Rich and meaty, my chili cheesesteak stew is a cross between a cheesesteak sandwich and a hearty bowl of chili, sure to warm the belly and stick to the ribs. Brimming with thinly-sliced beef sirloin, lots of warming spices, black beans and red kidney beans, plus a gooey topping of pepper jack cheese, this chili cheesesteak stew recipe is total comfort food in a bowl!
A Bowl of Complete Coziness
Rich, warming stews in the chilly months are a total and utter comfort, especially when they're hearty and stick to the ribs.
I typically keep a zesty chili on rotation at our house (you can check out our favorite sweet potato chili if you'd like), preparing this about every six weeks or so. With some yummy chips on the side as well as diced avocado, it's hard to beat!
But sometimes we're craving a chili that's a little bit more decadent, sort of a cross between a cheesesteak sandwich and a classic bowl of chili, inspired by another fun and popular recipe on the site, my Philly cheesesteak stew...
Enter my chili cheesesteak stew recipe, brimming with loads of thinly-sliced or shaved beef sirloin, plus black and red kidney beans, lots of smoky spices, chipotle peppers, diced green chilis, all topped with ooey-gooey lid of pepper jack cheese.
I even love to serve it with toasted, buttery bread wedges on the side, to create that classic cheesesteak sandwich vibe!
My Chili Cheesesteak Stew Recipe
When I make my classic chili, I typically use organic, lean ground beef.
But because I'm going in the direction of a cheesesteak, using tender, thinly-shave or sliced sirloin is the perfect way to go.
Sirloin steak is quick cooking, so one doesn't need to sear it in the pot for longer than just several minutes to keep it nice and tender. (Ribeye could also be used, and this is an absolutely delicious but more expensive cut.)
And because we enjoy beans in our chili (my apologies for this sacrilege if you're a Texan!), I used a combination of black beans and red kidney beans for more color and texture.
There's a little spicy kick from the tangy, diced green chilis and the minced chipotle pepper in adobo, plus some earthy depth comes from the tomato base, the onions, the garlic and the smoky spices.
But the yummy little twist?
Instead of simply sprinklin' over some cheese as an afterthought (and dousing a bowl heavily with sour cream), I've decided to skip the sour cream and to broil some pepper jack cheese over top of this chili cheesesteak stew to create a bit of a golden, ooey-gooey lid.
It's so delicious to plunge a nice wedge of a rustic, toasted baguette through!
Here's a sneak peek at my chili cheesesteak stew recipe: (or just jump to the full recipe...)
- To get started, I season and sear my thinly-shaved or sliced sirloin in my soup pot for a few moments, then remove it for a moment.
- Next, I add in my aromatics and peppers/spices, followed by my beans and some stock, and allow that to simmer for about 15 minutes.
- Then, with the heat off, I add back to the pot my seared sirloin.
- Next, I ladle the chili cheesesteak stew into oven-safe bowls, top with pepper jack cheese, and broil until melted and gooey.
- I serve with sliced green onion on top and with toasted baguette, or bread, for dipping.
Recipe
Chili Cheesesteak Stew
by Ingrid Beer
This rich, meaty chili cheesesteak stew is brimming with spices, chilis and beans, then topped with broiled, gooey pepper jack cheese!
Category: Soup
Cuisine: American
Yield: Serves 4
Nutrition Info: 772 calories per serving
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 pound thinly shaved beef sirloin
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Olive or avocado oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilis
- 1 chipotle pepper, minced
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the can of chipotle peppers)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 6 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15.5 ounce) can organic red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups beef stock (I use Better Than Bouillon organic brand)
- 1 cup pepper jack cheese, grated
- 2 green onions or scallions, thinly sliced
- Warm, crusty bread to serve on the side, optional
- Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
- Combine the shaved steak with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, plus the flour, and toss to coat.
- Place a medium size (roughly 4 quart) soup pot over medium heat, and drizzle in about 2 tablespoons of oil. Once the pot is hot, add in the steak and allow it sear for a couple of minutes on that first side, then stir to allow it to sear on the other sides becoming slightly browned, for about 3-4 minutes total. Remove the steak with a slotted spoon and set aside for a moment.
- Add another couple of tablespoons of oil into the pot (if necessary), and add in the diced onion. Saute the onion for several minutes, stirring it and scraping up all those tasty browned bits that were left behind from the steak.
- Next, add in the diced green chilis and the mined chipotle pepper with adobo sauce, and stir to combine.
- Add in the chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, dried oregano, and garlic, and stir until these become aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add in the tomato paste, cook for about 30 seconds, stirring to incorporate, then add in the beans.
- Finally, add in the beef stock, bring to a rapid simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. Turn the heat off, and then add the seared beef back into the pot and stir.
- To serve, ladle the chili cheesesteak stew into oven-safe bowls and top each with ¼ cup of cheese. Place under the broiler for a moment to melt the cheese, then sprinkle with the green onion and enjoy with crusty bread, if desired.
Tips & Tidbits for Chili Cheesesteak Stew recipe:
- Thinly shaved beef steak: Trader Joe's has packaged, thinly shaved beef steak or sirloin, which is what one would typically find in a traditional cheesesteak sandwich. However, if you can't find it already shaved, then just use a pound of sirloin steak, and while raw, slice it super thin, shaving it into small enough slices that you can comfortably eat it.
- Say cheese: I like the spicy creaminess of pepper jack cheese and grate it right off the block for use in this recipe. But use your preferred cheese such as cheddar or regular jack cheese, or even provolone (however this will have a stronger flavor), just make sure it is a nice, soft, meltable cheese.
- Ladle it into a bread bowl as an alternative: For extra comfort, you can always ladle this chili cheesesteak stew into small bread bowls, and then they'll really taste like the sandwich!
- Good quality canned beans: I like to use both black beans and red kidney beans in this stew for texture and color, but feel free to use only one kind, or even substitute pinto beans.
Craving more zesty and cozy recipes? Check out this pork Chili Verde, this White Chicken Chili, these Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Chili Cheese, these Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, this Chicken Cheese Steak, or this Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup!
Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2018, and has been updated with even more love!
Albert Bevia
This stew is like comfort food at its best! so many yummy flavors and oh so cheesy!!! great recipe 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Hey Albert! Thanks!
Jessica Robinson
Sounds like the best comfort stew ever! Cannot wait to try this amazing creation!
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jessica, thanks! It’s super rich & comforting, indeed.
Lisa
We made this last night and my husband loved it. Thank you for the amazing recipe!
The Cozy Apron
Lisa, it’s my pleasure! I’m so happy you and your hubby enjoyed it! Thank you for commenting.
Larry
Made this tonight, but because we live in Germany, diced green chillis are hard to come by. I substituted spicy Greek pepperoncini and am thankful I didn't grab the jar of extra spicy. We were both close to breathing fire, so next time I think I'll cut the amount of pepperoncini in half. I'll also probably go to cubing the steak - the strips were a little awkward to handle with either a fork or spoon. But then, hey, that's just us. 🙂 Tasted great, and the fire has already burned to embers... 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Hi Larry, so great to get a reader commenting all the way from Germany on a recipe! I know that it can be a little challenging trying to get exact ingredients in other countries, but it looks like the pepperoncini were a good (albeit spicy) substitution. And as you mentioned, going less on those will help. And as far as the steak, it's more "shaved" rather than strips; if you can very thinly shave (in short pieces) the steak, it will be easier than strips. (Or, just cube, as you mentioned.) Thanks so much for sharing your experience!
Larry
Again, Germany. 🙂 I've had to become very creative in substitutions since I moved here nine years ago. I understand the shaved concept tied into the cheesesteak theme, but my butcher's (metzger's) slicer chokes when shaving beef, so I do it at home with my knives. Even though I can produce a slice so thin it has only one side, I'm getting too old and cranky to keep it up for the whole pound of steak... 🙂 Anyway, thanks to your hubby for misspeaking - it inspired a great recipe, and definitely one I've not seen before.
Crystal
It is so yummy we ate some today
The Cozy Apron
Hi Crystal, I'm so glad you enjoyed this comforting and cozy stew—it's definitely a great stick-to-your-ribs meal! Thanks so much for commenting on your experience.
Linda
How spicy is this?
The Cozy Apron
Hi Linda, that's honestly a tough question to answer, as "spicy" is incredibly subjective.
When I write my recipes, I keep the average consumer in mind, so I try not to make anything "too" spicy, with (in my opinion) just a bit of
"kick".
But I always tell folks to use the amount of spice they prefer. In other words, if you're not a fan of much spice, then rather leave out the chipotle pepper. The minced green chilis are not very spicy, but taste them first to see if, in your opinion, they are. Then proceed accordingly.
So to keep it simple, I'd tell you that I don't find this to be all that spicy, but you may disagree depending on your taste. I'd advise that you prepare according to your own personal level of comfort. 🙂
Teri
I had 14 oz of beef shaved steak, googled a recipe and found this! This was so good! I didn’t have some of the ingredients on hand (chilis or adobo sauce) and did tone down the spices a bit for my kiddos but a great recipe, for sure!
Added green pepper in with the sautéed onions.
And even added about a cup of lentils I had.
So hearty and filling!
We have been eating pretty clean so my hubby and I didn’t add any cheese and the flavor was just so good.
Warmed up some whole wheat wraps in the oven and sliced for dipping.
Served with a sweet potato sprinkled with sea salt!
Thanks again! Yum!
The Cozy Apron
Teri, you did a great job of taking the foundation for this recipe and really making it completely your own, using what you had on hand.
So glad you enjoyed! 🙂
Kristin Gardner
This was delicious and so easy to make! I did the whole thing in my Instant Pot on Sauté mode, and once I got to putting the steak back in with everything, I put it on Slow Cook for about 1 1/2 hours, until my Mahjong girls came over. Served it with some low-carb almond meal muffins (they're kinda like cornbread). It was a hit!
The Cozy Apron
Kristin, how perfect! Glad it was easy & that you found it so tasty, and I appreciate you sharing your Insta Pot method here for others to enjoy.
Thanks for your comment!
kim
Easy and delicious - my who family enjoyed - this will be added to our rotation 🙂
The Cozy Apron
Thanks so much, Kim! Thrilled you and your family enjoyed the stew, and that you found it easy to prep.
Jeremy
Made this tonight and it was so freaking delicious and filling! I forgot to get a can of green chiles at the store, so I used a red bell pepper I’d already had on hand, sautéing it with the onions. The can of chipotle peppers (La Costeña) also had some onions and the peppers were mostly chopped up already. Guess I should’ve checked the label before I bought them to make sure they were just peppers, lol. Also used some homemade chicken stock instead of beef because I still got some in the freezer from a huge batch I made last month.
Ate it with some tortilla chips. I’m gonna make some dinner rolls tomorrow for the leftovers. Definitely wanna make it again with the green chiles and maybe a pinch of cayenne pepper. Solid 9/10.
The Cozy Apron
Hi Jeremy, thanks so much for sharing your experience with the recipe. So happy that you enjoyed it! 🙂