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Ground Beef Chili

Perfect for a cool fall day or game night, this rich and hearty chili balances just the right amount of spice, smokiness, and seasoning. Slowly simmered to perfection, it's packed with tender ground beef, bold ancho chile flavor, and a medley of savory spices. Serve it with your favorite toppings for a crowd-pleasing meal that keeps you coming back for more.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 50 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: intermediate

Russell Toris@russelltoris

One-Pot
Fall
Comfort Food

Ingredients

6Servings

For the Beef

2 lb Ground Beef, 85% lean
¾ tsp Baking Soda
1½ tsp Salt, plus more to taste

For the Chili Spice Blend

6 whole Dried Ancho Chile, stemmed, seeded, and torn into 1-inch pieces
¼ cup Tortilla Chips, crushed, plus more to serve
2 tbsp Ground Cumin
1 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Ground Coriander
2 tsp Dried Oregano
½ tsp Dried Thyme
2 tsp Ground Black Pepper, plus more to taste

For the Chili

1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 whole Yellow Onion, finely chopped
3 clove Garlic, minced
2 tsp Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce, minced
14½ oz Whole Peeled Tomatoes
2 cup Water
15 oz Pinto Beans
2 tsp White Sugar
2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

For Serving

1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
8 oz Avocado, diced
1 whole Red Onion, chopped
1 bunch Cilantro, chopped
2 whole Lime, cut into wedges

Nutritionper serving

Calories: 650
Carbohydrates: 37 g
Protein: 41 g
Fat: 40 g
Fiber: 13 g
Sugar: 7 g
Sodium: 1400 mg

Method

Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 275 °F.

Treat the beef

In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef, 2 tablespoons of water, salt, and baking soda using your hands until well combined. Let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Toast the ancho chiles

Place a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the dried ancho chiles and toast, stirring frequently to prevent burning, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Make the chili spice blend

In a food processor, add the toasted ancho chiles, crushed tortilla chips, ground cumin, paprika, garlic powder, ground coriander, dried oregano, dried thyme, and ground black pepper. Process for 2 minutes until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl.

Blend the tomatoes

Add the whole peeled tomatoes with their liquid to the food processor and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.

Cook the aromatics

Return the pot to the stove over medium-high heat and add vegetable oil. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4–6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.

Brown the beef

Add the ground beef mixture to the pot, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into 1/4-inch pieces. Cook until browned, about 12–14 minutes.

Build the chili

Add the prepared spice mixture and minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce. Stir well and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, pinto beans with their liquid, white sugar, and the blended tomatoes. Bring to a boil while scraping the bottom of the pot to mix in browned bits.

Braise in the oven

Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Finish and serve

Remove from the oven and let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Serve with lime wedges, chopped cilantro, chopped red onion, diced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and tortilla chips.