Description

Hearty easy chili is great for game days, cold days, or any day. Full of flavor and ready to enjoy in as little as 45 minutes.

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 pound ground beef
1 pound sausage
1 seasoning packet Carroll Shelby’s Original Texas Chili Mix
2–3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2 cup water
1 small can (11.5 ounces) Spicy V-8 juice
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon beef bouillon
1 can (15-ounce) Light or Dark Kidney Beans
1 can (15-ounce) Pinto Beans
1 can (15-ounce) Black Beans
1 can (15-ounce) Small Red Beans
2 tablespoons ricotta or cream cheese
1 tall can (15-ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (15-ounce) fire-roasted tomatoes
Dash of Tabasco sauce or crushed red pepper flakes, if necessary
1 teaspoon cornmeal or masa to thicken, if necessary

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Instructions

Dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper Brown ground beef and sausage with onions.
In a large dutch oven pan add vegetable oil over medium-high heat and saute onion, celery and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until onions turn translucent.
Add ground beef and sausage and brown while breaking up into bite-sized pieces.
Stir in the chili seasoning mix until well combined. Add the minced garlic and continue stirring for 2 minutes more.
Turn heat down to medium-low and deglaze the pan with water and V-8 juice. Stir in the beef bouillon and cocoa powder.
Open, drain and rinse the cans of beans. Add the four cans of beans to the pan and stir to combine.
Mix in the ricotta or cream cheese. Add the tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Stir well to combine all the ingredients and mix in the cheese.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with cayenne pepper.
Add a 1/2 cup of water if needed. Let the chili simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Adjust the thickness with cornmeal.
Just before serving, taste and season with kosher salt and pepper. If more heat is desired, add a pinch of tabasco or crushed red peppers.
Serve warm with shredded cheese, diced green onions, sliced olives, sour cream, minced parsley or cilantro, and corn chips or tortilla chips.

Notes

Substitute fresh or canned Hatch green chiles for the bell peppers.

Add diced chorizo for an additional smoked taste with even more flavor.

Start the chili on the stovetop, then at step 5 transfer everything to a slow cooker heated on low and finish the meal in the slow cooker. Let simmer for 3-4 hours.

Easy chili tastes even better the next day so enjoy the leftovers. You can store the chili in the refrigerator for up to five days. Or transfer the easy chili to zip-close bags and freeze for up to three months.