Description
Wendy’s inspired chili brings hearty comfort to home cooking with ground beef, beans, and rich spices. Simmered slowly, this classic recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor that satisfies hungry diners seeking a warm, filling meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) ground beef
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 green bell pepper (diced)
- 3 celery stalks (diced)
- 2 cans (14.5 oz or 411 g each) diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1 can (15 oz or 425 g) tomato sauce
- 1 can (6 oz or 170 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (237 ml) water
- 1 can (15 oz or 425 g) kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can (15 oz or 425 g) pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 tbsps chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Meat Preparation: Sear ground beef in a capacious pot, methodically breaking it down until thoroughly browned, then meticulously drain excess fat to ensure a lean foundation.
- Vegetable Integration: Incorporate diced onions, bell peppers, and celery into the sizzling meat, sautéing until vegetables become translucent and release their aromatic profile, creating a flavor-rich base.
- Liquid Foundation: Cascade diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and water into the pot, stirring comprehensively to establish a harmonious liquid environment that will support the chili’s depth.
- Seasoning Fusion: Introduce kidney and pinto beans, then generously sprinkle chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper, ensuring an even distribution of these transformative spices throughout the mixture.
- Flavor Development: Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and allow the ingredients to meld and intensify for approximately 45 minutes, occasionally stirring to prevent scorching and promote uniform flavor integration.
- Final Refinement: Assess and adjust seasonings to personal preference, then serve steaming hot, optionally garnishing with sharp cheddar cheese, dollops of sour cream, or finely chopped green onions for added complexity.
Notes
- Meat Precision: Drain beef thoroughly to prevent greasy texture and ensure a clean, rich chili base.
- Vegetable Softening Strategy: Sauté onions, peppers, and celery until translucent to develop deeper flavor complexity and remove raw vegetable bite.
- Seasoning Balance: Start with smaller amounts of spices, gradually adding more to control heat and prevent overwhelming the dish’s delicate flavor profile.
- Slow Simmer Secret: Allow chili to cook low and slow, letting ingredients meld together, which enhances overall taste and tenderizes meat completely.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg