Not many things better than curling up with a bowl of classic chili and Netflixing, IMHO. I’ve never made chili so many times in my life as I have this past winter season, because not only is it just an amazingly easy thing to batch cook to have delicious leftovers around all week (and leftover chili is often even better!), but also there’s something just so comforting and cozy about these flavors! And clearly, you guys who watch my IG Stories love the look of this too, because I’ve been asked for this recipe every time I make it and post it— so it’s FINALLY here!

This recipe is a major household favorite over here, and Justin gets so excited whenever I tell him that I made chili for dinner 🤣. I also love that it packs in a ridiculous amount of veggies in one serving, has great protein content, and this recipe is basically foolproof in its flexibility.

You can totally switch out veggies to your liking— I’ve swapped in corn, chickpeas, mushrooms, or whatever else I have laying around the produce drawer of our fridge at any given moment. I would also totally make this with crumbled tofu instead of ground meat and use veggie broth vs. chicken broth, to make things plant-based / vegan! As long as the quantities of things remain in the same ballpark, you can make it work. It’s also amazing for cleanup, because it’s a one-pot meal that requires just a little chopping prep beforehand.

Speaking of, I do suggest you chop up all the ingredients first and measure out your spices before getting to cooking for this recipe, because then putting everything together is an absolute breeze then. Let’s get to cooking!

Classic Chili Recipe (GF, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)

makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Beef
1 yellow, vidalia, or red Onion, diced
6 cloves of Garlic, minced
3 stalks of Celery, minced
3 medium Carrots, minced
1 small Green Bell Pepper, de-seeded and minced
1 Jalapeno, de-seeded and minced
1 can (~15 oz) cooked, rinsed + drained Beans of your choice (chickpeas work too, I used Cannellini for this batch pictured)
4 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 28-oz can / box of Crushed Tomatoes
2 cups of Chicken or Beef Broth (love using bone broth when possible!)
2 tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tbsp ground Cumin
1 tbsp dried Oregano
2 tsp Salt + more to taste

Optional but great toppings:
Wild Arugula
Avocado
Herbs (no cilantro for me🤣I prefer chives, but you do you!)
Tortilla chips

Recipe

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, heat avocado or olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and let cook for about 30 seconds. Add in the carrot, celery, green pepper, and jalapeno. Saute until veggies become tender, about 3-4 minutes.

2. Add in all spices (chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and stir well. Let veggies cook for another minute to absorb the flavors of the spices. Add in the ground meat, using a wooden spatula to break up the meat into little pieces as you stir. Cook until the meat is fully browned.

3. Add in the tomato paste, and mix well. Cook for another minute to infuse that rich tomato flavor.

4. Add in the beans, crushed tomatoes, and broth. Stir well, and bring things up to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low so that the soup is gently simmering on low. Cover, and let things simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can cook it up to 2 hours if you want things to get extra flavorful— if the soup gets too thick while cooking, you can thin it out with a dash of water.

5. Dish up, and enjoy! Leftovers keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge, or you can freeze it for up to 2 months.