Hearty One-Pot Beef and Black Bean Chili with Hot Sauce Crema

This hearty beef and black bean chili comes together in a single pot in under an hour, making it the ultimate weeknight comfort food. A blend of Mexican and Southwest spices gives the chili deep, smoky flavor, while creamy black beans and tender ground beef create a satisfying texture.

Top each bowl with a drizzle of tangy hot sauce crema and a generous sprinkle of Monterey Jack cheese. For extra crunch, crumble a few tortilla chips on top just before serving.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

1 unit Yellow OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit JalapeñoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Mexican Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 ounce Tomato PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.76 ounce Crushed TomatoesView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Black BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Beef Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1.5 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Monterey Jack CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper, to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry produce. Halve, peel, and dice the onion. Thinly slice half the jalapeño into rounds; mince the remaining jalapeño. (Remove ribs and seeds for less heat.)
2. Heat a large drizzle of oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and minced jalapeño; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the ground beef, Mexican spice blend, Southwest spice blend, salt, and pepper to the pot. Cook, breaking up the meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until dark red and combined, 1-2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, black beans (with their liquid), beef stock concentrate, ¼ cup water, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream with hot sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
6. Divide the chili between bowls. Top with Monterey Jack cheese, a drizzle of hot sauce crema, and as many sliced jalapeño rounds as you like. (Ground beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°F.)

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use ground turkey instead of beef?

Yes, ground turkey works well as a substitute. Cook it the same way, but note that the flavor and richness may be slightly different.

How can I make this chili vegetarian?

Replace the ground beef with a plant-based crumble or extra beans, and use vegetable stock concentrate instead of beef. The spices will still give it great flavor.

Can I freeze this chili?

Absolutely. Let the chili cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat on the stovetop.