Make Ahead

The Absolute Best Chili Recipe

by:
December 31, 2024
5
1 Ratings
The Absolute Best Chili Recipe
Photo by Kathryn Waters
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 30 minutes
  • Serves 2 to 4
Author Notes

Once you make The Absolute Best Chili Recipe, it will be on your regular menu rotation throughout the winter and by request. Rich and a little spicy, with an essence of an authentic Mexican mole, there is so much complexity and comfort in this bowl of chili. Double the recipe, or more, to share the love with a dinner party crowd.

If you are vegetarian, skip the ground beef and add a can of kidney beans, as you like, or two cups of cauliflower rice. Also, if you prepare ahead of time, homemade beans are best (1 ½ cups cooked beans = 15 ounce can) but organic canned beans are delicious too.

Garnish each bowl of chili with your favorite toppings: grated cheddar or gruyere, chopped raw white onion or green onion, sliced jalapeno, chopped cilantro, parsley, or spinach, sliced avocado, and/or grass fed sour cream. Serve with a side of fresh cornbread.

Superbowl is coming! —Kathryn Waters

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons Kosterina Olive Oil
  • 1 red onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound grass fed ground beef
  • 1 carrot, diced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 15 ounces black beans, partially drained
  • 15 ounces diced tomatoes, fire roasted if possible
  • 1/2 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee
  • 1/4 teaspoon ceylon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 roasted chipotle pepper, or canned in adobo
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/2 cup fresh orange or tangerine juice, plus more as needed
  • 1 ounce dark or bitter baking chocolate
Directions
  1. In a stock pot over medium heat, saute onion in the olive oil for 7 minutes.
  2. Add the garlic and ground beef and cook until the beef is browned, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces.
  3. Add the carrot, celery, red bell pepper, beans, and tomatoes. Cook until the carrots are soft, about 7 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to low. Add the spices, chipotle chili, and orange zest. Pour in just enough orange juice to thin the chili to desired consistency. Toss in the chocolate, cover with the lid and simmer until the chocolate melts and the flavors blend, about 15 minutes.
  5. The chili can be kept warm on the stove over the lowest heat setting. Stir occasionally, scraping the bottom of the pot, to keep any bits from sticking. Add a little more orange juice if the chili gets too thick.
  6. Ladle into big soup bowls, garnish each bowl with your favorite toppings, and serve with a side of fresh cornbread.
  7. Enjoy! With love from my kitchen to yours.
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