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Easy Black Bean Chili

Published: / Updated: / 27 Comments

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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.

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 chili, turkey 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. 

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.
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 415 kcal

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 fluid ounce) cans black beans drained
  • 1 (28 fluid ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with juices
  • 1 (4 fluid 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 or Greek yogurt
  • Avocado chopped
  • Tortilla strips
  • Scallions chopped
  • Tex-Mex cheese blend

Instructions
 

  • In a large pot, 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 and discard the excess beef fat.
  • 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 so it's nicely simmering 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.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
     

Nutrition

Calories: 415kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 39gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 538mgPotassium: 1310mgFiber: 16gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 1462IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 119mgIron: 8mg
Keyword beef and black bean chili recipe, black bean chili
Author Natasha Bull
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  1. Katie says

    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!

    Reply

  2. Sharon says

    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.

    Reply

    • Natasha says

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

      Reply

  3. Laura S says

    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!

    Reply

  4. Jill says

    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?

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      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! 🙂

      Reply

  5. Marla Munding says

    5 stars
    Made this tonight and there were no leftovers! Just wondering if anyone has ever added corn to make it really southwest!?

    Reply

  6. Kim S says

    5 stars
    Delicious! I made it for dinner on a cold winter day.... it was perfect! I can’t believe that I ever used to make chili without cumin!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Wonderful!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I think cumin is definitely underrated... happy you had a chance to try it out in chili. 🙂

      Reply

  7. Whitney Newsome says

    5 stars
    Looks delicious!. Can't wait to make. I am new to your blog. So far love the recipes. Can't wait to make them all.

    Reply

  8. Michael says

    5 stars
    This chilli is one of the best i have ever made 😋😍 and don’t forget the recommended sides/toppings 👍

    Reply

  9. chiranshi says

    5 stars
    Thanku so much sharing this recipe because it's great idea for both lunch and dinner.
    I can't wait to catch up with all your ‘Recipe’!!

    Reply

  12. BTP says

    This looks delicious. For chili, I use texturized vegetable protein instead of ground beef. It’s not truly a vegetarian chili because I use beef broth but vegetable broth can be substituted. I prefer TVP because in chili it’s almost indistinguishable from hamburger, it’s cheaper and any possibility of fat or gristle is eliminated.

    Reply

  13. Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says

    5 stars
    That's one delicious bowl of comfort Natasha! We LOVE chili, so I can't wait to try your recipe!

    Reply