Easy Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili

Yes, chili can still be chili without meat. I typically get the stink eye when I utter the words “vegetarian chili” – the kind of glare you’d receive at a sewing circle after taking the Lord’s name in vain.

“What do you mean there’s no meat in that chili?!”

You mad, bro?

I can assure you – it’s still hearty, it’s still comforting, and hot dayum is it ever delicious! This chili actually won in a chili competition in the vegetarian category. So, there’s that.

I originally created this recipe years before adopting my pescetarian lifestyle; I was still an omnivore and denying meat on my plate wasn’t even something I’d considered yet. I’d been craving chili and realized that I had every ingredient in my pantry…except ground meat. At first I was sad, but then I became un-sad! Because I recalled a chum of mine ordering veg chili for lunch at a restaurant one afternoon and I thought hey, maybe I can give that a whirl?

My big concern was the chili being soup-y since the heartiness of the beef would be missing, but it was a non-issue. Lentils make the perfect substitute for ground meat, so the result is still a nice and thick “spoon-standing” chili. Not to mention, it’s a fibre and protein party!

Until you try it, don’t knock it. ‘Cause you don’t even know.