Recipe: Spicy Vegan Lentil Chilli

This recipe is great for Meat Free Mondays, but it’s a regular in my recipe repertoire any day of the week.The puy lentils in this are a good source of protein and very filling – but they also mimic the texture of meat mince which would normally be the staple of a good, hearty chilli.

I promise you won’t miss the meat at all.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 2 peppers
• 1 tin kidney beans
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 250ml vegetable stock
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 – 3 tsp hot chilli powder
• 200g red lentils
• A dash (or more) of vegan red wine
• A dash of vegan Worcester Sauce (like this one)
• A slug or two of Beetroot Ketchup (my secret ingredient – totally optional)!

Recipe:

In a large pan, fry the onion and garlic until softened. I like to sprinkle 1 tsp of chilli powder over the onions as they soften. Once browned, add the pepper (chopped into small pieces) and fry, then the chopped tomatoes.

Add the rest of the spices, the wine, the Worcester sauce, the ketchup (if using). Simmer for 10 mins, then add the kidney beans, the stock and the washed puy lentils – and stir through. Simmer for another 10 mins until the sauce is reduced.

You can serve this immediately with brown rice, tacos, nachos or on a jacket potato – you could also add jalapeños, homemade guacamole or slices of avocado.

Alternatively, transfer everything to a slow cooker and let it simmer for a few hours on a low heat to let all of the flavours really develop.

Serves 4 (with rice).