Ingredients:

  • 1 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp low-sodium taco seasoning
  • 10 oz diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 15 oz black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 15 oz kidney beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup frozen or canned corn
  • 4 oz diced green chilies

Instructions:

  1. Place a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and diced yellow onion.
  2. Cook the beef and onion, breaking the meat into uniform crumbles with a wooden spoon, until the beef reaches a deep, caramelized brown (Maillard reaction).
  3. Add the minced garlic and taco seasoning directly to the meat mixture. Stir for 1 minute to bloom the spices and release volatile aromatic oils.
  4. Stir in the diced tomatoes with green chilies, beef broth, black beans, kidney beans, corn, and additional green chilies.
  5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. This allows the natural starches from the beans to create a velvety mouthfeel and thicken the broth.