By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026

Serves 8
232 cal · 145 min
Wheat Berry Chili
Recipe GLPR61b39e08653470
A hearty and satisfying chili made with chewy wheat berries, lean beef broth, and a blend of beans. This warming soup is seasoned with chili powder and hot pepper sauce, then simmered with diced tomatoes, peppers, and onions to create a flavorful one-pot meal.
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Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries
3 cups water
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
4 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, no salt added
2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
2 cups beef broth, 99% fat free, reduced sodium
1 15-ounce can kidney beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed
1 15-ounce can white beans, low sodium, drained and rinsed
Directions
Place the wheat berries in a large pot and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for approximately 1 hour, until the wheat berries are tender. Add more water during cooking if needed to maintain adequate liquid. Once tender, drain completely and rinse with cool water, draining thoroughly again.
While the wheat berries are cooking, chop the onion and green and yellow bell peppers into bite-sized pieces.
Place the chopped onion and peppers in a microwave-safe bowl and cook on medium power for 1 minute, or until they reach your desired level of softness.
In a 4-quart pot, combine the drained wheat berries, the microwaved vegetables, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beef broth, kidney beans, and white beans. Add the chili powder, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper, stirring well to distribute the seasonings evenly.
Place the pot on the stovetop over high heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Continue simmering until the chili reaches your desired consistency. The longer it simmers, the thicker it will become. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed before serving.
Comments
Wheat berries are a solid substitute for ground beef in chili and cost roughly $1.50 per serving across the ingredient list, with all components readily available at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Kroger, Walmart, or ALDI—no special stops required. The stated 145 minutes is honest for the full cook time, though you'll want to soak wheat berries overnight or plan a full evening, which makes this less suited to true weeknight cooking. The dish feeds eight generously, reheats well, and the peppers and beans hold the flavor on day two, but the long lead time and hands-off simmering demand real planning rather than impulse cooking.
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