Poblano Beef and Bean Chili
on Dec 03, 2024
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This Poblano Beef and Bean Chili is the ultimate cozy, comfort food. Combining smoky poblano peppers, two kinds of beans, and ground beef with loads of spices. Make this a perfect dish to prep for the colder months, or for any game days coming up! Simmered low and slow, this chili gives the ingredients time to get to know each other, imparting the most flavor possible.
Oh and my mom said this was the best chili she’s ever had, so there’s that!
If you love a cozy stew or soup, check out our Roasted Red Kuri Squash Soup, Adasi (Persian Lentil Soup), and Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
We have spent months testing our perfect tried and true, go-to chili recipe, and this is where we’ve landed! The depth of flavor from the roasted and charred poblanos adds heat but also a really nice balance with the chili spaces and beef. This recipe can be prepped ahead and rewarmed really easily, too!
- Flavorful: The depth of flavor from the poblano peppers along with the chili spices make this recipe so special.
- Everyone will love it: This chili is great for cozier nights in the Fall or Winter, or a delicious recipe to prep ahead for any game day or night parties.
- About the toppings: It’s a choose-your-own-adventure when it comes to toppings and we love to mix and match to really finish out the chili.
- If you do choose to prep this ahead, the chili will be even better the next day since it would allow time for the flavors to combine together even more.
Recipe Ingredients
Below are the ingredients you need to make this recipe, including all our tips and substitutions.
Aromatics and Spices: A classic chili always begins with onions and garlic. Then we’re adding charred and roasted poblano peppers and bell peppers all tossed together with chili powder, cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper to give it the signature chili flavor!
To really balance out all the flavors, we also add a little bit of brown sugar, a little goes a long way and makes a big difference in the overall flavor complexity of the chili, especially as it continues to simmer.
Ground Beef: We like using 80/20 ground beef, but you can use whatever you prefer. His is the star, along with the beans, for our chili.
Beans: We are using a mix of pinto beans and kidney beans, both canned, rinsed and drained. You can opt to use dried beans, but just keep in mind they will need to be pre-soaked and most likely have to up the cooking time.
Light Beer: The beer is added before we start simmering with the tomato sauce, and reduced by half, it adds a lovely depth of flavor along with some sweetness.
Crushed Tomatoes: We are using crushed tomatoes, we like the Cento Crushed Tomatoes because their crushed tomatoes tend to be a tad thinner and truly crushed, with not as many tomato-y chunks, but, it’s totally up to your preference! This will be the base of the chili and slow roasted until perfect.
Toppings: Go crazy with your toppings! We love sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, lime wedges, pickled jalapeños, red onions, and corn chips. You can also add avocado, hot sauce, or cilantro, too.
The full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Tips and Substitutions
- If you want your chili spicier, add another poblano pepper, or substitute the bell pepper for a poblano pepper.
- For a thicker chili, leave the pot completely uncovered to reduce the liquid faster.
- To char your poblano peppers and bell peppers, you can either roast on an open flame or roast in the oven until charred in places. Then you’ll transfer to a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap to steam. Once cooled to the touch, gently remove the charred peel from the peppers and dice from there.
- At the store, you can also sometimes find already roasted poblano and bell peppers, so you can also use those.
- Sub chicken, beef, or vegetable broth instead of beer, if preferred.
How to Make Poblano Beef and Bean Chili
Step 1: Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, poblano pepper, and garlic. Add in your chili powder, cumin powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
Step 2: Add the ground beef. Add in your kidney and pinto beans, give everything one final toss, and add in your beer, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom. Let the beer reduce by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Step 3: Add in your tomatoes, bring the chili mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium-low to low. Simmer your chili semi-covered, for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
Step 4: To serve, ladle the chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings! Serve with tortilla chips or tostadas on the side for dipping.
Serving Recommendations
You can enjoy this chili with the toppings of your choice, or team them up with some sides. Here are some ideas to inspire you!
- Salads: Citrus Avocado Salad with Chili Crisp, Shaved Celery and Fennel Salad, and our Radicchio Salad with Chives and Hazelnuts.
- Game Night Pairings: If you are making this for any game day, pair this chili with Sambal Barbecue Chicken Wings or Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip.
- Side Dishes: Try our our Grilled Corn with Tajin Lime Butter, or Shrimp Cocktail with Old Bay Mayo.
Poblano Beef and Bean Chili FAQs
Yes, you can prep ahead and store in the fridge for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
For this recipe, we are using 80/20 ground beef, but you can mix and match it with any of your favorite blends that include ground chuck, brisket, tri-tip, or so on! If it’s not ground, you will have to braise and shred so keep this in mind when you are picking your cut.
The best beans for chili are pinto and kidney beans. But you can also use black beans or cannellini beans.
More Cozy Recipes
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Creamy Broccoli Leek Potato Soup (In 30 Minutes)
Soups & Stews
Creamy Roasted Red Kuri Squash Soup
Vegetarian
How To Make Vegetable Broth
If you do make this Poblano Beef and Bean Chili recipe, leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, we would love to hear what you think! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram, we love to see what you’re making! If you’d like to stay in touch and get the latest in your inbox, sign up for our Newsletter. We can also be found on YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest!
Poblano Beef and Bean Chili
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 large yellow or red bell pepper, roasted and diced
- 1 large poblano pepper, roasted and diced
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar, adjust to taste
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 12-ounce can light beer
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
Toppings
- Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, green onions, lime wedges, pickled jalapenos, red onions, corn tortilla chips
Instructions
- Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, poblano pepper, and garlic. Give everything a stir and sweat out for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add in your chili powder, cumin powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat and bloom your spices, about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Next, add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Allow the beef to slightly brown and caramelize, until there is no liquid, about 8 to 10 minutes
- Add in your kidney and pinto beans, give everything one final toss, and add in your beer, scraping up any browned bits at the bottom. Let the beer reduce by half, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add in your tomatoes, bring the chili mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium-low to low. Simmer your chili semi-covered. But, if you want a thicker chili or want to speed up the cooking process, leave it completely uncovered, and if you want your chili a little more stewy, cover completely, removing the lid at the last 20 to 30 minutes. We like to make this chili low and slow, semi-covered, for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and brown sugar.
- To serve, ladle the chili into bowls and top with your favorite toppings! We like to create a little toppings station with sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, pickled jalapenos, shaved red onions, and a squeeze of lime for everyone to top with their favorites. Serve with tortilla chips or tostadas on the side for dipping.
Notes
- If you want your chili spicier, add another poblano pepper, or substitute the bell pepper for a poblano pepper.
- For a thicker chili, leave the pot completely uncovered to reduce the liquid faster.
- To char your poblano peppers and bell peppers, you can either roast on an open flame or roast in the oven until charred in places. Then you’ll transfer to a bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap to steam. Once cooled to touch, gently remove the charred peel from the peppers and dice from there.
- At the store, you can also sometimes find already roasted poblano and bell peppers, so you can also use those.
- Sub chicken, beef, or vegetable broth instead of beer, if preferred.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’ve been testing this chili recipe since January, and it’s finally HERE! My mom said this is the best chili she’s ever had, and for good reason. I hope you enjoy!