Lentil Chili
Side dish
Veggy
Easy
60 min
2 servings
ingredients
1 can of Cirio Polpa chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp Cirio Supercirio tomato paste
1 carton of Cirio Lenticchie Lentils
2 tbsp olive oil
½ white or yellow onion, diced
3 red peppers, diced
1 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
1 jalapeño, diced with seeds
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
⅓ tsp smoked paprika
140 ml water
Preparation
- Warm a large pot over medium heat. When the pot is hot, add the oil, followed by the onion and red pepper. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir well. Cook for about 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fragrant.
- Meanwhile, place the diced jalapeño and garlic in a mortar and pestle and crush them into a coarse paste. Alternatively, you can pulse them briefly in a small food processor or finely chop them with a knife. Add this mixture to the pot, stir, and season again with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Stir in two-thirds of the chili powder, half of the cumin, the paprika, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and water. Mix well and bring everything to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Once the mixture is boiling, add the Cirio Lenticchie lentils. Lower the heat to medium-low or low so the stew simmers softly. Cook for about 10 minutes, adding more water if the mixture becomes too thick or starts to dry out.
- Add the remaining cumin and chili powder, stirring to evenly distribute the spices.
- Bring the stew back to a light simmer over medium heat, then lower the heat slightly, cover with a lid, and let it cook gently for 20 minutes. This allows the flavors to fully develop. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking or burning.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed: add more chili powder or cumin for extra smokiness, salt to enhance flavor, or a pinch of sugar to balance the heat and round out the dish.
- Serve with bread or rice—or enjoy it just as it is.
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Easy 
60 min 