Easy Black Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans (drained)
• 1 (28 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (with juices)
• 1 (4 ounce) can mild green chilies (with juices)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 cup beef broth
• Salt & pepper (to taste)
• Toppings (optional, to taste): sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, scallions, Mexican cheese blend or cheddar, etc.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a soup pot/Dutch oven, add the oil and onion and sauté for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the ground beef and cook it until it's browned, breaking it up with your spoon as you go along. Spoon out some of the beef fat if there's a lot of excess, but don't worry about getting it all.

3. 3

   Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.

4. 4

   Add the beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies, red bell pepper, and beef broth. Give it a good stir.

5. 5

   Increase the heat and bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and cover with the lid slightly open. Simmer for 15 minutes or so, giving it the occasional stir. You can definitely simmer it longer, but I recommend at least 15 minutes.

6. 6

   Season with salt & pepper as needed. Serve and top bowls as desired.