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+ servings
5 from 7 votes

Easy Chili Recipe


Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
8

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup diced yellow onion one medium onion
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 pound ground sausage
  • 2 - 15.5 oz. cans of white beans
  • 2 - 15.5 oz. cans of pinto beans
  • 15.5 oz. can of red kidney beans
  • 2 packets chili seasoning
  • 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 12 oz. tomato paste

Optional Toppings

  • grated cheddar cheese
  • Green onions
  • Jalapenos
  • Sour cream

Instructions

  • Add ground beef, ground sausage, and onion to an 8-Quart dutch oven or stockpot. Saute onion and meat until the onion is soft and translucent and the meats are no longer pink. (If you are using lean meats or swapping out the sausage, you can add a tablespoon of olive or canola oil to help with the sauteeing).
  • Add remaining ingredients: white beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, chili seasoning, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Beans do not need to be rinsed or drained. Include the juices from the cans of all ingredients.
  • Stir and heat over medium until chili comes to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Remove from heat.
  • Serve with freshly grated cheese, green onions, jalapeno slices, sour cream, chips and/or cornbread!
    Bowl of chili with cheese and jalapenos on top.

Notes

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Notes:
Three bean chili can also be made in an instant pot or slow cooker. Saute meat and onions prior to adding all ingredients into the instant pot/slow cooker. (Meat and onions can be sauteed directly in the instant pot using the saute function.)
Use any combination of the beans that you prefer - 5-6 cans of beans is perfect for this recipe. If you’d like to use black beans, drain and rinse before adding to the chili. Add in ½ cup water along with them.
Substitute homemade chili seasoning for the spice packets. Spice packets are super convenient, but you can customize your own seasoning and spice level by mixing up homemade chili seasoning.
Sometimes I like to add a can of Rotel (tomatoes with chilis) in lieu of the regular diced tomatoes. It adds some nice flavor and a tiny bit of spice.
Saute jalapenos or other chili peppers along with the onions and meat for a kick. You can also simmer crushed red pepper flakes to add spice.
If you like a soupier chili, simply add 1-2 cups of water or beef broth to the recipe.
Chli freezes really well and is great for storing for a quick meal later. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight or thaw in the microwave just long enough to get the chili into a pot to reheat on the stove.
Substitute any kind of meat for either the sausage or the ground beef. We use ground turkey, all ground beef, and even ground chicken. You can use different types of flavored sausage as well - mild, hot, italian, sage, etc.

Nutrition

Calories: 628kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 1801mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 875IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 9mg

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