Beef Bean Chili Cheddar (Printable)
Hearty chili with tender beef, creamy beans, and sharp cheddar for a comforting meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1½ lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
→ Beans
06 - 1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
→ Tomatoes & Liquids
08 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
09 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
10 - 2 tbsp chili powder
11 - 1 tsp ground cumin
12 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
13 - ½ tsp dried oregano
14 - 1 tsp salt
15 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
16 - ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
→ Toppings
17 - 1½ cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
18 - Sliced green onions (optional)
19 - Sour cream (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking into crumbles, until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add diced onion, red bell pepper, and jalapeño if using. Cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
03 - Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
04 - Incorporate chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne if using. Stir continuously and toast spices for 1 minute.
05 - Pour in crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom.
06 - Stir in drained kidney and black beans. Bring mixture to a simmer.
07 - Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and let simmer for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
08 - Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed.
09 - Ladle chili into bowls and top with shredded sharp cheddar. Garnish with sliced green onions and sour cream if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together faster than you'd expect, simmering to perfection in under an hour while you handle other things.
- The sharp cheddar melting into the hot chili creates this unexpectedly creamy richness that tastes like comfort in a bowl.
- Ground beef and beans together make it hearty enough to satisfy, but the whole pot costs less than takeout.
02 -
- Don't skip draining and rinsing the canned beans; the liquid they come in can muddy the flavor and make the chili taste tinny.
- Toasting the spices in the pot for a full minute before adding the liquid is the difference between a good chili and one people ask you to make again.
- Sharp cheddar isn't just a topping—it's part of the flavor design, so don't substitute mild cheese or skip it entirely.
03 -
- Use an 80/20 ground beef blend; leaner meat will create a drier chili because there's less fat to flavor it and keep it moist.
- Don't rush the simmer—low and slow is how the beans fully soften and everything comes together into one cohesive flavor rather than separate ingredients in a pot.