Baking with Olivia and Caroline

Three Bean & Beef Chili

By Published On: February 3rd, 2025

You can spice up this Valentine’s Day and make this for your sweetie pie, or join others in celebrating National Chili Day, which is February 27. Honestly, we didn’t know that there was a National Chili Day, but how awesome it is that it exists and now you’ve got a great recipe to share! 

Please don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients. The only thing that is time consuming is chopping your veggies! I enjoyed watching Caroline chop everything. I must admit, her chopping skills are on point!

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
1 large red pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup carrots, peeled and finely chopped (about three large carrots)
1 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs chili powder (or more to taste)
2 tsps paprika
1-2 tbs cumin (or more to taste)
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbs oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1½ cups vegetable or beef broth (we use Better Than Bouillon)
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 4 oz can chopped green chiles
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 bay leaves
1 15.5 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can red kidney beans drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can northern beans drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot, brown the ground beef with the onion, carrots, and peppers. Drain any excess fat, add tomato paste and garlic, and cook for another minute or two. Add chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, and onion powder. Stir until incorporated. Add the broth, diced and crushed tomatoes, green chiles, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, add the beans, and simmer uncovered for a minimum of one hour (the longer it cooks, the more the flavors marry). As the chili simmers, adjust the spices to your personal taste. Be sure to remove the bay leaves before serving. 

When Caroline and I made this together, we added a serrano pepper as well. If you like your chili to pack some heat, this is a great way to do it. I’m a wimp when it comes to spicy food. Caroline, on the other hand, enjoys heat in hers. I sweat enough being in my 50s and dealing with hot flashes, so adding unnecessary heat and sweating while enjoying a meal isn’t my cup of tea (or chili)! 

Alternative and additional ingredients

Liquid smoke and carrots are ingredients Caroline learned to add to beef-less chili from her many years of as a vegetarian. Liquid smoke gives an easy depth of flavor, and carrots add some extra nutrition. We opted to keep the carrots as there’s no harm in adding extra veggies to your food! We also use red peppers in this recipe instead of green, which is what most chili recipes call for. 

The carrots and red pepper add sweetness without having to add sugar. You might think it’s strange to see carrots in chili, but once they’re cooked with everything, you’ll never know they’re there. Also, you might have noticed that we chose to use vegetable broth instead of beef. You can use either or even both. If we had to choose between the two, the veggie broth is just more flavorful. Better than Bouillon is our go-to brand, and they have it in a multitude of flavors. We never use any other stock unless we’re making our own. It is like a magic shot of umami! It’s very easy to use – just mix it with hot water!

Serve it up!

You can serve your chili with a side of cornbread and/or tortilla chips or top it with any combination of sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and sliced or pickled jalapeño. 

This recipe makes a good amount of chili. If you don’t eat it all, you can use the leftovers to make chili nachos or fries, chili hot dogs, chili baked (sweet) potatoes, or chili stuffed peppers. 

Tip: Sometimes you get a really angry jalapeño. If your chili is too spicy, you can add a dollop (or two) of sour cream, yogurt, or heavy cream right to the pot. The casein protein in dairy binds to the capsaicin that causes the heat from peppers, effectively neutralizing it. 

As always, enjoy! •

Olivia and Caroline are enthusiastic foodies and bakers who are constantly in the kitchen, as well as explorers who create their own adventures in our area – and did we mention they are mother and daughter? Follow Olivia on Instagram to see her many creations at @oliviawvalentine.