Southwest Chili Recipe
You probably are aware that there are many types of chili, specific to various American regions including Cincinnati, Southwest, Chili Colorado, vegetarian chili, white chili, Chili Con Carde, etc. Each style of chili differs slightly from the rest. For example, Chili Colorado includes big hunks of steak instead of ground beef, while Cincinnati chili is typically made with ground cinnamon and served over spaghetti noodles.
Recipe developer and registered dietitian nutritionist Kristen Carli brings us this recipe for a Southwest chili. Carli, originally from Arizona herself, grew up on this style of chili, which is known for its inclusion of plenty of beans and of course, green chiles. Green chiles are key in a Southwestern chili recipe as they originate in the Southwestern state of New Mexico.
Serve this up on a chilly fall night or as an entree during the Sunday football game. Carli likes serving hers with shredded cheese and sour cream on top, but you can include any toppings you like including corn chips, avocado, cilantro, jalapeño, etc.
Gather your ingredients for Southwest chili
To make this Southwest chili, you can start by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe, you will need ground beef, salt, pepper, ground cumin, chili powder, diced white onion, diced red bell pepper, ranch beans, black beans, pinto beans in chili sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, diced green chiles, and water.
Brown the meat, then add spices, onion, and bell pepper
In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the ground beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook until the meat has browned, about 8 minutes. Then, season it up by adding salt, pepper, ground cumin, and chili powder. Then, add in the diced onions and bell peppers. Stir this mixture together well and continue to cook it until the onions are translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer
Next, you can add all of the beans. Add in the ranch beans, black beans, and pinto beans in chili sauce. No need to drain these cans — the liquid will help the texture of the chili.
Now, you can add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, and water. Stir the chili to make sure that all of the components are well combined. Bring this mixture to a boil, then lower it to a simmer. Continue to simmer the chili for at least 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Serve your Southwest chili with shredded cheese
Once the chili has had a chance to simmer, you're ready to serve it up. Carli opts to top her chili off with shredded cheese, but you could also add cilantro or sour cream. If you're looking for the perfect dish to warm you right up, you simply can't go wrong with this Southwest chili.
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can ranch beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans
- 1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans in chili sauce
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 cup water
- shredded cheese, for serving
- Brown the beef in a large stock pot.
- Add salt, pepper, ground cumin, chili powder, onion, and bell pepper. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add ranch beans, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, green chiles, and water. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Optionally garnish the chili with shredded cheese and serve.
Nutrition
| Calories per Serving | 479 |
| Total Fat | 17.0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 6.1 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.9 g |
| Cholesterol | 53.7 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 54.2 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 16.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 7.8 g |
| Sodium | 1,057.5 mg |
| Protein | 30.1 g |
