No Bean Chili is all about the meat: a pound of ground beef browned with onion, a thick paste of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, garlic and tomato paste cooked right into it, then simmered with beef stock and diced tomatoes until thick and rich. It serves 4 and is ready in about 40 minutes, with no beans in sight.
How to make it: Stir the spices, tomato paste and garlic into a paste. Brown the beef and onion, cook the paste into the meat for a minute, add the stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, salt and pepper, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, until thick. Pull out the bay leaf and top it the way you like.
Why You’ll Love It
- Meaty and thick: no beans, so every spoonful is beef in a rich, spicy sauce.
- 40 minutes: 10 minutes of prep and a 20-minute simmer.
- Deep flavor fast: the seasoning paste toasts right into the beef.
- Endlessly useful: eat it by the bowl or spoon it over hot dogs, fries or baked potatoes.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef: One pound of 93% lean. Don’t go too lean if you want a richer chili; a little more fat gives a silkier texture.
The seasoning paste: Two tablespoons of chili powder with a teaspoon each of ground cumin, smoked paprika and dried oregano, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, 3 ounces of tomato paste and 2 tablespoons of fresh minced garlic, mashed together with a fork.
Onion: One onion, about 6 ounces, chopped. It softens as the beef browns.
Beef stock: One cup. Beef stock or beef broth both work.
Diced tomatoes: One 15-ounce can, no salt added, with the juice. Fire-roasted tomatoes add a little smokiness.
Bay leaf, salt and pepper: One bay leaf, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt divided, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped (about 6 ounces)
- 1 pound 93% lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup beef stock
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes, no salt added, undrained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make No Bean Chili
1. Make the seasoning paste. In a small bowl, mix the cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, tomato paste and garlic with a fork into a thick paste.
2. Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, beef and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, breaking up the meat, about 7 minutes, until the onion is soft, the beef is browned and it reaches 160°F.
3. Cook the paste. Scrape in the seasoning paste and cook, stirring it into the beef and onion, 1 minute more.
4. Add the liquid. Add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, the remaining salt and the pepper, lightly mashing the tomatoes as you stir. Bring to a boil.
5. Simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove the bay leaf and serve with your favorite toppings.
What Chili Without Beans Is Called, and How to Thicken It
Chili with no beans has a name: Texas chili, also called Texas Red or chili con carne. It’s a meat-forward chili built on bold spices like chili powder, cumin and oregano, and in Texas the official answer to “does chili have beans?” is no. Traditional Texas chili often skips the tomatoes too; this recipe keeps a can of diced tomatoes for body and a little sweetness from the tomato paste.
Without beans to soak up liquid, the thickness has to come from somewhere else. There are three easy ways:
| Method | How |
|---|---|
| Simmer uncovered | Leave the lid off for the 20-minute simmer so the liquid cooks down |
| Tomato paste | Stir in another tablespoon of tomato paste |
| Cornmeal | Stir in 1 tablespoon of medium-grind cornmeal and simmer 5 minutes more |
Toast the paste. Mixing the spices with the tomato paste and garlic first, then cooking the paste into the beef for a minute before the liquid goes in, gives the chili a deep, long-simmered flavor in half an hour.
Mash the tomatoes. Lightly crushing the diced tomatoes as you stir them in helps them melt into the sauce, so the chili is thick and smooth rather than chunky.
It gets better overnight. Like all chili, leftovers thicken and the flavors meld as it sits.
Tips for Success
How do I make it milder or spicier?
For mild chili, use less chili powder and leave out the cayenne. For more heat, add more cayenne, or stir in pickled jalapeños and a few splashes of hot sauce.
Can I use a different meat?
Yes. Ground pork works just as well, and so does ground turkey or chicken; with poultry, dark meat stays juicier. Cook ground poultry to 165°F.
Can I make it in an Instant Pot?
Yes. Brown the beef and onion on the sauté setting, stir in the paste and liquids, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with a quick release.
Variations
- Texas-style, no tomatoes: brown 1 pound of lean ground beef with half an onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, add garlic, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon oregano and 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, then 1 cup of beef broth. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes, stir in 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and simmer 5 minutes more. It makes three one-cup servings.
- Big, spicy batch: use 2 pounds of ground beef with three 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes, a 15-ounce can of tomato sauce, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and 1 1/4 cups of beef broth, seasoned with chili powder, cumin, pickled jalapeños, hot sauce, cayenne and red pepper flakes.
- Thick chili for chili dogs: brown 2 pounds of ground beef, drain, then stir in 1/4 cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, 1/2 cup beef broth and a 12-ounce can of tomato paste and simmer on low.
- Beans after all: for a bean-eater at the table, stir a can of beans into their portion with a splash of broth.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate chili within 2 hours: divide a big batch into smaller, shallow containers so it cools quickly. Eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it for 3 to 4 months. Freezer bags laid flat save space. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stove until it comes to a rolling boil, as FSIS advises for soups and chili.
What to Serve With It
Top bowls with shredded cheddar, sour cream, diced red onion and sliced scallions, and serve with cornbread, easy creamy corn casserole or cheddar biscuit bites. For chili with beans, try Wendy’s-style chili, and for more hearty bowls, quick and easy taco soup, 8-can chicken taco soup and slow cooker steak soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is chili without beans called?
Texas chili, also known as Texas Red or chili con carne: a meat-forward chili that traditionally has no beans.
What thickens chili without beans?
Simmering it uncovered, an extra tablespoon of tomato paste, or a tablespoon of medium-grind cornmeal simmered for 5 minutes.
What goes in no bean chili?
Ground beef, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, beef stock and a bay leaf.
Can I freeze no bean chili?
Yes. Cool it, freeze it in freezer bags or containers for 3 to 4 months, and thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
How long does it keep in the refrigerator?
3 to 4 days, covered. Reheat it to a rolling boil.
Final Notes
Make a double batch; the leftovers are even thicker and better the next day. If you make it, tell me in the comments which toppings you piled on.
No Bean Chili
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Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons garlic fresh, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped, about 6 ounces
- 1 pound ground beef 93% lean
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 cup beef stock
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes no salt added, undrained
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the cumin, paprika, oregano, chili powder, cayenne, tomato paste and garlic with a fork into a thick paste.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, beef and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, breaking up the meat, about 7 minutes, until the onion is soft, the beef is browned and it reaches 160°F.
- Scrape in the seasoning paste and cook, stirring it into the beef and onion, 1 minute more.
- Add the beef stock, tomatoes, bay leaf, the remaining salt and the pepper, lightly mashing the tomatoes as you stir. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove the bay leaf and serve with your favorite toppings.
