Hearty Chili Bowl Base (Printable)

Hearty chili with beef, beans, and corn served over fluffy rice. Customize with your favorite toppings for a satisfying meal.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chili Base

01 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
06 - 1 pound ground beef
07 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
08 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes
09 - 1 can (15 ounces) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
10 - 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
11 - 1 cup corn kernels
12 - 1 tablespoon chili powder
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
14 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
18 - 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
19 - 1 cup beef or vegetable broth

→ Serving

20 - 2 cups cooked rice or grains

→ Toppings

21 - Shredded cheddar cheese
22 - Sour cream or Greek yogurt
23 - Sliced green onions
24 - Chopped cilantro
25 - Diced avocado
26 - Jalapeño slices
27 - Lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and diced bell peppers. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until peppers begin to soften.
03 - Add ground beef to the pot and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, allowing it to caramelize slightly and intensify in flavor.
05 - Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, corn kernels, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
06 - Pour in broth and bring mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and consistency reaches desired thickness.
07 - While chili simmers, prepare rice or grains according to package instructions.
08 - Spoon prepared grains into serving bowls and ladle chili over the top. Add desired toppings and serve immediately.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour but tastes like you've been simmering it all day.
  • The base is forgiving enough for experiments—swap proteins, add more beans, dial the heat up or down without guilt.
  • Toppings make everyone at your table feel like they're in control of their own perfect bowl.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing your canned beans—that starchy liquid is what causes digestive discomfort, and it takes thirty seconds to fix.
  • If your chili ends up too thick at the end, add a splash more broth rather than cooking it down further, since simmering concentrates flavors and can push spices into harsh territory.
  • The spices taste different in the first hour than they do the next day—this is one of those rare dishes that actually gets noticeably better after sitting in the fridge overnight.
03 -
  • Bloom your spices in the hot oil for a minute before adding liquid—it unlocks their full flavor potential rather than having them taste muted and flat.
  • If you're feeding vegetarians and meat-eaters, cook the chili base entirely without meat, then brown ground beef separately and stir it into just your portion before serving.
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