This quick recipe for Easy Spicy Beef and Black Bean Chili is perfect for this chilly weather. Hot enough to warm you up from the inside out and packed with tasty meat, beans and veggies, this hearty (and healthy!) meal is a real crowd pleaser.
I don't know about where you live, but it is COLD in Nashville right now! With highs in the low 20s and ice literally raining from the skies, we were in need of some comforting food that could be made with mostly pantry staples. This black bean chili recipe 100% fit the bill.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Most of the time, I'm someone who craves savory things right from the time I wake up. Pizza, savory oatmeal or a big ol' bowl of this black bean chili are all PERFECT ways to start my day. Does that make me a weirdo? Maybe. But that doesn't change how I feel.
Start to finish, the whole process takes maybe 30 minutes. And if you're someone who wants to get a jump on your WFH day? It's great to make in the morning and keep warm on the stovetop till dinnertime. It's also made in a single pot, meaning cleanup is a snap.
Since the basis of the recipe is canned beans, it's also pretty darn cheap to make. Even when you add a pound of ground beef, this dinner still qualifies as a rent week special for me. (Might I remind you that you can get grass-fed, humane certified 85/20 beef at Aldi for $5 per pound?!?)
I am also someone who approaches soups, stews and chilis as opportunities to cleanse the fridge of any leftover vegetable odds and ends. If you happen to have some wilted greens, a leftover carrot or two, or basically any other veggie that you're not sure what to do with, chuck it in the pot. It'll end up tasting just like chili should - spicy, hearty and delicious.
As long as you don't top this chili with cheese or sour cream, it's also completely Paleo and Whole30 friendly. For all of y'all that are still sticking to your New Year's resolutions, this is a great back pocket recipe.
So, not only is this a meal that I can make and happily eat for three squares a day until the pot is gone, it's also super easy to make, quick to clean up, cheap as all get out, is healthy AND can be customized based on what you have on hand. All in all, this black bean chili hits all the marks for being a perfect recipe.
How to Make This Spicy Chili Recipe
This recipe is so gee-dang simple, it'll be ready to scoop into bowls in under 30 minutes. First up, gather your ingredients. Here's everything you'll need:
Oh, and if you happen to have frozen chopped peppers and onions on hand, your work load just got even easier! If not, prep your veggies.
Next, set a heavy bottomed dutch iron over medium high heat. Add the ground beef with a five fingered pinch of kosher salt and brown the meat all the way through, cutting it up into small bits with your spatula.
Add the onion, bell peppers and jalapeños to the mix with another pinch of salt. Stir to coat and cook until the veggies are beginning to soften and become translucent.
Add the spices and garlic and cook until fragrant, about another 45 seconds.
Add the drained RoTel, beans, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until everything is warmed through. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Feel free to keep the pot warming on the stovetop all day long. The seasonings will continue to mesh and meld. Otherwise, scoop it into bowls and serve with a slice of cornbread, or serve it over baked potatoes, french fries, burgers or hot dogs and enjoy!
How to Serve
Chili is one of those meals that I can eat time and again in all kinds of situations. Heck, I'm even happy to eat it for breakfast! (Doesn't basically anything qualify as breakfast if you throw an egg on it, anyway?)
Add it to a burger or hot dog for a grill out. Scoop it over a baked potato or oven baked french fries for a super cheap, super filling rent week meal. Add it to a quesadilla, use it as the basis for a platter of nachos, or spoon it into a bell pepper and bake it. Eat it straight from the pot. In my book, there's really no wrong way to eat this black bean chili.
What goes without saying, though, is that toppings are always welcome, regardless of how you choose to eat your chili. Some of my favorites include (but aren't limited to):
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Sour cream or greek yogurt
- Cheese - preferably sharp cheddar
- Tortilla chips or Fritos
- Hot sauce - preferably Cholula
However you decide to dress up your bowl of this easy beef and black bean chili, I hope you love it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Not only will the flavors meld together after a day or two in the fridge, this recipe is also perfect for freezing. Stash a batch in delitainers
in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Nope! I happened to make this batch with ground beef because that's what I had in the freezer, but I've made this same recipe with ground turkey, ground pork, meatless crumbles, and even just veggies. It's always good. Feel free to omit the beef and use any alternative you see fit.
Heck yeah! Beyond Meat and Impossible Meat are both very convincing substitutes, but if you'd rather go old school, I also love making this chili with finely chopped mushrooms as my "meat." Any mushrooms will do, though I'm partial to portobello or cremini for this application.
Grab a pint or two of whatever mushrooms do it for ya. Chop them into small pieces and sauté them with a glug or two of olive oil, a hefty pinch of salt and some serious patience. If necessary, work in batches. You want the mushrooms to be nicely browned and the liquid to be evaporated before moving on to the next step.
Need more snow day inspiration? Check out these other cozy recipes:
- Spicy Aztec Sipping Chocolate
- Red Wine Braised Short Ribs with Parmesan Polenta
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Instant Pot Beef Stew with Bacon
If you need even more inspiration, check out this post with more than 20 soup recipes! Also, if you tried this recipe for my easy Beef and Black Bean Chili, please let me know how it turned out by commenting below!
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Easy Spicy Beef and Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground Beef preferably 85/15. Or substitute ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, minced mushrooms or meatless chunks like Impossible.
- 1 Yellow Onion medium dice
- 2 Bell Pepper medium dice
- 1-2 Jalapeños optional, small dice
- 6-8 cloves Garlic chopped fine
- 3 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
- 1 ½ tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Ground Coriander
- 1 tsp Cayenne optional
- 1 can RoTel drained
- 2 cans Black Beans
- 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste
Optional Toppings
- Shredded Cheese
- Fresh Cilantro
- Sliced Green Onions
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
Instructions
- Set a heavy bottomed dutch iron over medium high heat. Add the ground beef and a five finger pinch of kosher salt and brown it all the way through, cutting the meat up into small bits with your spatula.
- Add the onion, bell peppers and jalapeños to the mix with another pinch of salt. Stir to coat and cook until the veggies are beginning to soften and become translucent.
- Add the garlic and spices and cook until fragrant, about another 45 seconds.
- Add the RoTel, beans, and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until everything is warmed through. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Feel free to keep the pot warming on the stovetop all day long. The seasonings will continue to mesh and meld. Otherwise, scoop it into bowls, over baked potatoes, french fries, burgers or hot dogs and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include optional toppings
- Cut back on prep time by using frozen chopped onions and peppers
- Chili will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months
- If you are averse to spicy foods, remove the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño prior to chopping, or omit it entirely. You can also cut back on or omit the cayenne!
Let's taco 'bout it.