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Lunch/Dinners

Classic Beef & Bean Chili

TIME

55 min

DIFFICULTY

Easy

SERVINGS

4

CALORIES

417 kcal

CARBS

35 g

PROTEIN

29.6 g

FAT

18.5 g

Z Classic Beef & Bean Chili

About this recipe

Chili developed into a widely varied American dish with close ties to San Antonio’s Mexican American community and its late-19th- and early-20th-century Chili Queens. This hearty beef-and-bean version is a modern home-style chili; it is not the bean-free Texas “bowl of red.”

WHY YOU’LL LOVE IT

Ground beef and beans make each bowl hearty and satisfying. Ancho chile, cumin, and oregano build a deep, warm flavor. It simmers in one pot and is ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (½ fl oz / 14 g)
  • 1 lb ground beef, 10–20% fat (16 oz / 454 g)
  • 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped (about 8 oz / 225 g)
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced (about ½ oz / 12 g)
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste (about ½ oz / 15 g)
  • 1 tbsp chili powder blend (about ¼ oz / 8 g)
  • 1 tbsp pure ancho chile powder (about ¼ oz / 7 g)
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (about 2 g)
  • ½ tsp dried oregano (about ½ g)
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or chipotle powder, optional (about ½ g)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, puréed (15 oz / 425 g)
  • 1½ cups low-sodium chicken or beef broth, plus up to ½ cup more as needed (12 fl oz / 355 ml; up to 16 fl oz / 470 ml)
  • 1 can pinto, kidney, or chili beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz / about 255 g drained)
  • 1 tbsp masa harina mixed with 3 tbsp water (about ⅓ oz / 8 g masa), optional
  • 1 tsp fine salt, then adjust to taste (about 5 g)

Preparation

  1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, press it into the pot, and let it brown for 1–2 minutes before breaking it into crumbles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 7 minutes.
  2. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until it begins to soften.
  3. Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne if using, and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
  4. Add the puréed tomatoes and 1½ cups broth. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer partially covered for 15 minutes. Add up to ½ cup more broth if the chili gets too thick.
  5. Stir in the drained beans and simmer for about 5 minutes, until heated through.
  6. For a thicker chili, mix the masa harina with 3 tablespoons water until smooth, stir it into the pot, and simmer briefly. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.

Tips

Use pinto, kidney, or chili beans; rinse canned beans to remove some surface salt.
If you only have blended chili powder, omit the ancho powder and adjust the blend to taste.
Serve with cornbread or tortillas; optional toppings such as cheese or sour cream are not included in the nutrition estimate.

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