pressure Cookers? I sure was, I knew there were wonderful easy meals that could be made using a pressure cooker but the thought of it blowing up scared me to death!
I have only seen the kind of pressure cooker that you put on a stove top and it had the little rattling pressure value that hisses and swirls around. I just couldn’t bring myself to use one because my mind imagined all kinds of events with the cooker blowing up and hitting me in the head and blowing food all over the place.
My friend Bobbi, had just recently purchased an electric Pressure Cooker called a Instant Pot highly recommended by Chef AJ. Bobbi has had a fear of pressure cookers, like I had, but swares this one is so easy to use! So we cooked up a Red Lentil Chili Recipe from Chef AJ. The recipe is in the booklet that comes with the Instant Pot but I have it for you below!
This electric Pressure Cooker looked very easy to use. It has all kinds of safety bells & whistles. When you close the lid, it sings to you so you know you did it right. Then when you turn it on and put in the time recommended for cooking, it slowly brings the cooker up to pressure then the time for cooking shows in the indicator.
It will cook for the amount of time you had selected and then it slowly releases the pressure automatically and when it is done switches to a warm mode!
NOT having to sit and watch that pressure gauge so it stays within range constantly is such a bonus!
There are 11 settings to choose from and you can choose a pre-programmed setting for specific things like:
- rice
- beans & chili
- poultry
- slow cook
- steam
- porridge
- soup
- meat & stew
- saute
- multi-grain
- yogurt
If you have a pressure cooker try this recipe and if you don’t have one you can buy the Instant Pot HERE.
And all I have to say about this recipe is WOW, OMG my mouth is bursting with flavor! This is so delicious. It’s vegan, salt-free, gluten-free and absolutely yummy! I never expected such flavor. OMG you must make this recipe!
Red Lentil Chili Recipe by Chef AJ
Red Lentil Chili Recipe by Chef AJ (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 lb red lentils
- 7 cups water
- 29 ounce salt free diced tomatoes fire roasted preferred
- 1 - 6 ounce can of salt-free tomato paste
- 10 ounces of chopped onion approximately one large onion
- 1 lb of red bell pepper diced approximately 2 large peppers
- 3 ounces pitted dates 12 Deglet Noor or 6 Medjool
- 8 cloves of garlic finely minced
- 4 TBs Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1.5 TBs Parsley Flakes
- 1.5 TBs Oregano
- 1.5 TBs Chili Powder salt-free
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Blend the dates, garlic, red bell pepper and tomatoes in a blender until smooth and place into the Instant Pot.
- Place all remaining ingredients in Instant Pot and cook on high for 10 minutes.
- Let pressure release naturally or quick release and enjoy immediately.
- Serve over baked potato or have as is in bowls sprinkled with parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Amazon Shopping List
- Red Lentils
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes
- Pitted Dates
- Minced Garlic
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Parsley Flakes
- Smoked Paprika
- Chipotle Powder
- Crushed Red Pepper
I was snowed in, wanted something hot to eat. I put everything together in the crockpot as directed. Gracious, I didn’t have chili powder. Pleasant surprise-was quite tasty. I will put the chili powder in when I can get to the store to get some and just warm for a few hours. Very nice recipe, hit the spot and from what I can tell is the chili taste I have been looking for once I add the chili powder. I did use 2 TBSP date syrup instead of dates. Cut the tomato acid very well without being overly sweet.
Great the substitutions worked perfectly for you.
This looks delicious. I love chili and I’m sure I’ll love this recipe.
One wonders whether the tomatoes should be drained first??
This recipe is all over, but I’m still confused. Do you add the blended stuff to the instant pot with the remaining ingredients? Or do you mix it on after the other stuff is cooked? It doesn’t say what to do after blending.
Hi Monique. You put the blended mix into the instant pot. Then add the remaining ingredients into the instant pot. Then cook on high for 10 minutes then let it release the pressure naturally….and enjoy 🙂
So many lentil recipes say don’t use red lentils for this, they will disintegrate; that I’ve never actually tried them. I guess it’s time to change that.
Oh I love red lentils Char, they have such a distinctive flavor. They do tend to be softer but if cooked the right amount of time they are great! This chili is do die for yummy!
Love the idea of red lentil chili but unfortunately this recipe was too bland for me and my family. Had to double the seasoning and salt. I added pepper to cut the sweetness and tartness of the canned tomatoes and dates.
I’m making lentils today, so looking for a new recipe. I have been watching the sales on this Instant Pot and really want to get one soon. Beans, not so much lentils, take so long to cook and this would help.
Yes the IP really makes the beans lentils taste so much better.
Thank your for the recipe, I was in search of some delicious warm soup recipes for winter !
i really like soups..i wanna try this thanks
looks yummy
my fiance would love this recipe! He loves all kinds of chili
I recently had red lentil soup a recipe from Teri Walters cookbook, it was soo good! This looks great, too. I don’t have a pressure cooker, I’d like to, but I also want a crock pot!!
Rosie I’d probably start with the crock pot! You can make the red lentil soup in that too.
I love this recipe ! thank you for sharing!
Thank you so much!
Thank you smooch for posting my recipe. I actually like to use 8 cups of water now. It’s delicious over brown rice or Yukon Gold potatoes. I have more pressure cooker recipes on my website which is http://www.EatUnprocessed.com. Thanks to Bobbi for recommending it! Love & Kale, Chef AJ
Chef AJ… OMG I am humbled with admiration that you would take the time to comment on my post. Bobbi has been following you for a long time and just introduced me to your unprocessed way of life! You are such a celebrity, OMG, I can’t believe you found your way to my humble site! Thanks for sharing the tips on making this recipe even better. Bobbi & I will be checking your site for sure, for recipes. Thank You!
This soup sounds like a wonderful winter meal. I need to get an instant pot. I have seen so many great reviews and they sound like they would make dinner so much easier.