Name: Healthy Beef Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef (use 80/20 or 85/15; 90/10 is almost too lean here); 1 yellow onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper (or sweet red Italian pepper), diced; 2-3 cloves garlic, minced, pressed, or grated; 1 tablespoon chili powder (American Chili powder is a blend of spices and different brands taste different. I use the one from Savory Spice Shop.); 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; Optional: 2 tablespoons tomato paste (deepens the tomato flavor), or 1 (8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce); 1 (28-ounce) can of diced San Marzano tomatoes (without basil); 1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth or water); 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or any beans you prefer; black beans are also nice here); Fine grain sea salt or Kosher salt, to taste, and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound ground beef (use 80/20 or 85/15; 90/10 is almost too lean here)
1 yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper (or sweet red Italian pepper), diced
2–3 cloves garlic, minced, pressed, or grated
1 tablespoon chili powder (American Chili powder is a blend of spices and different brands taste different. I use the one from Savory Spice Shop.)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Optional: 2 tablespoons tomato paste (deepens the tomato flavor), or 1 (8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce)
1 (28-ounce) can of diced San Marzano tomatoes (without basil)
1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth or water)
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or any beans you prefer; black beans are also nice here)
Fine grain sea salt or Kosher salt, to taste, and freshly ground black pepper

Toppings of choice: I like cilantro, avocado, onions, lime, and tortilla chips. See more options in the notes.

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Instructions

Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. If your beef is extra lean, add a few tablespoons of avocado oil or olive oil. If you have 80/20 ground beef, you can skip the oil.
Add the ground beef to the pot and don’t touch it for 2 minutes so it can start to brown. Then break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks for about 5 to 6 minutes, letting some of it brown. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few spins of freshly ground black pepper.
Add veggies: Once the beef has started to brown and the fat has started to render, add the diced yellow onion and diced red bell pepper and sauté for an additional 5 minutes until the veggies are soft.
Add seasoning: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. Cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes: If using the tomato paste, stir it in now to coat the beef mixture, then let it cook for 1-2 minutes. If using the tomato sauce, add it with the diced tomatoes. Add the diced tomatoes to deglaze the bottom of the pan, using your spoon to scrape up any browned bits (that’s flavor!).
Add the broth (or water), and drained and rinsed kidney beans. Season with another 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt. Bring the beef chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken. Adjust salt according to taste.
Serve hot with your favorite toppings such as sliced or pickled jalapeños, fresh cilantro, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips on top. Don’t forget a squeeze of lime juice for added zing!

Notes

More topping ideas: Shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, diced green onions, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, avocado slices, lime wedges, tortilla chips, diced red onions, cornbread crumbles.