Simple Beef & Kidney Bean Chili: The Parsley Thief

I have been searching for a really simple & delicious crockpot chili recipe for a long time now. Not something exotic, or gourmet. Just super basic.

This is the recipe I was looking for. And, with Super Bowl Sunday around the corner, I figured now would be a good time to post it. You can play with the spices as much as you'd like. I kept them pretty low key, as I was serving this to the whole family & I wanted everyone to enjoy it.

If you don't have a slow-cooker, you can cook the chili in a stockpot over low heat for 2 hours. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days {it tastes even better after sitting a day, or more}. It can also be frozen for up to a month.

Simple Beef & Kidney Bean Chili

Serves 8-10

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" chunks

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds ground beef

2 {15 ounce} cans red kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 {28 ounce} can fire roasted tomatoes

1 {28 ounce} can pureed tomatoes

kosher salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, oregano & cayenne pepper.  Saute until the vegetables begin to soften & brown {about 10 minutes}.  Add in the ground beef & cook until it is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks {about 5 minutes}.

Transfer the beef mixture to a slow cooker.  Add in the kidney beans, diced tomatoes & pureed tomatoes.  Stir & cook for 4 hours on high.

Season with kosher salt & pepper, if needed & serve with optional condiments...Such as, diced fresh tomatoes, diced avocado, sliced scallions, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, sour cream, Monterey jack, or cheddar cheese.  The chili is best made a day ahead & can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month.