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This is my family’s all time favorite chili! Red lentils cook very quickly and are not only pretty but creamy and delicious. We love to serve this over a baked Yukon Gold potato.

By Chef AJ,

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces dates (approximately 9 Deglet Noor)
  • 1 pound red lentils
  • 7 cups water, divided
  • 2 14.5-ounce cans salt-free diced tomatoes (fire roasted preferred)
  • 1 6-ounce can salt-free tomato paste
  • 10 ounces chopped onion (approximately one large)
  • 1 pound red bell pepper, (approximately 2 large), finely chopped*
  • 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ tablespoons dried parsley
  • 1½ tablespoons dried oregano
  • 1½ tablespoons salt-free chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (different than regular paprika)
  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder (or more to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • scallions (for topping at the end)
  • Faux Parmesan (for topping at the end)

Instructions

  1. Blend the dates in one cup of the water until smooth. (I like to use the food processor so it’s almost a puree.)
  2. Place all remaining ingredients in an electric pressure cooker and cook on high for 10 minutes. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a slow cooker (with 6 cups water) and cook on low for 8 hours.
  3. Sprinkle with chopped scallions and serve with baked tortilla chips or over a baked potato.
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5 Comments

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(5 from 2 votes)
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Theresa MacDougall6 days ago
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Can I use date paste in this recipe? If so how much?

Kari11 months ago
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So delicious! I added kidney beans and omitted the date blend because I don’t like sweet chili. Also added one green and one red bell pepper for extra flavor. Like most FOK recipes, this was a winner!

Arrhiannon11 months ago
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The instructions are to puree the date in a blender. Place remaining ingredients in cooking vessel and cook. It never says what to do with the dates. Do they go into the pot? Added at the beginning? Stirred in at some point? Added at the end? I am a bit confused.

Lisa Marmon11 months ago
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The video shows that the date mixture goes in the pot before you turn in on.

Angie1 year ago
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Wow, this is so yummy and so filling! It makes a huge batch too. I’ll be making this again for sure.

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This vegan chili recipe smells and tastes delicious—try it by itself or poured over a golden baked potato!

Red Lentil Chili

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about the author

Chef AJ

Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-exclusive diet for over 44 years. She is the host of the television series Healthy Living with CHEF AJ airing on Foody TV. A chef, culinary instructor, and professional speaker, she is author of Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight and the best-selling books The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss and Own Your Health. Chef AJ was the executive pastry chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles where she was famous for her sugar-, oil-, salt- and gluten-free desserts. She is the host of YouTube show Chef AJ Live. She is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. In 2018 she was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame. Find her on Instagram and Twitter.

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