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This is the perfect beef and bean chili with jalapeños for a kick. No fancy footwork, no fancy ingredients, just the kind of chili my family is very happy to see on the table on a winter night, served over bowls of hot rice. Also, the kind that would make an excellent addition to some nachos or a great filling for quesadillas with some handfuls of shredded cheese. I used leftovers with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese to make some pretty spectacular quesadillas once.
I would serve this with Roasted Garlic and Tomato Bread, the Best Garlic Bread Ever, or Salsa Verde Garlic Bread.
Table of Contents
Ground Beef, Black Bean, and Jalapeño Chili: Hearty and perfect for cold weather with just the right amount of heat from the jalapenos.
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Ingredients
- Ground beef – A hearty protein for a hearty chili.
- Onion – You can use red or yellow onion.
- Olive oil
- Carrots – Add a sweet veggie to contrast the jalapeño.
- Celery – A light, crunchy element.
- Garlic powder, ground cumin, chili powder, bay leaves – The perfect assortment of dried herbs and spices for this chili.
- Crushed tomatoes – You can use canned crushed tomatoes for this recipe.
- Black beans – Drained and rinsed.
- Jalapeño – Gives this dish its signature kick.
How to Make Ground Beef, Black Bean, and Jalapeño Chili
- Brown the ground beef and drain.
- Sauté the vegetables: Return the pot to medium heat, and cook the onions, carrots, and celery until the vegetables start to become tender.
- Finish the chili: Add the tomatoes, beans, browned beef, jalapeño, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve: Serve in bowls with all of the garnishes.
FAQs
I actually think (and I feel pretty sure many of you will agree) that the toppings make the chili. Sour cream, scallions, yellow or red onions, avocados, guacamole, jalapeños (jarred or fresh), salsas of all kinds, and fresh diced tomatoes. And lots of shredded cheese, which you can switch up from cheddar to Monterey Jack to havarti to fontina to a Mexican blend. Or try crumbled Cotija, dry and tangy and a little salty, not dissimilar to feta. Delicious. Or queso fresco cheese, milder and softer, still crumbly — give it a go on your next chili night.
Jalapeños add the perfect spicy element to any chili recipe, especially this one. I usually seed my jalapeños, but if you prefer a spicier chili, you can leave some or all the seeds and raise the heat level to where you like it.
Pro Cooking Tips
- You could 100% make this chili in a slow cooker. If possible, sauté the vegetables on the stovetop first, so they get browned and tender, then combine them with the rest of the ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours. The slow cooker advantage, of course, is that you can set it and forget it. Make it early in the day, leave it safely bubbling away in the slow cooker, and come home to a comfort food dinner.
Make-Ahead Ground Beef Chili
You can make this up to 3 days ahead (do try and make it at least 1 day ahead to allow the flavors to meld), and keep it in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months in airtight containers.
What to Serve With Ground Beef, Black Bean, and Jalapeño Chili
Bacon, Fresh Corn and Oregano Cornbread
Pepper Jack and Green Chili Corn Muffins
Molasses Cornbread
More Chili Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken and White Bean Chili: The flavor of buffalo chicken wings translated into a healthy chili — a new go-to favorite.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili: A slow cooker turns juicy chicken thighs and pureed chipotle in adobo sauce into a very satisfying chili.
- Game Day Ground Beef Chili: Another very classic chili recipe.
- Barbacoa Beef Chili: Super flavorful from the barbacoa beef that is made the day before in the slow cooker.
- Turkey or Chicken Chili: This one is a total party staple in my house, from The Mom 100 Cookbook.
Also: 10 Things To Make With Leftover Ground Beef!
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Ground Beef, Black Bean, and Jalapeño Chili
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 cups chopped onion (red or yellow)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 15.5-ounce cans black beans (drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup chopped jarred jalapeño (or ¼ cup chopped fresh – seeded – jalapeño)
- 3 bay leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
To Serve (Pick and Choose)
- Shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole or diced avocado, slivered or chopped onions or scallions, cilantro leaves
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven brown the meat, stirring frequently to break it up into crumbles, until no pink remains. Turn it into a colander to drain.
- Return the pot to medium heat, and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables start to become tender. Add the tomatoes, beans, browned beef, jalapeño, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Serve in bowls with all of the garnishes.
Notes
- You could 100% make this chili in a slow cooker. If possible, saute the vegetables on the stovetop first, so they get browned and tender, then combine them with the rest of the ingredients in the crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours. The slow cooker advantage, of course, is that you can set it and forget it. Make it early in the day, leave it safely bubbling away in the slow cooker, and come home to a comfort food dinner.
- You can make this up to 3 days ahead (do try and make it at least 1 day ahead to allow the flavors to meld), and keep it in the fridge. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months in airtight containers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
