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Beef and Bean Chili

This beef and bean chili is loaded with ground beef, red beans, black beans, tomatoes and spices. It’s an easy way to get a big pot of hearty chili for a cold night, gameday, or any night of the week.
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword bean soups, beef recipes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 432kcal
Author Elizabeth

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil or oil of your choice
  • 1 Large Onion finely diced
  • 5-6 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 2 tablespoon Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional – leave it out if you do not like spicy
  • pound Ground Beef
  • 3 (14.5 ounce) Cans Diced Tomatoes (we use petite dice)
  • 4 cups Beef Broth
  • 1-2 Bay Leaves
  • 1-2 Dried Whole Chili Peppers we used dried Chili de Arbol, optional – leave it out if you do not like spicy
  • 2 (15 ounce Cans) Black Beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 (15 ounce Cans) Red Beans drained and rinsed

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat (at least 6-quart). Add the onions and cook for approximately 5 minutes until they start to soften, stir frequently.
  • Add the garlic, cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
  • Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and stir to combine with the onion-garlic mixture. Arrange the meat in one layer and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Stir, while breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon and cook another 3-5 minutes until the ground beef is browned. Stir occasionally. If there is too much oil in the pot after browning the beef drain some (or all) of it - See Notes.
  • Lower the heat to medium and add the chili powder, salt, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper and cayenne pepper stir well until combined with the ground beef.
  • Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaf and dried chili peppers (if using) and stir. Raise the heat to high, bring the liquid to a boil (will take about 5-6 minutes).
  • Then, lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 30 minutes to let the flavors develop and come together, stir occasionally.
  • Raise the heat to medium, add the red and black beans to the pot, stir. Cook the chili, half-covered, until it starts to simmer. Then, uncover the pot and cook for 45-55 minutes (longer if needed) until the chili thickens.
  • Stir occasionally at first. As the chili thickens and reduces, stir more often to prevent sticking on the bottom. Also, keep the chili at a simmer, lower the heat to medium-low (or further) if it starts boiling too vigorously.
  • Taste the beef and bean chili and add salt if needed. As a reference we added ¼ teaspoon to ours.
  • Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Notes

  • The easiest way to drain some (or most) of the oil from the pot is to: take the pot off the heat and pile the beef mixture to one side of the pot. Tip is slightly so that the oil pools opposite the meat. Use a ladle or large spoon to remove excess oil and add it to a small bowl, can, etc. Remove as much as you like – I like to keep some for flavor. Level the pot and place it over medium heat, continue with the recipe.
  • If you are sensitive to salt replace the canned ingredients with reduced sodium alternatives. There are good low sodium options for canned beans, tomatoes and broth.

Nutrition

Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 1728mg | Potassium: 1288mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 152mg | Iron: 7mg