With this Gluten-Free Chili you can use your own natural chili spices and avoid unhealthy packaged seasonings or broths – giving you the most delicious and flavorful chili of them all.
Did you know gluten-free eaters are pretty smart? Through their choices, they often get to eat more flavorful and delicious foods than people who might dine otherwise. It’s kind of like that trick some people use to get really hot McDonald’s french fries by going “no salt.” They know that they not only prepare them a new, hot batch of fries, they even wipe out the fry bin so that their new fries aren’t tainted by that salt. Then you ask them for salt packets (wink).
Gluten-free eaters are actually smart in that by avoiding spice mixtures and store-bought foods containing gluten, they’re avoiding a world full of unhealthy preservatives and prepared foods that are actually devoid of flavor under all that MSG and various glutinous ingredients. So goodbye gluten but hello fresh flavors! And this Gluten-Free Chili is just one example. Instead of any old chili spice seasoning packet that might have been sitting on various shelves for a year, your chili will sparkle with the flavors of single-sourced spices that fill your meal with ultra-delicious, deep flavors that come from those fresher spices.
Where Gluten Can Sneak Into Chili
If you have celiac disease or simply want to eat gluten-free, you want to know for certain that you’re putting gluten-free everything in whatever dishes you’re making. Gluten can be sneaky. Seasonings, broths, and bases are going to be the worst culprits that might sneak gluten into your chili, even if you think you’re using a GF broth or base. Some broths claiming to be gluten-free actually are not. One way to know is to check ingredients for “yeast extract” (which is often made from barley).
To err on the side of caution, use straight kidney beans from a gluten-free manufacturer you trust and simply add your own trusted seasonings to season your chili. You can also make your own bone broth and freeze it until needed or use an organic broth you trust (Pacific brand are said to be pretty reliable) with no ingredients listed on them like wheat, yeast extract, or Triticum vulgare – a Latin term used to disguise the presence of wheat and wheat derivatives.
How to Make Ahead and Store?
Chili is a very forgiving freezer meal. I know from personal experience, it both refrigerates and freezes very well. You can refrigerate leftovers up to 7 days and freeze them for 3 months. So make a double-batch and keep them in freezer-safe containers or bags so you can always have a fail-safe GF meal on hand.
Serving Suggestions
What doesn’t go great with chili? I love chili like this with my Jalapeño Skillet Cornbread and this Mexican Coleslaw, which my guests love me to pair with this because they can scoop a bit of chili and coleslaw on top of that cornbread and take a big bite of those yummy contrasting flavors all together. Then, follow that with something cold, creamy and delicious like my Easy Ice Cream Sandwich Cake, which kids and adults alike love because who doesn’t love a cake made out of Oreos, ice cream sandwiches, whipped cream, and candied sprinkles?
Gluten-Free Chili
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 can 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 15 ounces kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
- Add diced onion and minced garlic, sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef to the pot and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes to release the flavors.
- Mix in black beans, kidney beans, and crushed tomatoes. Pour in beef broth and stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot.
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