Dutch Oven Chili
Whip up our quick and easy dutch oven chili. This recipe has a lot of ground beef in it, making it a hearty meal, and it is simply made on the stovetop. The best way I like to serve it, is topped with shredded mozzarella cheese and warm cornbread on the side.
This version is on the mild side, but you can increase the amount of chili powder if you prefer it spicier, but make sure to taste test if adding more chili powder than the recipe.
I like to use canned red kidney beans so that I make this meal quickly, but you can use dried red kidney beans if you like.
Just soak the dried beans in a large pot covered in above 3 inches of cold water, cover with lid and set aside overnight or for 8 hours. Drain the soaked beans and transfer them back to the pot. Cover beans with above 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover with lid and simmer gently, stirring occasionally until beans are tender, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Drain and add the beans to recipe as per below directions. Enjoy!
What you’ll love about this recipe:
Dutch Oven Chili Preparation Tips
Tip 1
- This chili recipe can be made in one pot. It is best to use a large pot or dutch oven.
- Stir the diced bell pepper occasionally so that it doesn’t burn on one side.
- As soon as the bell pepper starts to brown, add the ground beef.
- Break up the ground beef with a spatula and mix in the bell pepper. Stir occasionally until the beef is completely cooked.
Tip 2
- I find that extra lean ground beef gives the best result. If there is too much oil in the pan after it is cooked, some can be drained off with a ladle.
- The oil is part of the sauce so don’t drain all of the oil from the pot.
- Do not drain the liquid from the can of diced tomatoes. The liquid adds to the flavor of the dish.
Tip 3
- Use a strainer to drain the cans of red kidney beans.
- Always rinse the red kidney beans with water before adding them to the cooking pot. I like to rinse them in the strainer. Canned red kidney beans contain a lot of sodium and starch, so rinsing the beans will improve the flavor of the chili so that it doesn’t taste too salty.
- After the red kidney beans are mixed into the chili, definitely simmer for 10 minutes or longer so the beans will be cooked through. Never cook for less than 10 minutes.
- Cook uncovered to help to reduce the liquid and thicken the chili.
Substitutes
- Onion Powder: one small white or red onion, chopped can be substituted for the onion powder.
- Bell Pepper: this easy stovetop chili can be made without the bell pepper. It turns out perfectly without the bell pepper in it.
- Red Kidney Beans: light or white kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans can be substituted for red kidney beans in this ground beef chili. Using different beans will slightly change the flavor of the chili. Light or white kidney beans have a milder flavor, while black beans have a bolder deep flavor. If using black beans, it is best to mix them with another type of bean like pinto or kidney to bring down the bold flavor.
Dutch Oven Chili: Frequently Asked Questions
Chili, and Tex Mex Chili con Carne do have similarities, but they are not quite the same. Chili can be made with either meat, poultry, or vegetarian and usually has tomatoes, spices, red kidney, or pinto beans in it, and is served as a main dish. Tex Mex Chili con Carne, which is Spanish and translates to “chili with meat”, is a southern chili recipe that typically has a lot of meat, like cubed or ground beef in it, as well as corn, chili peppers, and if it has beans, it’s usually black beans. Chili con Carne is served as a side dish.
Homemade chili can be gluten-free if made with gluten free chili ingredients. The ingredients such as beef, bell pepper, beans and spices are naturally gluten free, however it is always best to check the ingredient labels to ensure each product that is being used is gluten free, especially if using canned beans.
Canned chili beans are kidney or pinto beans that have been pre-seasoned with chili spices, while canned red kidney beans are plain beans without any seasonings. This recipe tastes best with plain canned beans.
DID YOU KNOW: You can adjust the serving size and automatically recalculate the ingredient quantities, by hovering or clicking on the underlined number at the bottom of this recipe e.g. servings: 1, and drag the slider to the desired quanitity.
This recipe includes a kitchen timer. Click on the underlined time in the recipe to start the timer.
Handy Tip: Prepare Ahead!
Cut the bell pepper before starting to cook.
Dutch Oven Chili Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Heavy Pot or Dutch Oven
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Wooden Mixing Spoon
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Garlic Press
- 1 Paring knife or Peeling Knife
- 1 Set of Measuring spoons
- 1 Liquid Measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1 bell pepper red, yellow or green
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 2 lb extra lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp mild chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes or two 14.5 ounce cans
- 2 – 15.5 ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed or two 16 ounce, or 19 ounce cans
- 1 cup chicken broth
- shredded mozzarella cheese, for serving Regular or Lactose free
Instructions
- Cut the bell pepper into small cubes.
- Put the olive oil and onion powder in a large heavy pot or dutch oven. Turn the stove on to medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened and starting to brown.
- Add ground beef and cook, breaking up the clumps with a spatula, until brown and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
- Add garlic, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook stirring often for 1 minute.
- Add tomatoes, red kidney beans, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low.
- Cook, uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Ladle the chili into bowls and serve hot.
Notes
calculated by an online nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This is the most delicious beef chili I have ever tasted! The spices were just right – not too spicy, but definitely full of flavour. And this post has some great tips and tricks for making the perfect chili. The recipe was so easy to follow. I will be making it again for sure!
So happy to hear that you enjoyed the Beef Chili recipe. I’m glad that the recipe had some helpful tips, and that it was easy to follow. Thanks for sharing your experience – happy cooking!