Perfect Hearty Chili Recipe

Some people associate Summer with Chili. I associate it with Fall. With fall at or doorstep, I thought I'd share this chili recipe with you.

I love chili. I don't often make it, but when I do, it's an event! The following is a very hearty chili recipe. The tomatoes and sweet peppers give the initial flavor a certain sweetness which is readily followed by a spicy hotness. 

My friend says that it's the "perfect" amount of "spicy". If you like spicy foods, eat it alone. If you need to tone down the amount of spice, eat it with saltines or sweet corn bread. Or throw a dollop of sour cream into the chili. It is easily balanced. That works out in my household. The youngest children can tame the "hot" while the adults can enjoy the spicy aspect. Perfect! 

This recipe can be made with or without meat (we have vegetarians in our household) and I will include both versions below. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef, browned and2(15.5 ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
2 (15.5 ounce) cans pinto beans, drained
2 (15oz) cans crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
6 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 1/4 teaspoons hot pepper sauce

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until they start to become soft. Add the green peppers, red peppers, garlic (and tofu if using vegetarian alternative below). Cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
2. Pour the beans into a pot and set to Low. Stir in the vegetables and tomatoes. Add ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, oregano, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Stir and reduce heat low; simmer, covered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

(Options: I use an electric skillet instead of a pot, cover and cook at 200°F for about 20 minutes. Then leave on warm until we're ready to eat. Another option is to cook for 6 hours on low in a crock pot.) 

Vegetarian Alternative:
Substitute the ground beef with1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, drained and cubed.

Printable Recipe

What makes a chili "just right" for you?