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This easy black bean chili recipe is fast and delicious! Load it up with your favorite toppings for a tasty family meal that makes great leftovers.

You may also enjoy my Simple Chili Mac next.

close-up of beef and black bean chili in a white bowl topped with cilantro, sour cream, and tortilla chips

I have quite a few chili recipes on my blog now! I wanted to work through the big ones, so now I have a quick beef chili, an Instant Pot beef chiliturkey sweet potato chili, Instant Pot turkey chili, white chicken chili, and an Instant Pot white chicken chili.

Whew. Any other chili suggestions for me?? Let me know!

Anyway, this black bean beef chili is fast enough to cook during the week, but it’s also one of those dishes that would be great to simmer on the stove on a Sunday before the big game. It’s great for meal prep/leftovers.

close-up of black bean chili in a white bowl with a spoon

Ideas for chili toppings:

  • Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
  • Tortilla strips
  • Tomatoes
  • Cheese (cheddar or Tex/Mex blend)
  • Avocado
  • Onions
  • Cilantro
  • Chopped jalapenos
  • …etc.

close-up of the best black bean chili in a white bowl with a spoon and tortilla chips

How to make black bean chili:

Sauté the onion in a soup pot, then add the beef and brown it (break it up with your spoon as you go along). Spoon out excess fat. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, and spices, followed by the beans, tomatoes, chilis, red bell pepper, and beef broth. I suggest simmering it for at least 15 minutes. Top bowls as desired and enjoy!

It’s simple, filling, and delicious!

Pro tip: if you want to give this chili some kick, add some cayenne pepper or use spicy green chilis.

You may also like my easy black bean soup.

bowl of easy black bean chili with sliced jalapeno, sour cream, cilantro, and tortilla chips

Will you make this easy black bean chili? Questions? Let me know in the comments below.

This beef and black bean chili recipe is quick, easy, and the whole family will love it. 
5 from 11 votes

Easy Black Bean Chili

This easy black bean chili recipe is fast and delicious! Load it up with your favorite toppings for a delicious family meal that makes great leftovers.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans drained
  • 1 (28 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 (4 ounce) can mild green chilis with juices
  • 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Toppings (optional, to taste): sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, scallions, Mexican cheese blend or cheddar, etc.

Instructions 

  • In a soup pot/Dutch oven, add the oil and onion and sauté for 5 minutes.
  • Add the ground beef and cook it until it's browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along. Spoon out some of the beef fat if there's a lot of excess, but don't worry about getting it all.
  • Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. 
  • Add the beans, diced tomatoes, chilis, red pepper, and beef broth. Give it a good stir. 
  • Increase the heat and bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cover with the lid slightly open. Simmer for 15 minutes or so, giving it the occasional stir. You can definitely simmer it longer, but I recommend at least 15 minutes.
  • Season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve and top bowls as desired. 

Notes

  • Serves 4-6.
  • Want to make this chili spicy? Add a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
  • Anything from 1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef will work fine.

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcal, Carbohydrates: 44g, Protein: 39g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 538mg, Potassium: 1310mg, Fiber: 16g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1462IU, Vitamin C: 33mg, Calcium: 119mg, Iron: 8mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Hi! I’m Natasha.

Salt & Lavender is a recipe blog with a focus on delicious comfort food using everyday ingredients. Beat the weekday grind with hundreds of easy-to-follow and hassle-free recipes!

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31 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Really good chili recipe that is easy and quick. Always better the next day so be sure to double up the recipe if you are feeding two teens! I love that it has a good amount of protein but also a good amount of fiber from the beans. Yummy!

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve made Chilli soo many times,
    But never this GOOD
    Fabulous flavors with just a slight kick.
    This recipe is now a STAPLE.
    Thank you for sharing!

  3. Thanks so much for saving the day. Just made the Black bean chili and it is so yummy. Told my husband that I will be making more of your delicious recipes.

    1. Yay!! That’s awesome. You’re very welcome. So happy it worked out! Let me know if you end up trying anything else. 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Chili is a regular at our house. I normally use a seasoning packet. This is delicious. I’ll be using my chili game going forward! Loaded it up with toppings. Looking forward to eating the leftovers!

  5. This looks like the perfect combo of all the essentials for an amazing chili! The only other thing I usually like in chili is beer – do you think I could substitute the beef broth for a beer and just throw in a beef bouillon cube to still get the flavor without affecting fluid volume?

    1. I think that should work just fine! You can always cook it down a bit more if it seems like there’s too much liquid… and if there’s not enough, just add a little water. Let me know how it goes! 🙂