Hidden Bean Chili

Don’t like beans in your chili but still want the nutrition? This hidden bean chili recipe cleverly hides them while creating a thicker, creamier chili.

How to Make Hidden Bean Chili

First, melt the butter in your pot over medium-low heat. Add your onions, peppers, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.

Next, add your ground beef in with your veggies and cook until it is browned.

Now you can add the seasonings and brown sugar to your pot. Stir to combine and let it cook for a few minutes.

At this point, add the beef broth to your pot and use it to deglaze the pot. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of your pot. These browned bits add excellent flavor to your chili!

Slowly add your masa harina, stirring constantly.

Stir in the tomato paste. Turn the heat down to low.

Now for the “hidden bean” part of this recipe. I use black beans in my chili but you can use whatever beans you have or enjoy. Pour those into a blender or food processor.

If you are using crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, you don’t need to do anything with that. However, if you are using whole-peeled tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, etc. and you DO NOT want chunky tomatoes in your chili, add you tomatoes into your blender or food processor with your beans.

Pulse a few times, until the beans are broken up. I do not completely puree them but if you’re hiding beans from especially picky eaters, you can.

Stir your bean/tomato mixture into your pot of chili.

Do you like the consistency of your chili? If it’s too thick, add a little more broth or water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer and cook down until desired consistency is reached.

Hidden Bean Chili

Don't like beans in your chili but still want the nutrition? This recipe cleverly hides the beans while creating a thicker, creamier chili.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 people

Equipment

  • 1 stock pot
  • 1 blender or food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs ground beef
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 onions chopped
  • 2 bell peppers chopped
  • 2 jalapenos optional
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup masa harina
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can black beans
  • bay leaves

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in your pot over medium-low heat. Add your onions, peppers, and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and garlic is fragrant.
  • Add the ground beef to your pot and brown it.
  • Add the seasonings and brown sugar to your pot. Stir to combine and let it cook for a few minutes.
  • Add the beef broth to your pot and use it to deglaze the pot. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of your pot.
  • Slowly add your masa harina, stirring constantly.
  • Stir in the tomato paste. Turn the heat down to low.
  • In a blender or food processor add your beans and tomatoes (SEE NOTE).
  • Pulse until desired consistency is reached. I do not puree them completely but you can.
  • Stir in your bean/tomato mixture to your pot of chili.
  • Do you like the consistency of your chili? If it's too thick, add a little more broth or water. If it's too thin, let it simmer and cook down until desired consistency is reached.

Notes

If you use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce, you won’t need to blend it with your beans. 
Keyword chili, dinner, dinner recipe, fall dinner inspiration, fall recipe, healthy dinner

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