There are two ingredients that take this easy beef and three bean chili recipe from killer to kick-ass: beer and enchilada sauce. Taste it for yourself to discover the reason why.
Beefy Three Bean Chili Recipe
This beef chili recipe is not only killer, it was almost kick-ass too.
But then I got nervous that when my mom read this post she’d be hot on her iPhone to text me and say, “Heidi!!! You can’t say kick-ass in your post! You’ll offend your readers!”
So in regard for you, my dear readers, this chili is simply KILLER. But you’ll realize as soon as you make it that it’s totally kick-ass, too.
I first made this recipe before most of today’s teenagers were even born. I wrote it down in my familiar handwriting that is much more legible than it is today.
It’s safely documented within the well-worn, hand-written recipe book my mom gave me right out of college. The book that’s stuffed with the torn-out recipes from random newspapers and magazines that over the years have become our own. The book whose ruled pages hold the treasures of recipes passed down to me from my mom, my grandmothers and even a few co-workers and neighbors who inspired me with their creations.
It’s my one recipe book that could never be replaced.
And like this three bean chili, it is filled with kick-ass flavors waiting to be made. I mean…ahem…killer flavors. That one’s for you, mom.
What’s in This Three Bean Chili?
You need very few ingredients to achieve that — ahem — killer beefy chili flavor. Spoiler: I have two not-so secret ingredients that take this chili recipe from killer to kick-ass. Taste it for yourself to discover the reason why.
Here’s everything I used in this meat chili recipe:
- Vegetable oil
- Butter
- Bell peppers
- Onions
- Garlic
- Herbs and spices
- Ground beef
- Beans
- Enchilada sauce
- Beer
- Jalapeños
What are the Best Beans for Chili?
I use three different beans in this recipe starting with dark kidney beans, lighter pinto beans and chili beans, which are beans cooked in a mild sauce. It’s a rainbow of beans. I use canned beans because it’s just easier and quicker.
I’ve never had anyone complain that I didn’t take the time to soak my beans straight from the bag, but if you’d like to, I say go for it!
How to Make Three Bean Chili
The beauty of any homemade chili recipe is that it’s almost always a dump and cook kind of meal. To make this killer three bean and beef chili, cook the garlic, onion, and bell peppers in an oiled Dutch oven until soft.
Then, stir in the herbs and spices and cook until fragrant. Add the ground beef to the veggies and cook until the meat is browned.
Add the remaining ingredients and let the mixture simmer, covered, for at least an hour. Remove the lid and simmer for another hour before serving.
Is There a Beer Substitute I Can Use?
The alcohol in the beer completely cooks out of the three bean chili while it simmers on your stove, but if you absolutely don’t want to use it you’re welcome to substitute beef or chicken broth. The flavor won’t be quite as rich, but your beef chili will still be killer.
Can I Freeze Chili?
Yes, three bean chili freezes incredibly well. Let it cool to room temperature and then ladle it into freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. The chili can be popped into the fridge overnight to thaw or reheated from frozen on the stove.
Tips for Making Three Bean Chili
I use ground sirloin for my beef. If you can’t find sirloin, a suitable chuck or even ground beef will do. Or, feel free to use 1 pound pork sausage with 1 pound ground beef. Make it what you crave.
For maximum chili flavor, I cook the spices along with the vegetables, rather than simply adding them to the sauce. This method infuses the vegetables with the aromatics and deepens the earthy sauce.
Although this three bean chili is delicious as is, try topping it with a dollop of sour cream, sliced jalapeño, and a sprinkle of sharp cheddar. I dare you to find a better combination of chili toppings!
More Homemade Chili Recipes You’ll Like
- Slow Cooker Healthy Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili with Quinoa
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajita Chili
- Easy White Bean Chicken Chili with Butternut Squash
- White Bean and Pumpkin Pork Chili
- CrockPot Pork Green Chili
- 20 Chili Recipes to Cozy Up To
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Bookmark this recipe and leave a comment below, or take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Killer Beef and Three Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 green bell peppers cored, seeded and chopped
- 2 medium onions peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup New Mexico chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 pounds ground sirloin beef
- 1 15- ounce can kidney beans
- 1 15- ounce can pinto beans
- 1 15- ounce can chili beans
- 1 15- ounce can enchilada sauce
- 1 12- ounce bottle of beer (I used a lager)
- Kosher salt to taste
- Sliced jalapeños , for topping
Instructions
Melt the butter with the vegetable oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Cook the bell peppers, onions and garlic for about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, coriander and cinnamon over the vegetables and cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the ground sirloin to the vegetables and break up with a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook until beef is browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the beans, enchilada sauce and bottle of beer and season with kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Remove the cover, stir and cook for 1 more hour. Add ¼ to ½ cup water if the chili gets too thick, stir and simmer.
- Serve with sliced jalapeño, sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired.
More Easy Soup Recipes to Make This Winter
- Broccoli Cheese and Potato Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- The Best Cheeseburger Soup
- Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup with Sausage and Kale
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Craving more life balance, less stress, and better health? Check out my Nourished Planner, the daily planner to help create simplicity and under-schedule your life.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. All opinions are always my own.
SIGN UP FOR FREE!
THANK YOU FOR VISITING FOODIECRUSH.COM
Subscribe to the FoodieCrush email newsletter and have every new post plus exclusive content delivered straight to your email box,
FOR FREE!
Denise | TLT says
Haha! That comment from your mom is hilarious. Definitely a kick-ass recipe that I’m bookmarking at this very moment. Can’t wait to try it myself. Hope you’re doing great and recovering well. xoxo
Tom ~ Raise Your Garden says
Well, my wife usually does the cooking, but I promised I’d try to make chili for the Super Bowl. This recipe looks like a great place to start. Thanks!
Patti says
Oh Heidi, mama tries her best. The chili sounds delicious, or killer.
Angela @ Eat Spin Run Repeat says
Oh wow, ALL of these sound kick ass… ahem… killer! I love a good chili, especially right now when it’s so snowy and cold outside. Bookmarking some of these for the weekend!
Sandy @ ReluctantEntertainer says
HA. Your mama. Cute. Love this recipe … love the peppers on top!
Katie (Veggie and the Beast) says
Thanks so much for including my white bean chili!
Becca says
Luv ya, but… People who know beans about chili, know that beans do not belong in chili. It’s a Texas thing.
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
Ha! I sometimes feel the need to swear on the blog, but restrain myself out of fear that my grandparent’s or in-laws will think badly of me…so I refrain. I think this totally warrants the description of kick-ass, because it does indeed look (and sound!) kick-ass! :)
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
Looks kick-ass to me. I’ve been craving chili and this looks perfect! Just don’t judge me if I smother it in cheddar. ;)
Kelly says
We have a blizzard coming our way. This chili will see us through. Thanks for another kick-ass recipe! Pinning now.
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
How funny! Regardless of how you say it, this chili looks awesome!
kelley says
killler….kick ass….doesn’t matter, this looks damn good! I love chili in any form too! Pass the Fritos.
Cookin Canuck says
Kick-ass or killer…either way, I’ll take a bowl, please. Dang, that looks amazing!
Shinee says
And you typed kick-ass 4 times! Haha no offense taken though. Love the chili by the way. Adding this to my next week’s menu.
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
I don’t care what you call this chili, it looks pretty darn incredible to me!
Ana says
Made this recipe the other night and we love it! It’s so good! Thanks for sharing!
Jay says
What I can substitute beer with? We don’t drink beer so don’t buy it or know the first thing about it! Thanks :)
heidi says
You could use chicken or beef stock in place of the beer.
Gn Images says
Made these and they are delicious!
om jai jagdish hare says
Looks delicious!
Linda says
I made this for a football chili cook-off on my singles Meetup group. I have never made chili before so this was a new adventure for me and I made it the night prior. I did not drain the canned beans and did not need to add any water after simmering. New Mexico Chili Powder was nowhere to be found, but a quick internet search revealed that Ancho Chile Powder was a good substitute. However, the few stores in my area that carried it were completely out of stock! I ordered from online but there was a shipping delay and it did not arrive in time. I substituted with 1 TBSP of Chipotle Chile Powder and at the last minute I found ONE LAST bottle of Ancho Chile Powder at an upscale grocery store and added 2 TBSP of it to the chili about two hours before serving. I thought the chili turned out GREAT! There were six chili entries and I genuinely thought mine was the best but it tied for second place behind a white chicken chili, and tied with a good but milder chili. This is definitely a spicy chili and I did not include the jalapenos with serving. I used a Guinness beer and several people noticed *something different* in the ingredients, which was the cinnamon. In future I will purchase a 16 oz bottle of Ancho Chile Powder on Amazon since that stuff is so hard to find locally and is much more expensive when purchased in a small bottle.
Sabrina says
this was great, loved the enchilada sauce as the “red” component instead of tomatoes, much less acidic and better!
Kaushal says
I had tried this recipe, but I had used only rajma and lots of vegetables and sauce. I must say this dish is good for health.
Dusti Kocher says
Yes I do believe the enchilada sauce added a great taste to it. I will be making my beef & 3 bean chili like this from now on
Heidi says
So glad you enjoyed it Dusti—and glad you agree on the enchilada sauce :)