Hearty Beef & Bean Chili

Organic Granola → 

Raw Honey → 

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Hearty Beef & Bean Chili

A rich, slow-simmered chili built on real ingredients — browned beef, two kinds of beans, and a warm blend of spices.

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef (80/20)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 tbsp chili powder

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

• 1 tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

• 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 2 cups beef broth

Instructions

Brown the beef

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat.

Sauté the aromatics

Add the onion and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.

Bloom the spices

Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add tomatoes and broth

Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Simmer

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.

Add the beans

Stir in the kidney beans and black beans. Simmer uncovered for another 20-30 minutes, until the chili has thickened to your liking.

Taste and adjust

Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or cayenne as needed. If the chili is thicker than you like, stir in a splash more broth.

Serve

Ladle into bowls and top with shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced green onions, diced avocado, or cilantro, as desired.

Notes

Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — cool completely before transferring to freezer bags or containers. This also works well in a slow cooker: brown the beef and sauté the aromatics on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours.