Easy Steak Chili Recipe (2024)

Easy Steak Chili Recipe (1)

Jessica Randhawa

4.89 from 18 votes


Last Updated | 1 Comment


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Cozy and comforting, this Easy Steak Chili Recipe comes filled with black beans, sweet bell pepper, and the juiciest, most tender bits of steak. Serve with your favorite toppings, and enjoy with the whole family for an easy, delicious, filling meal that’s perfect any night of the week!

Easy Steak Chili Recipe (2)

Steak Chili

Chili!

But this isn’t just any chili, you guys. Skip the ground beef and surprise your family with this irresistibly delicious chili recipe made with tender bites of steak, black beans, hints of BBQ sauce,traditional pasta sauce, and topped with crumbled Nacho Cheese Doritos. A fun change from classic beef chili, this steak chili recipe is just as easy and delicious as the classic.

Ingredients in Steak Chili

  • olive oil
  • butter
  • steak
  • onions
  • garlic
  • bell pepper
  • tomato paste
  • dried Italian seasoning
  • chili powder
  • cumin
  • pasta sauce
  • canned tomatoes
  • beef stock
  • BBQ sauce
  • black beans
  • cannellini
Easy Steak Chili Recipe (3)
Easy Steak Chili Recipe (4)

How to make Steak Chili

Making a big pot of this steak chili is super easy! The most tedious part of the whole recipe is cutting the steak into small pieces, but I did this on purpose as I wanted small, tender pieces of meat rather than large chunks.

  1. Prepare your ingredients. Starting with the steak, remove any tough pieces and cut the remaining meat into small, uniform-sized bits. Transfer the steak to a bowl. On a clean cutting board, mince the onion, garlic, and bell peppers. Set those aside.
  2. Brown the meat. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, add the olive oil and butter. Once hot, add the steak to the pot and cook, stirring often until brown on all sides. The steakdoesn’t need to be fully cooked, however, given that the meat is chopped so small; it really only needs a few minutes to be browned on all sides.
  3. Cook the vegetables. Once the meat is browned, add the onions, garlic, and bell peppers to the pot. Mix well to combine with the steak, and cook all together for approximately 6-8 minutes.
  4. Add the tomato paste and seasoning, mixing well. Cook for one minute before stirring in the pasta sauce, chopped tomatoes, and beef stock. Bring to a low boil, cover, and simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Add the BBQ sauce, black beans, and cannellini beans. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes before seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or BBQ sauce to taste.

Easy Steak Chili Recipe (5)

Steak Chili Toppings

The best thing about this steak chili is that it doesn’t reallyneed any additional toppings. Whereas some soups and stews need toppings to help bring out or tie together the flavors, this steak chili recipe is fantastic as is. This makes it especially awesome because without any additional toppings, it is completely dairy-free and gluten-free (this may vary depending on the type of BBQ sauce and pasta sauce used, so be sure to check the label).

It is alsoincredibly high in protein and fiberthanks to all that delicious meat and beans.

If you love toppings, however, you’re not alone! Here are a few of my top picks:

  • Doritos Nacho Cheese
  • Sliced avocado
  • Shredded mozzarella cheese
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • Chopped cilantro or green onions

Easy Steak Chili Recipe (6)

RECIPE CARD

Easy Steak Chili Recipe (7)

Easy Steak Chili Recipe

4.89 from 18 votes

AuthorAuthor: Easy Steak Chili Recipe (8)Jessica Randhawa

Cozy and comforting, this Easy Steak Chili Recipe comes filled with black beans, sweet bell pepper, and the juiciest, tender bits of steak.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 564 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 3 pounds top sirloin steak - Trimmed of excess fat and diced into small pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 medium yellow onions - diced
  • 6 cloves garlic - minced
  • 2 red bell pepper - seeded and diced
  • 3 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 cup traditional pasta sauce
  • 1 (28 ounce) can chopped tomatoes - (plus juice)
  • 4 cups beef stock - plus more as needed
  • 2 tablespoon BBQ sauce
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans - drained
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans - drained
  • Fresh chopped cilantro - to garnish
  • Crushed Doritos Nachos Cheese - for serving

Instructions

  • Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter, swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the steak, seasoning well with salt and pepper. Cook until steak is browned on all sides, approximately 2-3 minutes.

  • Add the onions and mix well to combine. Cook the onion until just starting to soften, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and bell pepper. Stir to combine and continue to cook over medium heat for an additional 3-4 minutes.

  • Over medium heat stir in the tomato paste, Italian seasoning, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high and add the pasta sauce, chopped tomatoes, and beef stock. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, for approximately 20-30 minutes.

  • Remove the lid and add the BBQ sauce, black beans, and cannellini beans. Mix well to combine. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes before seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or BBQ sauce, to taste. Serve with your favorite garnishes includingDoritos Nachos Cheese, shredded mozzarella, chopped cilantro, and green onion. Enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 63g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 138mg | Sodium: 1195mg | Potassium: 2064mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1745IU | Vitamin C: 58.9mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 5.4mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword steak chili

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Easy Steak Chili Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep meat tender in chili? ›

To keep the meat moist and tender, we treated it with salt and baking soda. Both ingredients helped the meat hold on to moisture, so it stayed juicy and didn't shed liquid during cooking, which would water down the chili. We also simmered the meat for 90 minutes to fully tenderize it.

What is the secret to really good chili? ›

Elevate with Extra Flavor

Elevate your chili recipe by adding an extra layer of flavor. Cocoa powder, bacon, cinnamon, ground coffee and tomato paste will all add a rich sweet & salty flavors that are sure to surprise and delight.

What is the best meat to put in chili? ›

The best meat for chili depends on the type you're making, but professionals generally use a combination of ground chuck, brisket, short ribs, or diced tri-tip sirloin mixed with bacon and sausage to layer multiple textures and flavors.

What kind of steak is good for chili? ›

Most chili lovers will tell you that this is the ideal cut of meat for stew and chili. Chuck is initially a very tough cut of beef, but when you consider the fact chuck is highly marbled, it turns out this is perfect for the low-and-slow way to cook the perfect Texas chili.

What secret ingredient will deepen the flavor of your chili? ›

Stir some puréed pumpkin into your chili just after sautéing your aromatics (onions, garlic, etc...) and before adding any liquid. This will deepen and sweeten its flavor, making it a great balance for all the chile peppers and heat.

Why do people put baking soda in their chili? ›

According to the magazine's food experimenters, the baking soda treatment will definitely keep the meat tender and juicy when cooked.

What is the most important spice in chili? ›

Most Common Chili Spices. Cumin, Chile Powders, and Paprika are the most common spices in chili followed by garlic, onion, coriander, Mexican oregano, and bay leaves. These ingredients can be combined to create a savory and well-balanced pot of top notch comfort food.

What is the best liquid for chili? ›

Chili cooks low and slow, so you need enough liquid to tenderize the meat and keep everything from drying out. That liquid should also add flavor to the chili, so use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or beer.

How to deepen chili flavor? ›

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

What are the best onions for chili? ›

Sweet Onion

Sweet onions are great for caramelizing due to their higher sugar content. You can cook them into your chili, serve them raw over top, or even elevate your chili with a sophisticated caramelized onion topping! Some of my favorite sweet onions are Walla, Walla, Maui, and Vidalia Onions.

What kind of meat does Wendy's use in their chili? ›

What Is In the Wendy's Chili? Made with our delicious beef, a hearty helping of vegetables and (of course) chili beans, this is a tried-and-true classic. What makes it so classic, you ask?

Should I drain beans for chili? ›

However, canned beans are soaked in a canning liquid that can throw off your dish's seasoning and texture, so it's best to drain and rinse your beans before pouring them into your pot of chili. Canning liquid can also water down and dilute the flavors of your chili.

What is a Texas chili? ›

What primarily distinguishes Texas chili from other chili recipes you might find is a lack of beans, but it also doesn't feature any tomatoes. It is, largely, a ground beef dish that's seasoned with a spicy chili paste made of dried peppers.

How do you thicken steak chili? ›

Mix in a scoop of cornstarch, all-purpose flour, or oats.

For 1 tablespoon of flour, use 2 tablespoons of water. No slurry is required for the absorbent oats; simply stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons. In all cases, allow the chili to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more, and you should notice it thicken up.

Is ground chuck or sirloin better for chili? ›

When making chili, former Southern Living Test Kitchen Director, Robby Melvin, recommends using a mix of ground chuck and ground sirloin. "It's the best of both worlds," he says. "You get a balanced lean-to-fat ratio from the chuck and the hearty, beefy leanness from the sirloin."

How do you make meat super tender? ›

8 simple tips to make meat softer
  1. Utilize the meat tenderizer. A quick and easy method is the use of the meat tenderizer. ...
  2. Cover the meat with coarse salt. ...
  3. Acid marinade. ...
  4. Marinade with fruit puree. ...
  5. Slow cooking in a pan. ...
  6. Grilling. ...
  7. Add the coarse salt halfway through cooking. ...
  8. Use baking soda.

Why is my chili meat tough? ›

To make the meat in your chili extra tender, consider using slower cooking methods. Slow-cooking the chili on low heat for an extended period allows the meat to break down and become tender.

Why would you add baking soda to ground beef? ›

According to America's Test Kitchen, mixing raw ground beef with a little baking soda changes its pH, which in turn makes it harder for its proteins to form a bond as the meat cooks. Without the help of baking soda, proteins in meat are attracted to one another and squeeze out juices as the meat cooks.

How do you make meat fall apart tender? ›

To cook it until it's so tender it falls apart, you'll need to choose a joint like chuck and blade or beef brisket and either braise, slow roast or slow cook it for at least a couple of hours.

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