Here’s a hearty, budget-friendly Pinto Bean Chili—packed with flavor and perfect for a filling meal.
🌶️ Pinto Bean Chili
🧾 Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked pinto beans (or 1 can, drained)
- 300–500g ground beef (optional; skip for vegetarian)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1–2 cups broth or water
- 1 tbsp oil
🌶️ Spices
- 1 tsp salt (adjust)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1–2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Cook the base
- Heat oil in a pot
- Sauté onion + garlic until soft
2. Add meat (optional)
- Add ground beef
- Cook until browned
3. Build flavor
- Add tomato sauce + tomato paste
- Stir in all spices
- Cook for 2–3 minutes
4. Add beans
- Add pinto beans and broth
- Stir well
5. Simmer
- Cover and cook on low for 25–30 minutes
- Stir occasionally
- Add water if it gets too thick
6. Taste & finish
- Adjust salt and spice
- Optional: squeeze a little lemon for brightness
🌿 Optional add-ins
- Green chilies (for heat)
- Capsicum (bell pepper)
- Corn
- Fresh coriander
😋 Serving ideas
- With rice
- With roti or naan
- Topped with yogurt or shredded cheese
💡 Tips
- Let it sit 10–15 minutes after cooking—flavor gets better
- Use smoked paprika for deeper taste
- For thicker chili, mash some beans
If you want, I can give you a slow-cooker version or a spicy desi-style chili with stronger masala flavors.
