Description
This Cowboy Cabbage And Bean Chili Skillet is a hearty and satisfying dish that combines savory beef, robust beans, and wilted cabbage in a rich, chili-spiced sauce. Perfect for weeknight meals, it offers a delicious taste of the old West with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 or 90/10)
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 colorful bell pepper (red, green, or orange), chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 head green cabbage, shredded into 1/2-inch strips
- 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste (optional)
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Brown sugar or maple syrup (optional, to taste)
- Shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt (for topping)
- Fresh cilantro (for topping)
- Sliced green onions (for topping)
Instructions
- Prep Your Veggies: Chop your onion and bell pepper into a medium dice. Mince your garlic. Shred your cabbage into roughly 1/2-inch strips. Rinse and drain your canned beans.
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add your ground beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook until it’s browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving a little for flavor.
- Sauté the Aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the beef. Cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Build the Chili Base: Sprinkle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper over the beef and vegetables. Stir well and cook for about 1 minute.
- Add Tomatoes, Beans, and Broth: Pour in the undrained diced tomatoes, tomato paste (if using), rinsed and drained beans, and beef broth. Stir everything together and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Simmer the Chili: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Once simmering, reduce heat to low, cover the skillet, and let it cook for at least 15-20 minutes.
- Add the Cabbage: Uncover the skillet and stir in the shredded cabbage, ensuring it’s submerged in the chili.
- Cook the Cabbage: Continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender to your liking. Adjust seasonings as needed.
- Serve Hot: Ladle the chili into bowls and garnish with toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, or fresh cilantro.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: For a vegetarian option, swap ground beef for plant-based crumbles or lentils. Adjust spice levels to your preference by adding more cayenne or hot sauce. Leftovers taste even better the next day!