1. Heat the olive oil in a big saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for approximately 5 minutes, or until they start to become translucent. Once the garlic begins to smell, stir it in and continue cooking for one more minute.
Then, put the ground beef in the saucepan. Brown and cook the beef well while breaking it apart with a spoon. Remove any surplus of fat if needed.
3. Ensure that the tomato paste is well integrated by stirring in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
4. After that, include the cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and salt and pepper. Toss the beef mixture with the seasonings and stir until fully combined.
Chili should simmer uncovered for around an hour over low heat, stirring regularly; if it thickens too much, add additional beef broth to taste.
6. After 30 minutes of simmering, stir in the kidney and pinto beans; this will give the flavors time to combine.
7. If needed, adjust the seasoning by tasting. With the accompaniments and toppings of your choice, serve hot.
Tips and Variations
– Instead of using ground beef, try browning cubes of beef chuck before adding the tomatoes and stock for a chunkier chili.
– A For a smokier kick, try using chipotle chili powder instead of ordinary chili powder or sliced jalapeños to increase the intensity.
– A If you’re looking to spice things up, feel free to add black beans or navy beans, or any other kind of bean you happen to have on hand.
– A Substitute textured vegetable protein (TVP) or more beans for the beef and use vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian.
– A Feel free to prepare this dish ahead of time; the flavors of the chili will only improve with time. This dinner is great for those days when you’re short on time since it freezes beautifully.
