This easy no bean chili recipe came into being for the simple reason that I don’t like beans. Never have, never will, no matter how many times my sweet mana encourages me to try them just One More Time.
Except for jelly beans – I love and adore jelly beans.
But no thanks to any other variety of beans in the world except for peanuts, which I recently found out belong to the bean family. So if there was going to be any chili-making going on in my kitchen, it was not going to involve beans…but it still needed to please the other chili-lovers in my house.
And I’m happy to say that this easy, spicy version passed with flying colors! And all in one pot, which made my kitchen clean-up crew all kinds of happy.
That’s the clean-up crew on the right. After supper I am usually collapsed on the sofa figuring out tomorrow’s supper.
How to make Easy No Bean Chili!
Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep skillet. Add a peeled and chopped sweet onion and sauté it until it is just tender, about 3 minutes.
Add 2 pounds of ground beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Sauté the beef until browned.
Add 2 tablespoons each of unsweetened cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, and oregano along with a pinch of salt and pepper and give it a good stir (and pro tip: if you want your chili on the spicier side, add a little more chili powder during this step).
Add a 6 ounce can of tomato paste, 2 cups of canned diced tomatoes with their juices and 1 cup of beef broth and stir again.
Simmer your lovely bean-less chili for about 45 minutes, adding additional beef broth if needed to loosen it up and stirring occasionally.
Last but not least, serve it up with your choice of toppings!
More tips for making easy no bean chili!
Of course! From what I hear tell from those who make their chili with beans, you’ll want to add a drained 16 ounce can of kidney beans when you add the tomatoes and beef broth.
Aside from the general answer which is that chocolate makes everything better? Cocoa powder works with the spices to add a richer, deeper flavor. Your lucky chili-eaters won’t be able to tell that it is there, they will only know that this is One Flavorful Chili!
You sure can! As with lots of chili and stew recipes, this one gets better as it sits around. So your second day leftovers are going to be even better than Day One!
We scattered ours with scallions for a little extra bite and served it over hash, but you could also break out the sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheese or any other delightful toppings you can think up, and serve it over rice.
One way or the other, beans or no beans, happy chili-making season to us all!
OTHER CHILI RECIPES WE LOVE!
 This sassy recipe for easy chili cheeseburgers gives you all the flavor without the mess of the chili falling off the burger. A perfect summer supper! |
 This recipe is like your favorite mac and cheese recipe and your favorite taco recipe had a baby! |
 This easy recipe for Cincinnati chili involves spaghetti, tons of cheese and some of the best chili in the world. And if you want, onions and beans! |
Want to round out your meal? This recipe pairs well with...
Easy No Bean Chili
Prep Time: 10 minutes- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
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Pin RecipeDescription
This flavorful easy no bean chili recipe is a snap to whip up, and cooks up all in one pot for super easy clean-up!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons chili powder (you can add or subtract from this amount if you want to make it milder or spicier)
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 2 tablespoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups canned chopped tomato with their juices
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth, plus extra to loosen if needed
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large deep skillet. Add onions and saute until just tender, about 3 minutes.
- Add beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Saute until browned.
- Add all spices and stir. Add tomato paste, tomatoes and beef broth and stir again.
- Simmer for about 45 minutes, adding additional beef broth if needed to loosen it up and stirring occasionally.
- Serve with your choice of toppings!
Notes
Need to add something to your kitchen equipment to make this recipe? Below are some of the items we used in the Framed Cooks kitchen to help cook this up. These are affiliate links to things we use and love, which helps to pay for all that bacon I keep buying (without any extra cost to you)! Thanks for using them to keep our kitchen cooking…xoxo!
Updated (and made even more delicious!) from a previously published Framed Cooks post!
I'd love to hear what you think!