Homemade Chili with Smoky Spices and Tender Kidney Beans
By Mason Brooks
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Total
35 min
Servings
8
Level
Easy
Serve this homemade chili recipe when you want a comforting meal for your family. This chili recipe contains ground beef, kidney beans, peppers, and other ingredients with smoky flavors. Adding baking soda to the recipe neutralizes some of the acidic qualities of tomatoes in the recipe to create a more pleasant flavor profile in the chili.
Two small green peppers and a yellow onion are sautéed with chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika, chipotle powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and white pepper. Browned ground beef or turkey is added, as well as diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and paste to create tomato sauce. Kidney beans are drained and added after the initial simmer to keep their shape.
Identify vegetables that have been cooked and softened but retain some texture and color at the edges. Frequently stir spices in the pan to avoid burning them. Partially cook the meat before adding the sauce. The pan will bubble after baking soda is added. Stir until bubbling stops. Common issues with this recipe include burned spices and overcooked vegetables, which can reduce flavor.
Serve chili hot with bread or other baked items, including cornbread and biscuits with cheese and tortilla chips. Shredded cheese and diced onions and sour cream are popular toppings. Other foods commonly served with chili include baked potatoes, hot dogs, French fries, and macaroni. Leftover chili can be reheated and thinned with broth if needed.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Serves eight people. Contains ground meat, beans, and tomato sauce, Good option for a meal to share with others when it's hot outside.
- A Dutch oven is used to cook vegetables, spices, meat, and sauce all together, Using a Dutch oven reduces dishwashing time because everything is cooked in a single pot.
- Smoked chipotle and cumin flavors, as well as paprika and chili powder, offer a flavorful option for customers who like bold seasoning without additional ingredients.
- Kidney beans are added after the first simmer to ensure that they don't fall apart and can be served in bowls and enjoyed later as leftovers.
- Flexible serving options let people customize their meal with items like bread, chips, cheese, onions, and sour cream.
- These options may be useful when serving a group of people with different tastes at the same table.
- Leftover chili can be used as a topping for mashed potatoes, hot dogs, French fries, and macaroni to make a second meal out of the same chili ingredients.
Ingredients
- •2 lb ground beef or turkey
- •2 green peppers (small, about 2 cups diced)
- •1 yellow onion (small, about 1 1/2 cups diced)
- •2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes
- •1 15-oz can tomato sauce
- •1 6-oz can tomato paste
- •15 oz water
- •2 15-oz cans kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- •3 tbsp chili powder
- •2 tbsp garlic powder
- •2 tbsp onion powder
- •3 tbsp cumin
- •1 tbsp paprika
- •1 tsp chipotle powder
- •½ tsp cayenne pepper
- •½ tbsp salt
- •1 tsp white pepper
- •½ tsp baking soda (start with 1/4 teaspoon and add to taste)
Instructions
- 1
In a large Dutch oven, sauté the diced peppers and onions until softened, translucent, and just starting to caramelize.
- 2
Whisk together all of the seasonings, excluding the baking soda, then add them to the Dutch oven. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly so the spices bloom without burning.
- 3
Add the ground meat and cook, breaking it up, until mostly browned. It is fine if there is still a little pink at this stage.
- 4
In a separate bowl, stir together the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, water, and tomato paste. Pour the mixture into the Dutch oven.
- 5
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the drained beans and stir to combine.
- 6
Stir in the baking soda. The sauce will start to bubble up; stir over medium heat until the bubbles have gone away.
- 7
Remove from the heat and serve.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
365
Protein
23g
Fat
24g
Carbs
16g
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