Ingredients
12 ounce ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 green sweet pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 15-16 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
¾ cup beef broth
2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoon hot chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Toasted baguette slices (optional)
Sliced green onions (optional)
Instructions
In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic over medium heat until browned. Drain fat. Transfer meat mixture to a 3 1/2 to 4-quart slow cooker. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, cocoa powder, chili powder, cumin, and paprika.
Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Top with baguette slices and green onions, if desired.
Key Points About Ingredients:
- Unsweetened cocoa powder is the secret ingredient here — it adds a subtle earthiness and depth that rounds out the heat of the chili powder without making the dish taste like chocolate.
- Black beans are nutritional powerhouses, delivering plant-based protein, soluble fiber, and essential minerals like iron and magnesium that complement the beef perfectly.
- Smoked paprika brings a gentle wood-fire complexity to the chili, replacing the need for any liquid smoke or specialty ingredients while adding gorgeous color to the dish.
- Using a slow cooker on the low setting for 8–10 hours allows the spices to fully bloom and the flavors to meld together far more deeply than a quick stovetop chili ever could.
- Rinsing and draining canned black beans before adding them removes excess sodium and the starchy liquid, resulting in a cleaner-tasting, better-textured final dish.
Key Nutritional Insights:
- Each serving provides a solid balance of protein from both the ground beef and black beans, making this chili genuinely satisfying and muscle-friendly.
- Black beans contribute a significant dose of dietary fiber per serving, supporting digestive health and helping you feel fuller for longer after the meal.
- The combination of tomatoes and sweet pepper delivers a meaningful boost of vitamin C, which also helps your body absorb the iron present in the beef and beans more efficiently.
- Using lean ground beef and draining the fat after browning helps keep the saturated fat content in check without sacrificing any of the rich, meaty flavor.
- The cocoa powder adds trace amounts of magnesium and antioxidant flavonoids, giving this chili a small but noteworthy nutritional bonus beyond its bold flavor contribution.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size1
- Amount per serving
- Calories285
- Standard DV% Daily Value*
- Total Fat9 g72 g12.5%
- Saturated Fat3.2 g20 g16%
- Trans Fat0.3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat0.7 g
- Monounsaturated Fat3.8 g
- Cholesterol42 mg300 mg14%
- Sodium520 mg2300 mg22.61%
- Total Carbohydrate30 g275 g10.91%
- Dietary Fiber9 g28 g32.14%
- Total Sugars6 g
- Added Sugars0 g50 g0%
- Sugar Alcohal0 g
- Protein22 g50 g44%
- Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol)2 mcg20 mcg10%
- Calcium72 mg1300 mg5.54%
- Iron4.2 mg18 mg23.33%
- Potassium780 mg4700 mg16.6%
- Vitamin A620 mcg900 mcg68.89%
- Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)22 mg90 mg24.44%
- Vitamin E (Tocopherol)1.8 mg15 mg12%
- Vitamin K12 mcg120 mcg10%
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)0.18 mg1.2 mg15%
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)0.19 mg1.3 mg14.62%
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin)4.8 mg16 mg30%
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)0.42 mg1.7 mg24.71%
- Folate98 mcg400 mcg24.5%
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamine)1.4 mcg2.4 mcg58.33%
- Biotin4 mcg30 mcg13.33%
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)0.9 mg5 mg18%
- Choline72 mg550 mg13.09%
- Phosphorus280 mg1250 mg22.4%
- Iodine4 mcg150 mcg2.67%
- Magnesium72 mg420 mg17.14%
- Zinc4.1 mg11 mg37.27%
- Selenium18 mcg55 mcg32.73%
- Copper0.32 mg0.9 mg35.56%
- Manganese0.65 mg2.3 mg28.26%
- Chromium5 mcg35 mcg14.29%
- Molybdenum48 mcg45 mcg106.67%
- Chloride210 mg2300 mg9.13%
