Hearty Chili Bowl Base (Printable Version)

Hearty chili with beef, beans, and peppers served over grains with toppings

# What You'll Need:

→ Chili Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 pound ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup corn kernels
12 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
18 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
19 - 1 cup beef or vegetable broth

→ Serving Base

20 - 2 cups cooked rice or grains

→ Toppings

21 - Shredded cheddar cheese
22 - Sour cream or Greek yogurt
23 - Sliced green onions
24 - Chopped cilantro
25 - Diced avocado
26 - Jalapeño slices
27 - Lime wedges

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and diced bell peppers. Cook for another 3-4 minutes until peppers begin to soften.
03 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5-7 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to caramelize slightly.
05 - Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, corn, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
06 - Pour in broth and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
07 - While chili simmers, cook rice or grains according to package instructions.
08 - Spoon cooked grains into bowls and ladle chili over the top. Add desired toppings and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in just an hour, which means dinner can be on the table before the evening gets away from you.
  • The beauty of this dish is that you can customize it endlessly depending on what's in your fridge and what your guests actually enjoy eating.
  • One pot means minimal cleanup, which honestly matters when you're tired and hungry.
02 -
  • Draining and rinsing your canned beans actually matters because it removes the cloudy liquid that makes your chili look murky instead of appetizing.
  • Letting the chili simmer gently rather than boil hard keeps it from reducing too much and burning on the bottom, which I discovered the uncomfortable way on my second attempt.
03 -
  • Cooking the onion until it's actually soft instead of just translucent makes a surprising difference in how the chili tastes overall.
  • Using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika gives the whole thing a depth that tastes like it took hours to make even though it didn't.
Go Back