Beef Chili | Easy and Comforting

This super easy comforting beef chili recipe is not only delicious, but the melding of the flavors is perfect! You can either dollop sour cream on it or just sprinkle a little cheese on a big bowl of beef chili!!

Oooo-la-la.  I want some super easy comforting beef chili.  And I want it NOW!!  Christopher is nodding his head and giving me the thumbs up.

I love super easy!  Who doesn’t?  I can not imagine anyone saying, “No, make a recipe hard or it’s not worth making.”  I’m like, “Super easy, for the win!”

Flashback

Years ago, I received a great chili recipe from one of my sister’s best friends.  It was my first foray into making chili and this was a vegetarian chili.  I’ve mentioned before that Christopher and I were vegetarians for many years.  It’s been years since we’ve been back in the meat eating club, but it still took me a long time after that to make meat dishes at home.  Now I make chili with ground turkey or beef.

I haven’t looked back.

I love this chili recipe.  It’s one of our staple meals.

I have since modified that original vegetarian recipe: added ingredients, subtracted others and changed up the quantities.  But I wanted to give Debbie a shout out for starting me on my chili making journey!

Thank you, Debbie!

Other delicious stews or soups:

• Italian wedding soup
• Potato leek soup
• Pea soup

On to the recipe:

I start out with green bell pepper, onion, garlic and mushrooms.

I cut the pepper and onion into chunks because I love my chili like my chocolate: chunky.  I mince the garlic but leave the mushrooms in slices.

I grab my large saucepan and place it on the stove.  I heat it up on medium heat and pour 3 tablespoons of oil.  (I don’t actually measure it out, I eyeball it.)

In go the bell peppers and onions.

I sauté them for approximately 8 minutes.

As they are sautéing, I take out the beef and open cans of diced tomatoes and kidney beans.

I always use grass-fed beef.  It is more expensive than non grass-fed but the taste really makes the difference.  On that note, I also try to buy organic when I can.  Our bodies are worth it.

I check the peppers and onions.  The peppers should still be a nice green color and the onions not yet translucent.

Time to add the mushrooms and garlic.  I stir it around for 2 minutes before I add the beef.  I use my metal spatula to cut up the beef.

I stand there and stir it as the beef browns, approximately 3 – 5 minutes.  I undercook the beef, leaving parts of it pink.

I gather my spices, which consist of chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, oregano and basil.

Time to add the diced tomatoes and spices.

I stir everything together, lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.  That is the reason I undercook the veggies and the meat: they will continue to cook during this time.

After 30 minutes, I add the red kidney beans.

I stir them around and let it all simmer for another 10 minutes.

Yay, it’s done!

See how yummy it looks!??

All that is left to do is serve it.  I love a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheddar cheese on my chili.  Christopher and I frequently eat our chili with either corn bread or corn muffins, too.

Yum.

Time to dig in!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we enjoy eating the chili!

Please feel free to Pin any photo to Pinterest and Yum the recipe to Yummly! And you know you want to leave me a comment, don’t you?

And as always, may  all your dishes be delish!

5 from 1 vote

Print

Super Easy Comforting Beef Chili

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

55 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

This easy and delicious beef chili recipe is a people pleaser!

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Soup

Keyword: beef chili

Servings: 6 cups

Calories: 431 kcal

Author: Elaine Benoit

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil or as needed
• 1 green bell pepper cut into chunks
• 1 large onion cut into chunks
• 10 ounces portobello mushrooms sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 56 ounces diced tomatoes 2 cans
• 1 pound ground beef grass-fed
• 3 tablespoons chili powder 3 - 4 or to taste
• 1 tablespoon cumin powder
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 15 ounces red kidney beans 1 can, drained

Garnish and Addons

Sour cream

Shredded cheddar cheese

Corn bread

Instructions

1. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat
2. Add olive oil
3. Add bell pepper and onions and sauté for 8 minutes
4. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes
5. Add beef and break it up with metal spatula, brown for 3 - 5 minutes until almost done. Some parts should still be pink
6. Add diced tomatoes and spices and herbs
7. Lower temperature to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes
8. Add kidney beans and simmer for additional 10 minutes
9. Serve in bowls
10. Dollop some sour cream and sprinkle some shredded cheddar cheese on top
11. Take a spoonful
12. Smile at hubby
13. Sigh
14. Enjoy

Nutrition Facts

Super Easy Comforting Beef Chili

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)

Calories 431 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 23g 35%

Saturated Fat 7g 35%

Cholesterol 53mg 18%

Sodium 891mg 37%

Potassium 1344mg 38%

Total Carbohydrates 34g 11%

Dietary Fiber 11g 44%

Sugars 9g

Protein 23g 46%

Vitamin A 31.9%

Vitamin C 52.2%

Calcium 17.4%

Iron 48.2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.