With just the right amount of spice, a hot bowl of this chili will warm you right up on a cold winter day. Serve with a side of Chili Lime Cornbread for an added burst of flavor.
About the Recipe
What Are the Different Types of Chili?
Believe it or not, chili can be as contentious of a topic in the US as pasta sauce in Italy. Regionally and culturally speaking, everyone has their own idea of what great chili should look and taste like. The broad term “chili” means chili con carne—a dish with a base of red meat in a chili pepper-based sauce that’s usually flavored some more with cumin.
If you’ve ever been to a chili cook-off, you know it’s typically separated out into categories like Traditional Red Chili (aka Texas Red) and Chile Verde. Texas boasts the most unique type of chili because it does not have any beans or tomato-based ingredients in it. Think of Texas chili as a thicker, beef stew with lots of chili spice. Cincinnati chili is usually served on spaghetti and topped with shredded cheddar.
Chile Verde is known for not using cumin, and instead relies on fresh green chili peppers, which tint the color of the dish. White chili can be recognized by its use of shredded chicken or turkey and use of white beans.
Three Bean Chili falls under the category of Homestyle Chili, which can sometimes be vegetarian. Don’t worry, you won’t be asked to pass a test on types of chili! Just use your tastebuds to find your favorite ingredients.
What Kind of Beans Go Best in Chili?
As mentioned above, white beans are usually only used in white chili. If chili only incorporates one kind of bean in it, kidney beans are a popular pick of their heartiness and ability to maintain their form and texture under the heat required to make chili. They also hold spices well. The other most popular chili beans are pinto and black. Even though kidney beans play well with chili components, pinto beans are often the same beans that come in the canned chili beans you see at the grocery store.
About This Three Bean Chili Recipe
We use a combination of pinto, kidney, and black beans for this recipe. While these are popular choices for three-bean chili, you can swap in any type of beans you love. Chili powder is used to add just a bit of heat to this dish, but if you like things spicy you can toss in a few green chiles to really warm things up. If you aren’t a fan of ground beef, feel free to substitute ground turkey or ground chicken.
How To Make Three Bean Chili
Ingredients & Prep Time
prep time: 25 min • cook time: 2 hrs • servings: 6-8 pers
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. Epicurean Butter Chili Lime Flavored Butter
- 1 lb. ground beef, chicken, or turkey
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 stalks celery chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 (32 oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
- 4 cups beef or chicken stock
- 2 Tbsp. chili powder
- 1 ½ Tbsp. cumin
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- ½ tsp. oregano
- 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
- juice from ½ lime
- for garnish: shredded cheddar cheese, lime wedges, sour cream, corn chips
Instructions
- Heat olive oil and Epicurean Butter Chili Lime Flavored Butter in a large stockpot.
- Add ground beef, onion, garlic, celery and peppers and sauté until veggies are tender and meat is browned, about 10 minutes.
- Add chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and oregano and cook for another minute.
- Add tomatoes and their juice and beef stock and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 ½-2 hours.
- Add the three kinds of beans and cook for another 30 minutes. Add lime juice and adjust salt and pepper.
- Serve with shredded cheddar, lime wedges, sour cream and corn chips.
