Dutch Oven Chili

5 from 1 vote

This Dutch Oven Chili is a perfect and hearty stew that's guaranteed to become a family favorite. It's the best comfort food for soup and football season!

Prep Time20

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 50

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 566kcal

Author: Briana

Equipment

1 dutch oven

Ingredients

Chili

2 pounds ground beef
1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
2 small onions, diced
10 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups beef stock
28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 can)
14.5 ounces diced tomatoes (1 can)
15.5 ounces pinto beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
15.5 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons kosher salt (add slowly and to taste)

Seasonings

1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 whole bay leaves

Instructions

Over medium heat, add olive oil, bell peppers, jalapenos, and onions to a large dutch oven with a good pinch of salt. Cook until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the seasonings and fresh garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring often to ensure the garlic doesn't burn.
Add ground beef and add most of the salt, reserving some for later. Using a spoon, break the beef into large chunks and brown it completely. This will take roughly 5-7 minutes.
Add crushed and diced tomatoes, along with Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and beef stock. Stir and cover. Simmer for 2 hours, minimum, stirring every 30 minutes.
After simmering for at least 1 hour, add the beans with more salt and seasonings to taste. Simmer for 2-3 minutes uncovered to warm through and stir to combine.
Serve in bowls with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Adjust your spice level by increasing or decreasing red pepper flakes, cayenne, and/or chili powder amounts.
Ground beef can be replaced with any ground meat of choice.
Kidney and pinto beans can be substituted with beans of choice.
Don't simmer beans for too long or they will lose their structure and turn mushy.
Simmering for more than 2 hours will deepen the flavor.
This recipe can made vegetarian by swapping the beef stock for vegetable broth, swapping meat for meatless crumbles and adding more beans in place of the meat.

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