Healthy Chili with Ground Beef
Everybody loves a classic no bean chili with chunks of ground beef swimming in tomatoes and spices…but your body will like you so much more when you add plenty of nutrient-dense fresh vegetables. Our Healthy No-Bean Chili Recipe brings big bold flavor to the table in about 1 hour.
Ingredients
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 largeyellow onion (diced to 1/2")
- 2stalks celery (diced to 1/2")
- 1 mediumred bell pepper (diced to 1/2")
- 1 mediumgreen bell pepper (diced to 1/2")
- 1 lbground beef (use 80/20 for best results, up to 90/10)
- 1jalapeno (seeded and minced; see note 1)
- 4 clovesgarlic (minced)
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 2 tbspchili powder (see note 2)
- 1 tbspcumin
- 1 tsporegano
- 1 tsppaprika
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ½ tspred pepper flakes (optional)
- 114.5-oz can crushed tomatoes (see note 3)
- 2 cbeef broth
- 1 largesweet potato ((about 12 oz), diced to 1/2")
- 1bay leaf
- diced avocado
- chopped red onion
- fresh cilantro
- sliced jalapenos
- sliced green onions
Directions
- 1
Heat a 6-quart dutch oven over medium high heat. Add oil and heat until it shimmers. Add onion, celery, and bell peppers and toss to coat in the fat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onions turn translucent, 7-9 minutes.
- 2
Add ground beef and cook, stirring with a wood spoon to break into pieces, until the beef is no longer pink, 3-4 minutes.
- 3
Add jalapeno, garlic, tomato paste, spices (chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika) and salt. Stir continuously with a wood spoon until the tomato paste is worked into the vegetables and the spices are toasted and very fragrant, 2 minutes.
- 4
Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth and diced sweet potato. Give everything a good stir, then top with the bay leaf.
- 5
Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes until the chili is thick and the flavors have melded (see Note 4); stir occasionally to prevent scalding. Taste for flavor and seasoning and simmer an additional 10 minutes if flavors have not fully developed, and/or adjust with additional salt as necessary.
- 6
Ladle into bowls and top with your favorite garnishes. Enjoy!