Make Your Own Chili Bar
Customizable chili bar with warm chili sauce, browned ground beef, separate bowls of beans, and a full spread of toppings.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Skillet
- Serving bowls
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef browned and drained
- 4 cans beans drained and rinsed, such as light kidney, dark kidney, pinto, and red beans
- 28 ounces tomato sauce
- 14.5 ounces stewed tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- salt and black pepper to taste
- shredded cheddar cheese for topping
- sour cream for topping
- diced onion, jalapenos, cilantro, lime wedges, oyster crackers, Fritos, hot sauce, or bacon optional toppings
Instructions
Instructions
- Add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, chicken broth, chili powder, and cumin to a large pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Brown the ground beef in a separate skillet, breaking it apart as it cooks. Drain well.
- Drain and rinse each variety of beans and place them into separate serving bowls.
- Prepare the toppings and place each one in a separate bowl with serving spoons.
- Arrange the chili bar with bowls first, followed by chili sauce, meat, beans, toppings, and napkins.
- Keep the chili sauce and beef warm throughout serving using slow cookers or warming trays if available.
Notes
Keeping the beans separate lets guests customize each bowl. The chili sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and reheated before serving. Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for beef. A slow cooker on warm works well for parties and long serving times.
