Raise your hand if you love a good bowl of chili beans! This Homemade Chili Beans with dried beans is a recipe you’ll want to try. It comes with all the classic ingredients: ground beef, dried red beans, tomatoes, and a little heat from fresh jalapeno peppers and canned chipotle peppers. A long, slow simmer ensures a deep, rich flavor!
There’s nothing like the warm, rich taste of hearty chili. This is an easy dish to whip up on a cold winter day. Just imagine yourself sitting at the table enjoying a steaming bowl of chili beans and a side of cornbread or sourdough bread. Yum…you can make it happen!
Why This Chili with Dry Beans Recipe Works
Dried Beans for Maximum Flavor: Sure, it takes a little more time, but cooking dried beans from scratch gives your chili a deeper, richer flavor you just can’t get from a can.
Smoky Chipotle Kick: A single mashed chipotle pepper brings just the right amount of smoky heat.
Customizable Spice Level: With adjustable chili powder and a well-rounded spice mix, you’re in full control of how mild or bold you want this chili to be.
One-Pot Wonder: Everything comes together in one big pot, making cleanup almost as satisfying as that first bite. Almost.
If you love chili beans try our pork chili beans or our turkey chili beans with beer.
The Ingredients
This recipe for chili beans has a nice bit of heat to it but it is not so hot that it distorts the flavors of the rest of the dish. The actual heat comes from two seeded and chopped fresh jalapeño peppers and one canned chipotle pepper. Of course, if you like it really hot and spicy just add more of the chipotle peppers! Here is the ingredient list:
- Meat: Ground beef
- Produce: Red beans, yellow onion, garlic, green jalapeño peppers, fresh cilantro
- Pantry: Crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef stock
- Spices and Seasonings: Chili powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, salt, ground black pepper, smoky paprika
- Condiments: Chipotle pepper
Note: I like the small red beans because they have a creamier texture, but kidney beans also work really well in this recipe.
Chili Variations
Bacon Chili with Dry Beans: Stir in 1 cup of cooked, crumbled bacon and a dash of liquid smoke.
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili: Replace the red beans with black beans and add 1 diced sweet potato.
Beer Lover’s Chili: Swap half of the beef stock for your favorite lager or stout.
Vegetarian Chili: Skip the ground beef and double up on the beans, adding a mix of kidney and black beans, plus 1 cup of diced zucchini.
Tip for Success
- Save extra chipotle peppers by pureeing or mashing them, then freezing spoonfuls on parchment paper. Once frozen, transfer to a bag and store in the freezer for later use.
- Cook dry beans separately, as they don’t soften well with acidic ingredients like tomatoes.
- If you’re using dried beans, soak them overnight to speed up cooking time.
- Control the spice level. Start with less chili powder and chipotle, then adjust to taste as the chili simmers. You can always add more heat, but you can’t take it away!
- Sautéing the onions, garlic, and jalapeños with the beef creates a flavor base. Don’t skip this step!
- Make it ahead. Chili tastes even better the next day, so consider making it a day in advance to let the flavors meld.
Toppings for Chili Beans
The best part about eating chili beans is adding all the toppings. Here are some suggestions to pile on this hearty bowl of stew.
- Sliced green onions
- Shredded Cheddar or Pepper Jack cheese
- Avocado chunks
- Crushed tortilla chips
- Cilantro leaves
- Sour cream dollops
What to Serve With Homemade Chili Beans
For me, our buttery cornbread is a must. But an easy no-knead focaccia bread with a drizzle of garlic butter sauce would also be lovely with a bowl of chili beans. You could also add a crisp tossed green salad to the menu.
Storing Leftover Chili
Refrigerate: Allow the chili to cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freeze: For longer storage, portion the cooled chili into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheat: Warm it in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You can also use the microwave in 1-2 minute intervals, stirring in between. Add a splash of broth or water if the chili thickened during storage.
Flavor Packed Chili Made with Dried Beans
This chili with dried beans is here to prove that a little extra effort goes a long way. Bold, hearty, and unapologetically satisfying, it’s the comfort food you didn’t know you needed, but won’t want to live without.
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A large Dutch oven or stockpot. Misen makes a great stainless steel heavy-duty stockpot and we love their Dutch oven that comes with a lid that you can use as a grill.
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Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love:
Our Chili Relleno Casserole is a twist on the old favorite chili relleno but in a casserole form. There is no frying here and we added some heat from the Pepper Jack cheese and spicy salsa.
This classic beef stew dish features lean beef chunks, veggies, herbs, and red wine in a slightly thickened delicious sauce.
Our Chipotle Black Bean Soup is vegetarian and totally delicious! And did we mention it is ‘Budget Friendly’?
Homemade Chili Beans with Beef
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry red beans (or 4 cans 14.5 ounces each beans of choice)
- 2 pounds lean 15% ground beef chuck
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic crushed or finely chopped
- 2 green jalepeno peppers seeded and chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 cans (14.5 ounces each )crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
- 1 chipotle pepper mashed to a paste (not the whole can)
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 to 3 tablespoons chili powder see notes
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smokey paprika
- Fresh Cilantro sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the red beans according to the manufacturers’ directions, drain and reserve. If using the canned beans, rinse them under cold water and drain and reserve.
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat, add the ground beef breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Sprinkle the salt over the ground beef and cook until brown. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and chopped jalapeno peppers and continue to cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the cilantro, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, chipotle pepper, broth, chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper and paprika. Stir to combine well then stir in the reserved beans.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to its lowest point, put a lid on the pot, and simmer for 1-½ to 2 hours, taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.
- To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Do not use the whole can of chipotle peppers. You only need one pepper from the can and you can freeze the leftover peppers.
- Chili powder varies in spice level from brand to brand. Use the smaller amount listed if you aren’t sure how hot your chili powder is. You can add additional chili powder to taste if you want it spicier.
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Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on 9/28/2015. We updated the post with fresh photos.
Ria
Friday 5th of January 2024
We like to incorporate beans into many meals both for the fiber & frugality benefits. We also use bison & elk instead of ground beef. Your recipe is a great guide to make homemade chili without all the added sodium or preservatives from even packaged spice mix. The biggest difference we do is to cook the beans in the beef broth with 1/2 the garlic & onions, to build the layers of flavor.
Pat Nyswonger
Friday 5th of January 2024
Ria....that sounds awesome! Thanks for the tip, I will definitely try it!