Meaty portobello mushrooms and nutty French lentils simmered in a deep ancho chili base with tomatoes and spices, delivering rich umami depth without meat.
French green lentils hold their shape during long cooking, unlike brown or red varieties; they are essential for texture. Sauté mushrooms in batches to avoid crowding the pot, which prevents proper browning and releases moisture.
Ancho chili powder is milder and fruitier than cayenne; it is the foundation of this chili's depth. Do not substitute with generic chili powder. Chili tastes better the next day as flavors meld; refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 ¼ lb portobello mushrooms
- 1 cup French green lentils
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes (one 28 oz can)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp lime juice
Ingredients
Scale
Measurement units
- 1 ¼ lb portobello mushrooms
- 1 cup French green lentils
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes (one 28 oz can)
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- salt
- black pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp lime juice
Instructions
Prepare mushrooms and aromatics
Remove stems from portobello mushrooms (1 ¼ pound) and cut caps into ½-inch chunks.
Dice 1 medium yellow onion and mince garlic cloves.
Sauté mushrooms and aromatics
Heat olive oil (2 tablespoon) in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Add mushroom chunks in two batches, cooking each batch 4–5 minutes until golden and liquid evaporates; transfer to a plate.
Add diced onion to the pot and cook 3 minutes until softened.
Stir in minced garlic, ancho chili powder (3 tablespoon), cumin (1 ½ teaspoon), and smoked paprika (1 teaspoon); cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Build the chili base
Stir in tomato paste (2 tablespoon) and cook 1 minute.
Pour in vegetable broth (3 cup) and canned diced tomatoes (28 ounce) with their juice, scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom.
Add 1 cup rinsed French green lentils (1 cup) and return the cooked mushrooms to the pot.
Simmer the chili
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer 30–35 minutes until lentils are tender but not falling apart.
Finish and serve
Stir in 1.5 tbsp lime juice and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Before you cook
Cook notes
- • Ancho chili powder is milder and fruitier than cayenne; it is the foundation of this chili's depth. Do not substitute with generic chili powder.
- • French green lentils hold their shape during long cooking, unlike brown or red varieties; they are essential for texture.
- • Sauté mushrooms in batches to avoid crowding the pot, which prevents proper browning and releases moisture.
- • Lime juice added at the end brightens the earthiness of the lentils and ancho spice.
- • Chili tastes better the next day as flavors meld; refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
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