This is a ground beef chili built around two kinds of beans — black and cannellini — plus chipotle peppers in adobo, corn, beer, and a small hit of Marmite. It runs spicy and smoky, with a thick, hearty body that holds up well the next day. It’s worth making when you want a one-pot meal that feeds a crowd without much fuss.
Before you start
The single technique that matters most here is browning the ground beef properly before anything else goes in. Work in a hot, dry pan and don’t stir constantly — let the meat sit long enough to develop color on the bottom. That browning adds a savory depth that simmering alone won’t create. The second thing worth doing is adding your dry spices directly to the beef while it’s still in the pan, before the liquid goes in. Thirty seconds of heat blooms the spices and sharpens their flavor noticeably. Both steps take under five minutes total and make a real difference in the finished chili.
About the ingredients
- Chipotle peppers in adobo: These are the hardest ingredient to source. If you can’t find them, use 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika plus a few dashes of hot sauce — you lose some of the deep smokiness but keep the heat. When you do find a can, freeze the leftovers in a small zip-lock bag; they keep for months.
- Cannellini beans: Great Northern beans or navy beans are a direct swap. Both are mild and creamy and behave the same way in the pot.
- Marmite: A half-teaspoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce does the same job — adding background umami without tasting like anything specific.
- Beer: Any lager or amber ale works. Non-alcoholic beer is a perfectly good substitute. If you’d rather skip it entirely, use the same volume of beef stock.
- Corn: Frozen corn goes straight in from the bag. Canned corn, drained, works just as well.
Common problems and fixes
- Chili tastes flat even after seasoning: Add a small squeeze of lime juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar right before serving. Acid lifts the whole pot and is often the missing piece when spiced dishes taste dull.
- Too thin after simmering: Remove the lid and let it cook uncovered for 10–15 more minutes. Alternatively, mash a handful of the beans against the side of the pot with a spoon — the starch thickens the liquid quickly without changing the flavor.
- Too spicy to serve: Stir in a spoonful of sour cream or a small amount of tomato paste directly into the pot, not just as a topping. Both cut heat without watering down the chili.
- Ground beef clumping into large chunks: Break it up with a wooden spoon or potato masher as soon as it hits the pan, before it firms up. Once it’s fully cooked in large pieces it’s difficult to break down evenly.
- Beans going mushy: Add canned beans in the last 20–25 minutes of cooking rather than at the start. Long simmering breaks them down and you lose the textural contrast between the two bean types.
Make-ahead notes
This chili keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a sealed container — the flavor genuinely improves overnight as the spices settle in. For longer storage, freeze it in portions for up to 3 months; leave out any sour cream topping before freezing. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a small splash of water or stock if it has thickened too much. Skip the garnish on portions you’re planning to freeze — not worth the extra dish.
Spicy Chili With Black and Cannellini Beans
Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (minced beef)
15 ounces cannellini beans
15 ounces black beans
6 ounces corn - half a frozen package
½ medium white onion
4 cloves garlic - minced
28 ounces tomato - crushed- 7 ½ ounces Chipotle peppers - in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon mixed spice
- ½ teaspoon marmite
2 cups beer - depending on how long you simmer
Instructions
- Simmer the beef/pork in a frying pan, season the meat with the spice mixture. Saute the onions and garlic in a little bit of olive oil in the stockpot.
- Drain the fat off the meat and add it to the stockpot. Add the crushed tomatoes, two cans of beans, corn and marmite.
- Slice the chipotle peppers in adobo, then add to the chili. Add as much of the sauce in the can; it will add more spice to the chili. If you plan on a long simmer or want a thinner chili, add two beers to the chili. If not, just add one. The beer will add more body to the chili, and the alcohol will cook off. Cook over low heat until you get the thickness you like.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I make this chili without beer?
Yes — replace the beer with an equal amount of beef stock. The chili will be slightly less complex but still very good, and the difference is small enough that most people won’t notice.
How do I know when the ground beef is fully cooked?
Ground beef is safe to eat at an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). Visually, it should show no pink and the juices should run clear — but a meat thermometer is the reliable check if you’re unsure.
Can I use dried beans instead of canned?
You can, but cook them fully before adding them to the chili. Dried beans added raw to an acidic, tomato-based pot won’t soften properly no matter how long you simmer them.
Is there a way to make this vegetarian?
Leave out the ground beef and double the total amount of beans, or add a can of lentils. Use vegetable stock in place of beef stock and check that your beer is vegan-friendly if that matters.
My chipotle peppers in adobo came in a large can — what do I do with the rest?
Freeze them flat in a small zip-lock bag or in an ice cube tray, then transfer the frozen cubes to a bag for storage. They keep for up to 6 months and you can break off exactly as much as you need for future batches.
Try these next
- Spicy Beef Stuffed Peppers
- Hearty Beef Kale Soup
- Ecuadorian Beef Seco Simplified
- Hearty Criollo Beef Locro
