When it comes to substituting ingredients in recipes, there are 2 kinds of cooks. On the one hand, some folks abandon making the recipe altogether. The other, more adventurous cooks, feel confident enough to go ahead and sub what feels sensible to them. 

I was in that exact situation this morning. I cleaned out the freezer and found a generous pound of ground turkey that needed to be cooked. My first thought was turkey chili with  lentils. It’s a simple one bowl supper that’s satisfying after weeks of holiday feasting.
The recipe that I’ve shared before calls for green lentils, tomato sauce and paste and canned green chilies. 

The only lentils in the pantry were red. I was out of tomato sauce but did have paste. Canned green chilies? None of those, either. 

The good news is the turkey chili did get made and it was so good. 

Red lentils subbed in nicely for the green, and tomato paste thinned with broth replaced the tomato sauce. Red pepper flakes turned out to be a workable alternative to the canned green chilies.

Not every ingredient has a substitute, but legumes, canned tomatoes and chilies can be exchanged with similar tasting items in a good many instances. 

This turkey chili with red lentils proves my point!

Turkey chili with red lentils

Now here’s the deal for this chili. Just about any lentil works. Red and brown lentils break down as they cook; green hold their shape pretty well. 

As for other substitutes, I’ll give you those as we go along. 

A little more, or less, of any ingredient is OK, too. 

Ingredients

1 pound or so ground turkey (or ground chicken)

1 medium onion, diced small

2 cloves garlic, minced 

6 oz tomato paste (or 2 tablespoons paste plus 8 oz. sauce)

1 quart chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes 

Couple shakes red pepper flakes (or 4 oz can diced green chilies)

1 generous tablespoon chili powder blend

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 generous cup or so red lentils (green or brown work well too)

Salt to taste
Garnish: sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions (any or all)

Instructions

Film the bottom of a pot with olive oil. Turn heat to medium.

Stir in onions, garlic and tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and starting to bubble around the edges, a few minutes. Mixture will be thick.

Add broth, tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until onions are soft. This took about 20 minutes on my stove.

Add lentils and cook until lentils are done, about 20 minutes or so. 

Adjust seasonings to taste, serve and garnish as desired.

Good for you!

Budget friendly lentils contain lots of nutrition, including protein and B vitamins. 

They are a super meat substitute. 

Freeze it

Leftovers can be frozen for a month or so.