Easy Chili
An easy recipe to make a thick and flavorful pot of chili. Includes hearty ground beef and red kidney beans, flavorful seasonings and plenty of onion and red bell pepper.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion finely diced (about 1.5 cups)
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 medium red bell pepper diced small (about ¾ cup)
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder OR replace with ground paprika for a mild chili
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder optional for more depth
- 2 (15-oz) cans red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon light brown sugar or to taste
Instructions
- Sauté onion: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the oil, then add the onion and cook until softened - about 6 minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large yellow onion
- Brown beef: Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until browned and crumbled, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Once browned, drain grease if desired and stir in red bell pepper and garlic.1.5 pounds lean ground beef, salt & pepper, 1 medium red bell pepper, 3-4 cloves garlic
- Add aromatics: Reduce the heat to medium/medium-low. Make a little space in the middle of the ground beef mixture and add the tomato paste and all seasonings. Stir to toast and caramelize until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the cocoa powder, if using.3 tablespoons tomato paste, 3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a good simmer. Stir well, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 45-60 minutes or until the chili is thick and flavorful. Check the seasoning and adjust to taste, then serve with your favorite toppings!2 (15-oz) cans red kidney beans, 1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce, 1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes, 1½ cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
Notes
For a mild chili, swap the chili powder for some or for all ground paprika. If you use all ground paprika, I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons.