Cheesy Chorizo Chilli

This Cheesy Chorizo Chilli is made with ground beef, kindey beans, and spicy chorizo along with lots of goeey fresh mozzarella cheese. It's a bit unusual but still totally awesome.

At one of my recent witchcraft circles, I had the most beautiful conversation with someone about embracing weirdness. In our adolesence, fitting in can seem like the most important thing in the world. Being accepted by our peers seems like a matter of life or death, but if we're lucky, we eventually grow out of it.

These days, uniqueness and authenticity is one of my strongest values. The weirder I am, the better I feel. It's not like I'm intentionally trying to freak people out. I'm just embracing who I am and not letting how that compares to what others expect be a factor in the way I choose to behave or present myself. If I'm putting out good energy and someone else doesn't like it, that's fine by me. Being different is pretty awesome.

What makes Cheesy Chorizo Chilli so awesome?

This Cheesy Chorizo Chilli is definitely a bit different. It's got some of the usual suspects like ground beef, tomatoes, chilli powder, and kidney beans, but there's also spicy chorizo,cocoa powder, and dried oregano. But for sure the most unique thing about this recipe is the fresh mozzarella.

Chunks of cheese get stirred into the pot before serving so it can gently melt into the chilli. It provides a creamy contrast and a chewy texture. When combined with the meat, tender beans, and crunchy tortilla chips, it's a beautiful mix of textures and flavors. This is a warming bowl of goodness that's just a touch spicy and totally irresistible.

Magical Properties of Paprika

Paprika is one of the prime ingredients in chorizo and the spice that gives it its characteristic red color. With its bright hue and slight heat, it's tied to the element of fire and ruled by the Sun. Use paprika to increase your personal energy or to enhance the energy of other materials in your spell. (Source The Kitchen Witch's Guide to Healing & Self-Care by Maggie Haseman)

For more on the magical properties of the ingredients in this recipe, be sure to check the Kitchen Magick page.

Inredients

Here's everything you'll need to make this chilli. All the details are in the recipe card below.

• Chorizo - pre-cooked, Spanish chorizo
• Ground beef - go for something lean here
• Cocoa powder
• Chilli powder
• Dried oregano
• Tomato paste
• Chopped tomatoes - from a can
• Worcestershire sauce
• Kidney beans - also from a can
• Mozzarella - fresh mozzarella, the kind packed in water
• Salt and pepper
• Toppings - tortilla chips, sour cream, fresh cilantro

Tips for making Cheesy Chorizo Chilli

This is a pretty straightforward procedure. We're cooking a bunch of stuff together in a big pot, layering flavors as we go. Start by cooking the chorizo so that it releases its lovely orange oil. This will flavor the whole pot. Next you'll brown your ground beef, then layer in your spices and herbs. Finally, dump in the tomatoes and beans and let it all simmer together and get to know each other for about 20 minutes.

When you're chilli is happy, taste for seasonings and adjust if needed. Then turn the heat off and stir in the mozzarella cheese. It will melt and get all gooey and stringy and delicious. I like to serve this with plenty of crushed tortilla chips for added texture and another hit of salt.

conclusion

Looking for more awesome chilli recipes? Try this Gnocchi Chilli or some Black Bean Chilli with Bacon.

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Recipe slightly adapted from Nigella Lawson.