Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and spices. Saute until onion is softened.
Deglaze pan with wine and allow to boil for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes and broth (or water). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
Add the lentils and beans and cook until lentils are tender--about 15 to 20 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Lentil Chili can be stored in the fridge for 4-5 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
I blended one can of tomatoes to give the soup more liquid and for texture preference. You can skip this step and just use 2 cans of diced tomatoes, or you can blend all the tomatoes if your family is opposed to the texture of diced tomatoes.
I recommend kidney beans and black beans for this Lentil Chili, but you can use red beans or pinto beans instead.
Feel free to adjust the spices to accommodate your family's preferences.
Green or brown lentils are best for this chili recipe. Red lentils will turn to mush, so are not recommended for this recipe.
Dry red wine, like Merlot or Cabernet, is recommended for this Lentil Chili, but feel free to use additional vegetable stock in place of the wine.
Slow Cooker Instructions: Place all ingredients into the slow cooker and cook for 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high.