Description
A hearty and flavorful chili recipe featuring lean ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, fire roasted tomatoes, and a blend of spices. Perfect for a comforting meal, topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Seasonings
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
Liquids and Beans
- 1 3/4 cups low sodium beef broth
- 28 ounce can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Toppings (optional)
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Chopped red or green onions
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the Oil and Cook Onions: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
- Brown the Ground Beef: Add the ground beef and crumble it as it cooks. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease. Then add the minced garlic and cook while stirring for 30 seconds.
- Add Spices and Tomato Paste: Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, brown sugar, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and tomato paste until fully combined with the beef mixture.
- Add Broth and Scrape Pot: Pour in the low sodium beef broth. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot to add flavor.
- Incorporate Tomatoes and Beans: Stir in the fire roasted crushed tomatoes and the rinsed and drained kidney and pinto beans.
- Simmer the Chili: Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot during the first part of cooking, then uncover during the last 30 minutes if you want to thicken the chili.
- Serve with Toppings: Spoon the chili into bowls and add desired toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, avocado, chopped onions, and cilantro.
Notes
- Adjust chili powder quantity based on your preferred spice level; some chili powders are spicier than others.
- To make chili without beans, omit them and increase ground beef to 2 pounds.
- Freeze chili in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator and reheat on stovetop or microwave.
- Store leftovers in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Using fire roasted tomatoes adds a smoky depth, but regular canned tomatoes can be substituted.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
