Chili is seriously one of my favorite parts of the fall-winter season. It’s super easy to make, the leftovers are amazing, and it’s incredibly cozy and hearty. It’s basically all I want to eat from September to March. 😅 Our classic chili recipe is great, but I also love this simple black bean chili because it has a slightly lighter, brighter flavor, and I just have a soft spot for black beans. Gimme all the black beans all of the time! So if you’re looking for something to meal prep for the week or just something to keep you warm as the air outside gets colder, give this black bean chili a try!
What’s in Black Bean Chili
Rather than just substituting all black beans in my classic chili recipe, I also changed the flavor profile of this chili slightly. I used tangy diced tomatoes with green chiles, which gives the chili a nice brightness. I paired that with a little more cumin than usual for a slightly earthy base, and then added some smoked paprika because that smoky flavor pairs really well with the black beans. I also wanted the black beans to be the star of this show, so I actually used half the amount of ground meat as my classic chili, which helps keep it very budget-friendly as well!
Ingredients for Black Bean Chili
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious and hearty pot of black bean chili:
- Onion and Garlic: Any pot of chili is going to start with plenty of onion and garlic to get those savory base flavors in place!
- Ground Beef: I used only a half pound of ground beef for this recipe, but you can increase it to one pound if you prefer a more meaty chili. You can also substitute with ground turkey if preferred.
- Tomatoes: I used a combination of diced tomatoes with green chiles and tomato paste for this chili. The diced tomatoes add texture and a zingy flavor (thanks to the green chiles) and the tomato paste adds richness and helps thicken the chili.
- Herbs and spices: The spice mix for this chili starts with a hefty dose of chili powder, then we add some extra cumin for earthiness, a little smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Feel free to add a little cayenne if you like your chili spicy!
Toppings for Chili
One of the reasons I love chili the most is all of the fun toppings you can add to your bowl. It’s a great opportunity to use up leftovers in your fridge or pantry, and it can just add tons of flavor, color, and texture to the meal! Here are some of my favorite toppings for black bean chili:
- Fresh or pickled jalapeños
- Diced red onion
- Avocado
- Sliced green onion
- Cilantro
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Cheddar cheese
- Fresh lime juice
- Diced avocado
- Pico de gallo
Serve with a side of Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread!
Black Bean Chili
Servings 6 (about 1.3 cups each)Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil ($0.11)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.36)
- 4 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1/2 lb. ground beef ($3.50)
- 3 15oz. cans black beans, drained ($2.37)
- 1 10oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles* ($1.00)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.99)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder ($0.30)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.05)
- ½ tsp salt ($0.04)
- 2 cups water ($0.00)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the onion and garlic to a large pot with the olive oil and cook over medium heat just until the onions are softened (2-3 minutes).
- Add the ground beef to the pot and continue to sauté until the beef is cooked through (5-7 minutes).
- Add the drained black beans, diced tomatoes (with juices), tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, and water. Stir everything to combine.
- Place a lid on the chili and allow it to come up to a simmer. Let the chili simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors blend and help the liquid thicken slightly.
- Taste the chili and add salt as needed (this will depend on the salt content of your canned goods. I added about ½ tsp). Serve with your favorite chili toppings and enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
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How to Make Black Bean Chili – Step by Step Photos
Begin by dicing one yellow onion and mincing four cloves of garlic. Sauté the onions and garlic with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-low heat until softened (2-3 minutes).
Add ½ pound ground beef (or turkey) and continue to sauté until the meat is cooked through.
Add three 15oz. cans of black beans (drained), one 10oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (with the juices), one 6oz. can of tomato paste, 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp oregano, ½ tsp salt, and 2 cups of water.
Stir all of the ingredients together until evenly combined. Turn the heat up to medium-high, place a lid on the pot, and allow the chili to come up to a boil. Once it comes up to a boil, give the chili a stir, replace the lid, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
Let the chili simmer over medium-low heat for about fifteen minutes, which will help blend the flavors and thicken the sauce. Give it a taste and add salt if needed. I added about ½ tsp. And that’s it! You’re DONE making dinner!
Add your favorite toppings and go to town! Or divide it up into single-serving portions and refrigerate for really easy ready-to-heat meals for the rest of the week.
I made this last night, with a few substitutions. Firm tofu, cubed, instead of turkey, and a can of regular diced tomatoes with two diced serrano peppers instead of the diced tomatoes with green chiles. I also added some cayenne and crushed red pepper (we like it spicy!). It was really delicious! We’re going to stretch the servings by serving it over rice.
We’ll definitely make it again, maybe adding in some extra veggies…whatever is left over!
This is one of my favorite recipes! Delicious, cheap, and so easy to make after work. I make it vegetarian by substituting soy crumbles for the turkey and cooking it the exact same way. Freezes great too.
Delicious recipe! I didn’t have 3 cans of black beans so I added 1 can of kidney beans instead and it was great! I will definitely be making this again!
Hi Beth,
Just wanted to send a big “thank you” your way. I stumbled across your site just as a started grad school and it has been a life saver! It’s been great to be able eat delicious meals on a tight budget. I speak so highly of your blog I just received your book as a gift. Cheers!
This chili is so flipping good and EASY! I made it for my two boys, one’s picky (the first-born of course, ;)) and the other a gourmet. Our conversation at dinner consisted of trying to figure out WHY it was so tasty with so few ingredients! Let’s just say science was involved in the discussion lol. Well I’m making it again tonight- when my teenager who never talks manages to compliment my cooking – twice- I know I have a winner! BTW does it have something to do with not draining or rinsing the beans? I mean, besides just being a great recipe of course..! :)
Hahahaha, I honestly have no idea! :) Sometimes I think the recipes with fewer ingredients taste better because the flavors don’t get “muddy”, for lack of a better word. You can just taste everything better.
I made it…. didn’t happen to have enough black beans… so I just threw in what I had..
it was really awesome! My husband was snorting at the turkey part, but he couldn’t help himself enjoying every bowl.
Thank you :)
Great recipe! I deviated a bit with the seasonings at the end and added some lemon juice, hot sauce, and molasses. It was delicious!
This chili was amazingly tasty and SO perfect to put together after work… Not to mention, super affordable!!! I will definitely be making this again. :)
Beth. This is AMAZING!!!! I used regular red chili powder but halved it – and I skipped the tomatoes with chiles in favor of plain, so it probably evened out the spice level. The chili was rich and hearty and I think the smoked paprika was the key. (First time I’ve used it; had to buy new and couldn’t stop sniffing the little spice jar!) Absolutely delicious. I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow!
I made this last week with tempeh instead of turkey and it turned out great. With a little brown rice it made six servings and I froze two of them. I’m curious to see how well it freezes. I’m trying the Mujaddara tomorrow with some more of your Broccoli Sambal. Love the site!
this chili is THE BEST. so easy, so affordable and tastes truly great, even better the next day. I added a bunch of tabasco and frank’s red hot to mine but that’s a personal choice. :)
I made this last week and it was so delicious! I had some leftover chopped jalapenos and added them in for a little extra heat (and cause I didn’t know what else to do with them…lord knows I’m not eating them straight). This chili was delicious and super quick. It got a thumbs up from my husband so I will definitely be making it again. Thanks!
PS I’m in BR too!!
AWesome! I’m in New Orleans now, but lived in BR for about 9 years. :)
I made this chili last week and it was wonderful! I was so quick to make and we doubled the batch and had it for lunches over the week too. We are already planning to make it again.
I have to say – I’m a HUGE fan of this website! I get ALL my recipes from here, and I think I would starve otherwise!
Proudly, I have eaten this chili every day this week and I can honestly say I didn’t get sick of it once. Actually, I still have a little bit left and I’m kind of sad that it’s almost done. SUPER recipe!
I’ve been making quite a few of your ABSOLUTELY easy,delicious recipes.This was a winner as well as the others! I do have a good chili recipe but with added smoked paprika,I believe this one has my husband convinced to throw out the other.I did not have ground turkey,but had chicken thighs.They worked beautifully.The amount made was also a perfect amount for the both of us for 2 nights.We just love ease with which these dishes provide us and the ingredient list isn’t lengthy nor complicated.Thank-you once again for your insight,expertise,but most of all simplicity! We need that in our life currently.Not to mention,a good satisfying meal. :)