Weeknight Beef and Bean Chili

Weeknight Beef and Bean Chili

Prep

15 min

Cook

45 min

Total

1 hr

Servings

6

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 lb lean ground beef
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• Shredded cheddar, sour cream and sliced green onions, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 8 minutes. Drain excess fat.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano and salt; stir 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Stir in the tomato paste, then the crushed tomatoes, beans, broth and brown sugar.
4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cook uncovered 30 to 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick.
5. Taste and adjust salt and heat. Serve with cheddar, sour cream and green onions.

Why this recipe works

Blooming the spices in the hot pan for a minute releases far more flavor than adding them to liquid. Tomato paste and a long simmer thicken the chili and deepen its taste.

Tips, substitutions & storage

• Swap: Use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef; add 1 tbsp oil when browning.
• Swap: Black beans can replace either the kidney or pinto beans.
• For more heat, add 1 minced jalapeño with the onion or a pinch of cayenne with the spices.
• Chili tastes even better the next day. Keeps 5 days in the fridge or 4 months frozen.
• Slow cooker: brown the beef and vegetables first, then cook everything on LOW 6 to 8 hours.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

Calories

480

Protein

40g

Carbs

32g

Fat

20g

Fiber

10g

Sugar

9g

Sodium

1150mg

Nutrition information is an automatic estimate based on typical ingredients and will vary with the brands and amounts you use. It is not medical or dietary advice.