How to Make Chili Without Beans

Chili is very easy to make and can be eaten with a variety of sides, like cornbread, crackers, cheese or tortilla chips, for example. You can also use chili as a topping for hamburgers or hot dogs. Beans add bulk and some extra flavor to chili, but they are not a necessary ingredient. Chili made without beans can be just as hearty. With a few simple ingredients and about an hour's worth of preparation and cooking, you can have a beanless chili for dinner.

Things You'll Need

• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• Skillet
• Serving fork
• 4 qt. saucepan
• 1 (1 oz.) packet chili seasoning
• Liquid measuring cup
• Large spoon
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can whole or diced tomatoes
• Ladle

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir it with a serving fork (use a nylon fork if using a non-stick coated skillet) as it cooks to break up the meat into small chunks.

2. Turn the burner off. Scoop the contents of the skillet into a 4-qt. saucepan. If the beef is very greasy, you may wish to drain it first on paper towels.

3. Add the chili seasoning and 1/2 cup of water. Stir this, blending the chili seasoning with the meat. Leave the mixture uncovered and bring it to a light simmer.

4. Add the tomato sauce and one or two cans of whole or diced tomatoes. Do not use stewed tomatoes as they may impart an odd sweetness to the chili. Stir and bring the chili to a light boil, keeping it uncovered.

5. Reduce the heat until the chili is simmering. After 10 minutes, taste the chili. If the spices are too strong, add a small amount of water. Cook the chili, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes for best flavor.

Tips & Warnings

• Lean ground beef doesn't cook away like fattier ground beef. If you use higher fat ground beef, you may need more than a pound for this recipe. For chunky chili, chop up cooked steak and add to the pot. For extra spicy heat, add either a few jalapeños or a tablespoon (or more) of Tabasco sauce. For a fresher tomato taste, add some fresh, chopped tomatoes in the last 10 minutes of cooking.

• Stir the chili frequently--it tends to easily scorch on the bottom. Also, don't let it boil dry.