Bright colors and fresh flavors from bell peppers come together in a bowl full of hearty chili coziness that can be made in your slow cooker or on the stove top.
1medium onionchopped into ½-inch pieces, about 1 cup
28ouncescanned ranch-style pinto beans or chili beans do not drain
14ouncescanned black beans drained and rinsed
14ouncescanned tomato sauce
30ouncescanned diced tomatoes
¼cuptaco seasoning homemade or store-bought
3large bell pepperschopped into ½-inch pieces, about 4 cups
½cupfresh cilantrochopped small
2medium limesabout 2-4 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, adjust to taste
Optional Toppings
sour cream
shredded cheese
corn chips
green onionssliced thin
fresh cilantrochopped
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
Cook and crumble the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the skillet when the meat begins to brown.
While the meat is cooking, combine the ranch beans, black beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning in a large crock-pot. Add the beef and onions. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours or on LOW for 4-8 hours.
About an hour before you plan to serve this, add the bell peppers. Cook on LOW for 1 hour and then add the cilantro and lime. This will hold on the WARM setting for an additional 1-3 hours without any issues.
Stovetop Instructions
Cook and crumble the sausage in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the pot when the meat begins to brown.
When the onions are tender, add the beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and Mexican spices. Bring to a simmer until the peppers are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Scoop into bowls and garnish with the toppings of your choice.
Notes
I typically use red, orange, and yellow bell peppers for this recipe, however any variety of bell pepper will work nicely.