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Close-up of a bowl filled with rich Classic Beef and Bean Chili, featuring ground beef, kidney beans, and tomatoes.

Classic Beef and Bean Chili

This recipe recreates the rich flavors of a traditional beef and bean chili, offering a hearty, comforting meal suitable for cold weather or game days. You can adapt this recipe to fit your dietary needs while enjoying the classic taste.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 395
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Chili
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 jalapeño seeded and finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2.5 tablespoons chili powder divided
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
  • 14.5 ounces crushed tomatoes 1 can
  • 19 ounces red kidney beans drained and rinsed
  • 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1.5 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup beer or substitute with extra broth
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar optional
  • to taste salt and black pepper

Equipment

  • Large pot

Method
 

  1. Combine the ground beef with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chili powder.
  2. In a large pot, brown the ground beef mixture with the onion, jalapeño, and garlic. Drain any fat from the pot.
  3. Add the remaining chili powder and all other ingredients to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
  4. Reduce the heat and let the chili simmer uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the chili reaches your desired thickness.
  5. Serve the chili topped with cheddar cheese, green onions, cilantro, or your other favorite toppings.

Nutrition

Calories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 29gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 283mgPotassium: 1066mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 870IUVitamin C: 26.2mgCalcium: 86mgIron: 6.2mg

Notes

The serving size for this recipe is 1 1/2 cups.
You can replace the beer with an equal amount of extra beef broth.
This recipe works well with any type of ground meat you prefer.
Optional toppings include sour cream, red or green onion, cheese, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado and lime wedges, or tortilla chips.

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