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Weeknight Cheesy Beef Skillet Chili is great for those nights when dinner has to be on the table quick!
With Labor Day over, kiddos are back to school and the weather is finally cooling off; and also, chili season is here in full force! Chili is one of those staple fall and winter meals in my house that gets made probably once a month or so because it’s so easy to whip up and always goes over well at dinner.
I make a lot of different kinds of chili (even one with chocolate and espresso and one with a Spanish flair), but this one is pretty basic (and kid-friendly!) and comes together fast enough to make it doable on a weeknight. You can easily adjust the spice level by adding more or less of the spice mix, and to make serving fun you could set up a toppings bar with things like chopped tomatoes, sliced scallion, sliced avocado, black olives, etc.
This dish is naturally gluten-free, and to keep it lactose-free I melted GO VEGGIE Lactose and Soy Free Cheddar Shreds down into the chili. Each serving of these shreds has 5 grams of protein, 55% less fat and 25% more calcium than regular cheese, and is free of cholesterol, lactose, and gluten.
This meal is hearty and filling in itself, but if you have some extra time and want to whip up something to serve along with it, my Creamed Corn Cornbread Muffins would be perfect!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lb (455 g) grass-fed ground beef (I use 85-90% lean)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 medium-large green bell pepper, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced or crushed
- 1 (14.5 oz/411 g) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 (6 oz/170 g) can tomato paste
- 1½ cups (355 ml) water or low-sodium beef or vegetable stock
- 4 teaspoons no-salt-added taco spice blend (see Note)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (15.5 oz/439 g) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ bag GO VEGGIE Lactose and Soy Free Cheddar Shreds
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over high heat. Add the beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook (uncovered) until the meat is browned and the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water or stock, taco spice blend, salt, black pepper, and black beans, and bring up to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer (uncovered) 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat down to low, sprinkle the cheddar shreds on top, and cover the skillet. Cook until the shreds are melted, about 3 minutes (do not stir).
- Serve with the parsley or cilantro sprinkled on top.
Disclosure: I received the GO VEGGIE products that I used in this recipe for free, and I also received compensation for this post. I am happy for the opportunity to share brands that I believe in with my readers, and I hope you enjoy my recipe. As always, opinions stated are my own.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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Made this tonight and it wonderfully flavorful! Stuck to the original recipe. Will be making this again soon. Thanks for the recipe!
Supriya Kutty, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thanks so much for letting me know! :)
Hi Faith…this looks delicious and it will be something i’ll try in the coming cooler months.
Glad I showed up to your blog when I did for the bonus taco seasoning recipe. ;) Sounds amazing…
I love dishes like this – hearty and simple to assemble mid-week. Perfect too as it’s starting to feel like fall…
This was a great pot of chili, and perfect fall-food. I had it bubbling away within an hour of receiving your newsletter. I especially love that it calls for no-salt-added canned products and very little added salt, as that’s the way I always cook. We really enjoyed this with quesadillas and pumpkin beer. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe. I’ll be making it often.
By the way, your homemade taco spice blend sounds fantastic. May I know the measurements of the spices you use? Store bought taco spice mix without salt is nowhere to be found here.
Same, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this chili, thanks so much for letting me know! :) Sounds like the perfect meal with quesadillas and pumpkin beer.
I honestly never measure the spices for my homemade taco spice blend, but here are the approximate amounts I use for a small batch: 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder, 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder, 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon cumin, 2 teaspoons coriander, 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or you can use cayenne pepper instead of crushed red pepper flakes (and feel free to adjust any of the amounts to suit your personal preferences). Hope you enjoy the spice mix if you make it!