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Beef and Bean Chili

Beef and Bean Chili

This hearty, sugar-free beef and bean chili is simmered with tomatoes, peppers, warm spices, and two kinds of beans for deep savory flavor. It is a reliable weeknight dinner that thickens beautifully and reheats well.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 55 min · Total: 75 min · Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 15 oz black beans (canned, drained and rinsed)
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • 1.5 cups yellow onion (diced)
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 3 tbsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
  • 1 cup red bell pepper (diced)
  • 1 tbsp lime juice (fresh)
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1.5 lb lean ground beef (85 to 90 percent lean)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano (crumbled)
  • 28 oz diced tomatoes (canned, no sugar added)
  • 1 cup green bell pepper (diced)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 15 oz kidney beans (canned, drained and rinsed)
  • 15 oz crushed tomatoes (canned, no sugar added)
  • 1 whole bay leaf
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium)

Instructions

  1. Set a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy soup pot on the stove, and place a cutting board and knife nearby for the vegetables. Keep the raw ground beef in its package and separate from the vegetables until it is time to cook, then wash your hands, cutting board, and any surfaces that touch raw meat with hot soapy water.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until the oil shimmers, about 1 minute. Add 1.5 cups diced yellow onion, 1 cup diced red bell pepper, and 1 cup diced green bell pepper, and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the onion is translucent and the peppers begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes.
  3. Add 4 cloves minced garlic to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned, about 30 seconds. If the garlic starts to darken, lower the heat slightly to prevent bitterness.
  4. Increase the heat to medium-high and add 1.5 lb lean ground beef to the Dutch oven. Break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon and cook until no large pink patches remain and the meat is browned in spots, 7 to 9 minutes.
  5. Insert an instant-read thermometer into several thick crumbles of beef in the pot and confirm the ground beef has reached at least 160°F (71°C). If needed, continue cooking over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes more, then spoon off excess fat while leaving about 1 tbsp of juices in the pot for flavor.
  6. Sprinkle in 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 3 tbsp chili powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp crumbled dried oregano, and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper. Stir over medium heat for 1 minute, until the spices smell toasted and coat the beef evenly.
  7. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot, until the paste darkens slightly to a brick-red color, 2 minutes. This step should leave a light brown fond on the bottom without scorching.
  8. Pour in 28 oz canned no-sugar-added diced tomatoes with their juices, 15 oz canned no-sugar-added crushed tomatoes, and 1 cup low-sodium beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot with the wooden spoon for 1 minute to dissolve any browned bits into the liquid.
  9. Stir in 15 oz drained and rinsed kidney beans, 15 oz drained and rinsed black beans, and 1 whole bay leaf. Bring the chili to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, which should take 4 to 6 minutes, then reduce the heat to low so only small bubbles break the surface.
  10. Simmer the chili uncovered over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 8 to 10 minutes with a wooden spoon, until the liquid thickens, the beans are tender, and the chili coats the spoon. Adjust the burner lower if the bottom begins to stick or the bubbling becomes vigorous.
  11. Remove and discard the bay leaf, then stir in 1 tbsp fresh lime juice. Taste the chili with a clean spoon and adjust seasoning only if needed, keeping in mind the listed 1.5 tsp kosher salt is already included.
  12. Ladle the hot chili into warmed bowls and garnish each serving with chopped fresh cilantro. Serve immediately, or cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Nutrition (per serving)

  • Calories: 394
  • Protein: 30 g
  • Fat: 17 g
  • Carbohydrates: 34 g
  • Fiber: 11 g
  • Sugar: 9 g
  • Sodium: 1045 mg

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