Black Bean Corn Chili Lime (Printable Version)

Flavorful black beans and corn combined with spices, finished with tangy lime crema for a vibrant main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 large onion, diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped

→ Beans and Corn

06 - 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
07 - 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
08 - 1.5 cups frozen or canned corn, drained
09 - 1 cup vegetable broth

→ Spices

10 - 2 tablespoons chili powder
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
13 - 0.5 teaspoon dried oregano
14 - 0.5 teaspoon salt
15 - 0.25 teaspoon black pepper

→ Lime Crema

16 - 0.5 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
17 - Zest of 1 lime
18 - 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
19 - Pinch of salt

→ Garnishes

20 - Chopped fresh cilantro
21 - Sliced avocado
22 - Sliced green onions

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, diced bell pepper, and jalapeño. Cook for an additional 3 minutes until vegetables are fragrant and tender.
03 - Add drained black beans, diced tomatoes with juices, corn, and vegetable broth to the pot.
04 - Sprinkle in chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
06 - While chili simmers, combine sour cream or Greek yogurt with lime zest, fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Mix until smooth.
07 - Taste chili and adjust salt, pepper, or spices as needed.
08 - Ladle chili into bowls and top each serving with a dollop of lime crema and optional garnishes of cilantro, avocado, and green onions.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means weeknight dinner without the stress of chopping for days.
  • The lime crema transforms something ordinary into something people ask you to make again and again.
  • Black beans and corn together feel more substantial than you'd expect, so it satisfies even the meat eaters at the table.
02 -
  • Rinsing your canned beans isn't optional; it removes the sodium and starch that can make your chili cloudy and one-dimensional.
  • Don't skip the lime crema thinking it's a fancy afterthought; it's the reason people say yes when you offer to cook for them again.
03 -
  • If your chili tastes flat even after seasoning, add a teaspoon of acid in the form of lime juice or vinegar; the brightness will suddenly make everything else taste like itself again.
  • Keep a small bowl of extra lime crema on the table so people can swirl in as much as they want; some will double it, and that's exactly when you know you've made something worth remembering.
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