Get ready to meet your new favorite comfort food! This Meatball and Black Bean Chili is the ultimate cozy meal that’s both incredibly satisfying and easy to make. We’re taking juicy, browned beef meatballs and simmering them in a rich, smoky chili base packed with black beans, sweet peppers, and fire roasted tomatoes. It’s a hearty, all in one pot wonder that’s perfect for a busy weeknight, a game day gathering, or stocking your freezer for future easy dinners. Grab a spoon and get ready to dig in!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy & Impressive: Using pre made meatballs makes this chili come together in a flash, but it tastes like you simmered it for hours.
- Deep, Smoky Flavor: Smoked paprika and cumin create an authentic, warming chili flavor that’s absolutely irresistible.
- Meal Prep Champion: This chili freezes beautifully, making it a lifesaver for future busy nights.
- Crowd Pleasing: It’s a guaranteed hit for family dinners and the perfect dish to feed a hungry crowd.
Ingredients for Meatball & Black Bean Chili
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 pre-cooked beef meatballs (about 1 lb)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers (any color), sliced
- ½ large bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 heaping tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 (15 oz) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions for Making Meatball & Black Bean Chili
1Brown the Meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, for about 5-7 minutes until they are browned on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove them to a plate and set aside.
2Sauté the Veggies & Spices: In the same pot, add the sliced onion and bell peppers. Season with a pinch of salt and cook for about 7 minutes, until they have softened and started to caramelize.
While the veggies cook, separate your cilantro leaves from the stalks. Finely chop the stalks.
Add the chopped cilantro stalks, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and cumin to the pot. Stir and cook for just one minute until incredibly fragrant.
3Simmer the Chili: Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, and add the drained black beans and brown sugar. Stir everything together, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Bring the chili to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Carefully return the browned meatballs to the pot, nestling them into the sauce.
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the meatballs to heat through completely.
4Serve and Enjoy! While the chili simmers, roughly chop the reserved cilantro leaves.
Taste the chili and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot over a bed of fluffy white rice or with your favorite cornbread, and garnish generously with the fresh cilantro leaves.
Hearty Meatball & Black Bean Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 pre cooked beef meatballs about 1 lb
- 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
- 2 bell peppers sliced
- ½ large bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 heaping tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 15 oz cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown meatballs for 5-7 mins. Remove and set aside.
- Add onion and peppers to the pot with a pinch of salt. Cook for 7 mins until softened.
- Chop cilantro, separating stalks from leaves. Add stalks, garlic, paprika, and cumin to the pot. Cook for 1 minute.
- Add brown sugar, diced tomatoes, and black beans. Bring to a simmer.
- Season with salt and pepper. Return meatballs to the pot. Cover and simmer for 15 mins.
- Serve over rice, garnished with fresh cilantro leaves.
