The Best Chili
Come fall and winter, I’m in cozy cooking mode. This chili recipe is one I have on repeat for a hearty but healthy dish. The vegetables, beans and use of bone broth boost the nutrient and flavor profile. Perfect for a Sunday night dinner for the family or your next game day party.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, includes time for cooling
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 6 1-cup servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ medium yellow onion, diced
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
½ medium green bell pepper, diced
½ medium red bell pepper, diced
½ pound of 85% lean ground beef and ½ pound ground Italian pork sausage (if you prefer all beef, feel free to omit sausage and do a full pound of ground beef. I often do 1/2 ground turkey and 1/2 ground beef for a lower fat content)
2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt (if you’re using canned tomatoes with salt and salted broth, take this down to 1 teaspoon and further salt to taste from there)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
One 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (I prefer no salt added)
One 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I prefer no salt added)
2 cups beef broth (I like to use grass fed beef bone broth for richer flavor and health benefits but any beef broth or stock works).
1 16 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 16 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (While black beans aren’t a typical addition to chili, I like to add them for extra nutrients, feel free to omit if you prefer classic red beans only)
Optional Toppings & Sides for Serving
Sliced green onion
Shredded cheddar cheese
Sour Cream or Greek yogurt
Tortilla chips
Corn bread
Instructions
In a large pan, brown ground beef and if using, ground pork. Discard excess grease.
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add olive oil and heat for a minute over medium-low. Add the onion and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally until onions are translucent.
Add tomato paste and cook down for a minute or two so it caramelizes. (browns up a bit)
Add garlic and sauté for another minute until garlic is fragrant.
Add browned beef and pork to the pot and add the seasonings - chili powder, cumin, salt pepper, cayenne and chili flakes if using. (I prefer fresh versions of onion and garlic which is why those powders are omitted form this recipe but if you prefer to add them, add to taste at this step). Stir contents of pot together.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and beef broth to the pot. Stir well and turn heat up to medium-high to bring the chili to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low and let simmer for 25-30 minutes. If you find that the chili has thickened up too much while cooking, add water a 1/4 cup at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
After 30 minutes, turn heat off and let chili cool slightly for about 20 minutes to allow it to thicken up.
Serve with your favorite toppings and sides, enjoy!
Tips & Tricks
Chili is great for meal prep; you can easily reheat it on the stove top or in the microwave. Just add a splash of water to the pot or bowl if needed to thin out the chili after refrigeration.
This recipe is really versatile if you like different add-in’s, some ideas: a can of roasted green chilis, a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce if you like more heat, chipotles in adobo sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Nutrition Facts (per 1 cup serving)
Estimates. Will vary based on ingredients and serving size
Calories: ~330 kcal
Protein: ~18 g
Total Fat: ~20 g
Carbohydrates: ~22 g