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!
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
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.
Tried this recipe with dried beans. While the flavor was good, I think my beans are suspect as they didn’t soften up very much. Will definitely try again using canned beans.
Yes, you definitely need canned beans for this one. Using dry beans will require a LOT more liquid and a much longer cooking time.
Excellent recipe, my family devoured it. I added some frozen corn and a can of chickpeas. I don’t know how this chili is so filling, delicious and NOT heavy! thank you very much!
Made this recipe as written and it was delicious. Especially love the idea of less meat and more beans. Definitely will put this in the meal rotation. Thank you so much.
Thank you for this recipe, which is tasty, economical and very customizable. I will definitely make it again. ~ Didi
This chili is absolutely delicious! Very easy to make. I used ground beef instead of either using ground chicken or turkey since that is what I had in the freezer. I let the chili simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to merry, and I served the chili with rice, green onions, and sharp cheddar. My sister told me about this website, and I am grateful that I can make a delicious dinner without breaking the bank. Thank you so much Beth for creating this blog!!
I made this today in the crockpot. It cooked up fine but was very bland when we went to eat it. We then added the other half of a can of tomato paste and quite a bit more seasoning, vinegar, peppers, etc. In the end it was good but that was after changing the original recipe quite a bit.
Tossed everything in the slow cooker with chicken broth after browning and draining the ground turkey and it turned out amazing! So yummy – thanks for the recipe!!
Made this for the first time today (20 degrees here!) and am definitely making this again once the leftovers I tucked away in the freezer run out. I made a couple minor substitutions just to use up what I already had at hand… ground beef, Mexican chili powder, fire-roasted tomatoes and chiles, and swapped out 2 of the cans of black beans with red beans. I also doubled the amount of spices because I’m one of those people. But I love that it’s so versatile! I can see myself making it a ton of different ways just depending on what’s in the pantry.
Also… I can’t believe I’ve been using drained and rinsed beans in my chili all this time like a chump. That starchy liquid made it the perfect consistency!
One recommendation to those looking to add a little ‘pop’ – at the end, hit it with some fresh squeezed lime juice, and/or, even better…a couple of tablespoons of the liquid from a jar of pickled jalapeños!
Make it even quicker (~15-20 min.) by using your favorite salsa instead! My favorites are both by Herdez…salsa casera and salsa verde. They work equally well w/ground poultry or beef.
Oh. My. Goodness. The Weeknight Black Bean Chili is one of the BEST recipes I have ever made from Budget Bytes!!! I wanted to utilize the ingredients that I have in my kitchen, so I used ground beef instead of ground chicken or turkey. I cooked the chili for twenty minutes to intensify the flavor, to give it that homemade taste. It was so good that I came back for seconds, even though I’m supposed to have left overs for several days. I will definitely make this recipe again. Thank you so much, Beth!!! :-)
Glad you found another winner, LaTrice! :D
Here’s the secret with chili, the flavor is always a little muted right after you cook it. Store it in the fridge and reheat it the next day and it tastes 100% better! I’m to the point where I’ll cook chili and not eat it until the next day. It makes a HUGE difference.
I agree completely. I’m a HUGE fan of left overs, and it does taste better the next day!!! :-)
Made this and loved it! But now I have a HUGE container left over. Any freezing suggestions??
Thanks :)
Yep, you can freeze single serving portions in those blue top reusable plastic containers, or even in quart sized freezer bags. If using the containers, you can just reheat in the microwave, and if using the freezer bag just cut the bag off the frozen block and reheat in a sauce pot (low flame). Chili freezes great!
This recipe turned out wonderful! The only adjustment I made was adding in about 3-4oz of a can of chopped up chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. It adds a great smoky and peppery taste to the recipe. Try it out if you get a chance :)
I LOVE chipotle peppers, and will definitely give it a try next time!!!
Fabulous dish!! Didn’t change a thing..it’s perfect the way it is and I top it off with sour cream, green onions and/or cilantro, and shredded cheese. Yum!!! Very easy to make which is a bonus :) Thank you for this absolutely delicious recipe!
I topped off the black bean chili with shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro. DELICIOUS!!!!