Gluten Free Homemade Chili

This Homemade Chili is inspired by the chili my mom made when I was growing up. It simmered on the stove all afternoon and the aroma filled the kitchen by the time I got home from school. It's naturally gluten free, endlessly adaptable, and one of the best recipes for anyone just learning their way around the kitchen.

Chili is super easy to make and once you've made it a few times, you don't need a recipe. Use this recipe as a guide and adjust it to create your own favourite chili. I serve it with warm buttermilk biscuits or gluten free cornbread.

Ingredients

This is cooking! There are both substitutions and variations so it can be made different anytime you want. It's also a versatile recipe that can be served up in different ways so portion it into the amounts you will use after you've enjoyed your first bowl.

•  Cooking oil - Even this is optional if your meat has enough fat.

• Ground beef - Fat is flavour so I'm not looking for lean or extra lean ground beef, but any one of them will make fabulous chili.

• Onion, celery & green or red pepper - These three are almost essential in for me.

• Mushrooms - I always used fresh mushrooms (my mom used canned ) but over the years I most often wind up with no mushrooms in my fridge and they get omitted.

• Kidney beans - No need to rinse them unless you're concerned about gas from eating beans.

• Beans in tomato sauce - For the least amount of additives and preservatives, avoid all the different seasoned options. If you want maple syrup flavoured beans, pour in a spoonful of maple syrup from your fridge. You get the idea.

• Diced tomatoes - A staple in my pantry. They should be unseasoned but being diced skips the need to cut, or squish, whole canned tomatoes.

• Chili powder & cumin - North American chili powder is mild and a full 3 tablespoons gives this the taste without any heat at all.

• Curry powder - Optional but an addition I made recommended by my first roommate.

• Toppings - Cheese, sour cream or yogurt & green onion.

See recipe card for complete ingredient list and exact amounts.

Substitutions

On day one of cooking gluten free you start learning that many things you thought should be gluten free, aren't. It's a steep learning curve so read ingredient labels, even of foods with a gluten free certification, and know what you're eating.

Ground beef - Ground chicken, pork or even tofu crumbles are all fine in this recipe.

Beans - The can of beans in tomato sauce is important for the overall taste. Substitute the kidney beans with any beans you like or have on hand.

Seasoning - My advice is always season your own food. Worcestershire sauce is more easily found these days but when I started gluten free cooking I just made my own. Here is my homemade gluten free Worcestershire sauce recipe if that is a staple in your kitchen and you like to use it to season your chili.

Spices - Add any spices you think should be in a bowl of chili, but DO NOT substitute hot chili powder. You can add some heat with other types of chili powder but not 3 tablespoons.

Variations

Let me count the ways! I love chili, it freezes well and can be served in many different ways. Here are a few.

• Spooned over a baked potato with your choice of toppings.

• Toppings: Almost anything but the kitchen sink. Adjust the amounts as you go.
  • Chopped lettuce, green onion or chives, cilantro
  • Chopped tomatoes or salsa
  • Sour cream or plain yogurt
  • Homemade chipotle mayo, no comparison to the fast food version you may have tried.
  • Chopped avocado and tomato, sliced black olives
  • Cheddar, Monterey Jack or your favourite cheese
  • Mexican melting cheese such as Queso Oaxaca

• Taco style served in a homemade corn tortilla with your favourite toppings.

• Chili quesadilla - Fill two tortillas with cheese and chili, cooked in a frying pan.

• Nachos - Served on top of a plate of tortilla chips with melted cheese and all the toppings you like on your nachos.

• Nacho Salad - For a slightly healthier version I do this one of two ways. Either build your nachos on top of a bowl of lettuce or, top the nachos with a generous amount of salad fixins (after you melted the cheese). 

• Southwestern Variation - Replace kidney beans with black beans, add a cup of frozen corn and some chipotle chile powder or chipotle chilies in adobo sauce.

Storage

Like all saucy dishes, chili freezes well. Put some thought into how you want to eat it and portion in different sizes for those uses. Label the container so you'll remember how you want to use it. Such as 'Chili for nacho salad.'