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Recipe for homemade buffalo chili that is a simple and delicious twist on an old fave that your family will love. Ready in only 15 minutes using traditionally prepared beans.
I am always thrilled when my husband arrives home from our local meat pickup with some ground bison meat.
Ground buffalo is a great alternative to grassfed ground beef with prices often significantly less per pound…at least where I live.
When this happens, the menu plan shifts from keto chili or white bean chili to our favorite buffalo version!
Ground buffalo is nothing short of sensational in chili. It gives it a slightly different taste from regular chili made with ground beef, pastured ground pork, or a blend of the two.
I make a lot of chili in our home as it is something that the entire family enjoys and which is suitable for quick meals in the convection or toaster oven (no microwaves please!).
The key to really good chili, besides quality meat, is full flavor, digestible beans.
You must soak beans overnight before cooking to ensure that they won’t cause any gas or discomfort. It also enhances the flavor…at least to my taste buds.
If this traditional cooking concept is new to you, learning how to soak legumes is an important step for improving digestibility and maximize nutrition.
As a bonus, the enhanced bioavailability of the nutrients makes you feel full with smaller portions too.
I keep large containers full of presoaked and precooked beans in the freezer so that a pot of amazing chili is only minutes away.
Alternatively, you can buy these glass jars of beans that have been traditionally prepared for convenient use right out of the pantry.
I prefer half white kidney beans (cannellini beans) and the rest red kidney beans for chili. The color variation adds visual appeal to the dish in my opinion.
Eating is not just about nutrition, after all. It is also about enjoyment, community, and family time well spent together at the dinner table.
*Sally Fallon Morell, President of the Weston A. Price Foundation really enjoyed this exact buffalo chili recipe when she came to dinner at my home.
Preparation Tips
The chili recipe below only takes about 15 minutes to make from start to finish. This assumes you have wisely soaked dried beans ahead of time for fast meals.
Do not use the water from the cooked beans as part of the chili or for any other dish as it contains potent anti-nutrients.
We like lots of beans in our chili, so feel free to reduce the amount in the recipe below if you prefer less.
If you are on a low carb or keto diet, use navy beans instead of kidney beans. This unusual legume is very low starch and even permitted on the GAPS diet protocol.
If you have any leftovers, this fast and easy chili and cheese dip with only 4 ingredients is a delicious one to try.
Love chili? Try this other variation on an old fave: fermented Sloppy Joe.
15 Minute Buffalo Chili
Recipe for homemade buffalo chili that is a simple and delicious twist on an old fave that your family will love. Made in only 15 minutes using traditionally prepared beans.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground buffalo meat
- 6 cups strained tomatoes preferably organic
- 2 cups soaked/cooked white kidney beans
- 2 cups soaked/cooked red kidney beans
- 1-3 Tbsp chili powder preferably organic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- sea salt to taste
- shredded cheese optional
- sour cream optional
Instructions
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Brown the buffalo meat in a large pot.
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When just browned, add strained tomatoes and soaked/cooked beans.
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Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes to evenly heat the dish and blend the flavors.
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Slowly stir in 1-3 tablespoons of chili powder, tasting as you go to ensure you achieve the right level of spiciness for your taste. For extra zing, add 2 teaspoons smoked paprika.
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Serve buffalo chili immediately with shredded cheese of choice and a dollop of sour cream on top if desired. Remember to always shred cheese yourself to avoid aluminum additives in commercial versions.
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Refrigerate leftovers in a glass bowl with a tight-fitting lid for up to 4 days.
Yes! I’ve been using more ground bison lately as I can get it very affordably here in the midwest. I am going to try this! Thank you 🙂
I’ve used ground buffalo in chili and meat loaf, but it was also considerably more expensive. Maybe because I chose organic and pasture-raised buffalo. It’s raised on pasture around here, but I’ve not read whether it’s always finished in stockyards…?
Thanks for all the tips Sarah!!!! =)
I like to make chili in a slow cooker so I don’t have my gas stove on with open flames for 8 hours. Can I soak black beans and kidney beans in their respective bowls and then cook them together in a slow cooker? If so should I wait to add the other ingredients at the end or can I out everything in all at once while the beans are cooking?
Thanks
I was wondering where you get your meat and dairy also. I don’t live in Tampa, but my parents do. Thanks.
where do you get your meat and dairy from? we live in dade city and are lookinf for a place, if you want ot email me it is [email protected] or private messafe me on FB please if you don’t want the info on here….thank you!