Perfectly Cozy Beef Chili
By Elizabeth Ciobanu ·
Nothing says comfort like a bowl of hot chili on a cold winter day.
It's also a quick process to chop a few veggies, throw everything in a pot, and let it simmer away for a while so I can finish a few other tasks before dinner time.
The relatively low level of heat (read: spiciness) means that more of the family (especially the youngest) are willing to eat it. For spicy chili lovers, it's simple enough to add a bit more heat!
It's perfect on a cold winter's day, served with plenty of shredded cheddar cheese, a scoop of plain yogurt, and some tortilla chips or fresh bread.
The whole family also enjoys homemade pickles along with chili. I wouldn't have considered that a standard pairing, but it works!
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 green pepper, or any color bell pepper
- 30 oz diced tomato (2 15 oz cans)
- 30 oz red kidney beans (2 15 oz cans)
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp chili/taco seasoning mix, see notes for spice alternative
- shredded cheddar cheese, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Chop the onion and green or yellow pepper.
- Warm 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan or stockpot and add the onions. Cook for 2-3 minutes until just starting to soften.
- Add ground beef and stir to break up large chunks. Cook on medium-high heat until fully browned.
- Add the chopped green peppers and cook for 2-3 minutes until they soften.
- Add the canned tomatoes and 2 tbsp of spice mixture. Stir to combine, then cover the pot and simmer on medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes.
- Rinse the canned kidney beans, then add to the pot along with the three cloves of minced garlic.
- Stir to combine, and turn the heat back up to medium-high for 2-3 minutes, just long enough to fully heat the beans.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with shredded cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or guacamole. It also pairs well with corn tortilla chips or fresh baguette.
- Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Spices to approximate the homemade taco seasoning mix: 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder.