You chilly? Eat some chili.
Ima just leave that cheesy pun there for a few minutes so you can enjoy it.
Has it been enjoyed? Good. Let’s continue.
Ummmm can you maybe ignore the fact that this is the second chili recipe I’ve posted within a few months? What can I say…I’m a fan of chili, and I love how creative you can get with it. Also, it’s the perfect cold weather food! It simmers on your stove top in your warm house when it’s frigid outside (talkin’ to you, Kansas…), and it’s slightly spicy, warm, hearty, and comforting – everything that cold weather food should be!
This chili is extra cool because it has en entire twelve ounce Guiness stout poured in with the meat and veggies that simmers down before we add the canned tomatoes. Chili loves flavors like cocoa and coffee, hence why a stout is SUPER perfect here. It cooks down with the chili over the hour that this simmers gently on your stove top, leaving you with rich, deep, complex flavor. Which we reinforce even more by stirring in a tablespoon of cocoa powder at the end.
Holllaaaaahhhhh – *pumps fist into air victoriously.*
Since I’ve made quite an embarrassing amount of chilis in my time, I have become relatively snobby when it comes to chili recipes. It bothers me when they are weak and lame. They have to be punchy and rich and ultra flavorful. Chili isn’t one of those recipes that has mild flavor. It has to be bold with strong elements of flavor – in this case we go the deep coffee/chocolate route.
If that sounds odd to you, just give it a try. These flavors pair wonderfully with chili! You don’t actually taste any coffee or cocoa, per se, but you get the background complexity that it brings. It makes you take a bite of chili and think, “Man, what is in here!?” Nahmean?
I’ve been really wanting to make this Stout Chili for several weeks now, but now that I get my groceries delivered (um, thank you, America), it has been more complicated. They obviously can’t bring me a beer with their delivery, and since Seth is deployed, I can’t exactly pop out to the beer store alone because I have Ford. And I definitely don’t want to breeze in there with Ford on my hip…
“Hello! I’ll take one Guiness, a nap, and a hot shower. Thanks!”
False.
So I had Ford’s nanny pick me up one from the beer store on her way over so that I could finally make this chili. Worth the wait!
This stuff gets better and better as it sits in the fridge (#leftovergamestrong). I just had a bowl for lunch today with some sour cream, cheese, and green onions, and then I sat on the floor and ate it next to Ford while we watched a Christmas movie (#Christmasgamestrong). My lunch was definitely tastier than his bottle of formula, half of which ended up on my leggings in the form of baby puke (#laundrygamestrong).
Anyyyyway, I hope you all have a WONDERFUL weekend!! Filled with chili, hopefully 😏.
This recipe is 3 Freestyle SmartPoints per serving!
PrintStout Chili

- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 9 servings 1x
Ingredients
for the chili
- 1 pound lean ground beef (I used 90% lean – 10% fat)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 12 oz stout beer (I used Guiness, but any stout will work)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons cumin
- 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
optional toppings include
- Cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Onions (green, red, or regular)
- Any other toppings your chili loving heart desires! (Like tortilla chips, Fritos, jalapenos, cilantro, etc…)
Instructions
- Heat your olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat
- When hot, add your ground beef, season it with salt and pepper, and cook until well browned
- When browned, add your onion, green pepper, and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies have softened
- Add your chili powder and cumin. Stir to combine
- Add your stout and stir to combine. Let this boil/simmer for a few minutes
- Add your crushed tomatoes and diced tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and reduce to a simmer, add the lid, and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally
- When the hour is up, add your beans and cocoa powder and stir to combine
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, topping each bowl with some extra chili goodies! (I recommend at least cheese, sour cream, and onions.)
Notes
This chili gets better and better as it sits in the fridge!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 235
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 466 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!
In the mood for more yummy chili recipes? Check these out:
It looks so tasty thank you for sharing this delicious recipe. I will definitely try it