Description
Mexican bean salsa chili blends robust flavors from hearty ingredients and spices. Cilantro, lime, and warm spices create a delightful harmony you can savor with family and friends.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb ground beef or turkey
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
- 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (16 oz) jar salsa (mild, medium, or hot)
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup beef or vegetable broth
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional for extra heat)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (if not using meat)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Avocado slices
- Fresh cilantro
- Tortilla chips
Instructions
- Sear Protein: Heat a large skillet over medium-high, browning ground meat until richly caramelized. Drain excess fat to concentrate flavor depth.
- Aromatic Base: In the same skillet, sauté onions until translucent, then add garlic and briefly toast to release its essence.
- Combine Ingredients: Merge salsa, beans, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and broth into the skillet. Incorporate chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne to create a complex flavor profile.
- Simmer and Develop: Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat. Allow the chili to simmer, stirring occasionally, for approximately 25 minutes, enabling ingredients to meld and intensify.
- Season and Adjust: Taste and fine-tune the seasoning, adding salt, spices, or liquid as needed to achieve a perfectly balanced flavor.
- Serve and Garnish: Ladle the chili into bowls, topping with optional garnishes like shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, or crispy tortilla chips for added texture and visual appeal.
Notes
- Drain Excess Fat: Remove substantial fat from browned meat to prevent greasy, heavy chili and maintain a clean, robust flavor profile.
- Spice Flexibility: Adjust cayenne and chili powder incrementally to control heat intensity, allowing personalization for mild or spicy palate preferences.
- Bean Variety Boost: Experiment with mixed bean types like black, kidney, and pinto to enhance nutritional complexity and create interesting textural dimensions.
- Slow Cooking Magic: Consider extending simmering time up to 45-60 minutes for deeper flavor development, allowing spices and ingredients to fully integrate and meld together.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg