Free recipe · freezer dinner
Beef & bean chili
Make it on Sunday, freeze it flat in one bag, heat it on a busy night. Beef and bean chili for 4, keeps 2 to 3 months frozen.
serves 4Sunday 35 minon the night 15 minkeeps 2–3 months frozen
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, thawed
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 packet chili seasoning
To serve: 1 cup shredded cheddar on top
From the pantry: 1 tbsp oil
On Sunday
- Brown the beef with the onion in the oil in a pot, 6–8 minutes, until no pink remains (160°F). Drain the fat.
- Stir in the chili seasoning, beans, tomatoes with their juice and 1 cup of water. Simmer 15 minutes.
- Cool it in a shallow dish and get it into the fridge within 2 hours.
- Spoon it into a gallon freezer bag, press out the air, seal, and freeze it lying flat. Label it.
On the night
- The night before, move the bag to the fridge to thaw.
- Heat the chili in a pot, stirring, until it bubbles and reaches 165°F.
- Serve with cheddar on top.
Why flat?A flat bag freezes fast, stacks like a book and thaws overnight in the fridge.
Freezer and thaw
Freeze at 0°F or colder. It keeps its best quality for 2–3 months (soups and stews); food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe indefinitely. Thaw in the fridge overnight, never on the counter, and heat cooked food to 165°F.
Sources: FoodSafety.gov Cold Food Storage Chart and Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures; USDA FSIS «The Big Thaw». Checked Oct 28, 2026.
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