Description
This easy chili recipe is a hearty, flavorful one-pot meal featuring tender ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and a perfect blend of spices. Ready in just 45 minutes, it’s the perfect comfort food for busy weeknights, game day gatherings, or meal prep. Customize it with your favorite toppings and enjoy a bowl of pure warmth and satisfaction!
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
- 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional Toppings:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Sliced green onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Diced avocado
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients: Dice the onion and bell pepper into small, uniform pieces (about ¼-inch). Mince the garlic finely. Drain and rinse all canned beans in a colander. Measure out your spices and have everything ready – this makes the cooking process smooth and stress-free.
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is completely browned with no pink remaining. The meat should develop some nice brown bits on the bottom of the pot – this is flavor! If there’s excessive grease (more than 2 tablespoons), drain most of it off, leaving a little for flavor.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Push the browned beef to the sides of the pot and add the olive oil to the center. Add the diced onion and bell pepper. Sauté for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
- Toast the Spices: Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and cayenne pepper (if using) directly to the pot. Stir everything together and cook for 1-2 minutes. This step is crucial – toasting the spices in the beef fat and oil “blooms” them, releasing their essential oils and intensifying their flavors dramatically. Your kitchen should smell absolutely amazing at this point!
- Add the Tomatoes: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Mix well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot – those bits are pure flavor gold! The tomato paste adds extra depth and body to the chili.
- Add Beans and Liquid: Pour in the drained beans and beef broth. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar (if using), salt, and black pepper. Mix everything thoroughly until well combined. The chili will look quite liquidy at this point – don’t worry, it will thicken as it simmers.
- Simmer to Perfection: Bring the chili to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Partially cover the pot with a lid (leave it slightly ajar to allow steam to escape) and let it simmer gently for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to ensure even cooking. As it simmers, the flavors will meld together beautifully and the chili will thicken to the perfect consistency.
- Taste and Adjust: After simmering, taste your chili and adjust the seasonings. Need more salt? Add it now. Want more heat? Stir in additional cayenne or hot sauce. Prefer it sweeter? Add a touch more brown sugar. This is your chance to make it perfectly suited to your taste preferences.
- Serve and Enjoy: Ladle the hot chili into bowls and set out your favorite toppings so everyone can customize their bowl. The chili is ready to serve immediately, but it tastes even better if you can let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving – this allows the flavors to settle and intensify even more.
Notes
- Make it Spicier: Add diced jalapeños with the bell peppers, increase the cayenne pepper, or add a dash of hot sauce at the end.
- Make it Milder: Omit the cayenne pepper entirely and use mild chili powder. You can also add a dollop of sour cream to individual bowls to mellow the heat.
- Vegetarian Version: Skip the ground beef and double the beans, or use plant-based ground meat substitute. Use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
- Slow Cooker Method: Brown the beef and sauté the vegetables as directed, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours.
- Thicker Chili: If you prefer thicker chili, simmer it uncovered for the last 10 minutes, or mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to release their starches.
- Thinner Chili: Simply add more broth or water until you reach your desired consistency.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1½ cups (1/8 of recipe)
- Calories: 385
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg