Hearty Beef Chili Recipe with Pinto Beans

A bowl of hearty beef chili with crackers and shredded cheese.

5 from 8 votes

Hearty Beef Chili Recipe with Pinto Beans

This Hearty Beef Chili with Pinto Beans is thick, comforting, and packed with rich, bold flavor. It’s an easy homemade one-pot chili that’s perfect for cold nights, game day, or feeding a hungry crowd!

Course Main Dish, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword heart beef chii

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 10

Servings large servings

Calories 716kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the beef mixture:

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion - chopped
2 large jalapenos - diced (with or without seeds)
3 cloves garlic - minced
2 pounds ground beef
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
6 slices bacon - cooked and crumbled

The broth:

4 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup lower-sodium beef broth
30 oz. fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes (I use salsa-style) - or use crushed tomatoes
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
45 oz. pinto beans - rinsed and strained
cheddar cheese, sour cream, and saltine crackers - to serve

Instructions

Sauté veggies. Heat a stock pot to medium high heat and add olive oil. Then add the chopped onions and jalapeños, and cook a few minutes. Add garlic and stir for another minute.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 2 large jalapenos, 3 cloves garlic
Brown Beef. Add the ground beef and seasonings (chili powder, ground cumin, salt, and pepper) and cook until beef is browned, stirring frequently.
2 pounds ground beef, 3 Tablespoons chili powder, 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
Add bacon. Par-cook the bacon in the microwave or oven. Chop it up and add to the beef and veggie mixture and continue cooking.
6 slices bacon
Add remaining ingredients. Then add the remaining ingredients to the pot – the tomato paste, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, brown sugar, and pinto beans.
4 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup lower-sodium beef broth, 30 oz. fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, 30 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes (I use salsa-style), 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 45 oz. pinto beans
Simmer. Bring chili to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30 more minutes, or until chili is slightly thickened and piping hot.
Serve. Serve soup with saltine crackers, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream. Enjoy!
cheddar cheese, sour cream, and saltine crackers

Notes

STORING AND FREEZING:

Store leftover beef chili in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3-4 days.
We prefer to meal prep this and store leftovers in meal prep containers for lunches-on-the-go.
Freeze leftover chili by adding to freezer-safe container or freezer bag. This freezes very well for up to three months.

How can I make this chili less spicy? You can definitely make a mild chili by 1) omitting the jalapeño seeds (or all parts of the pepper), 2) using less chili powder and ground cumin, and 3) using mild versions of the canned tomatoes (instead of fire-roasted).

Nutrition