The way I see it, the best chili recipe is one that you’ll turn to time and again. This one-pot wonder is just the sort—it can easily be tweaked to use different types of beans, different ground meat, and different colors of peppers, it can be seasoned to be as mild or spicy as you like, and it’s even more crave-able when you add all your favorite toppings.
While there are many ways to make chili, this one is based on a classic chili recipe that I love. Some people prefer all beans, and others prefer all meat in their chili. I’m a big proponent of using both for maximum flavor and texture. Next time you’re in need of a meal to feed a crowd, give this beef and bean chili a try! For more one-pot meal recipes, try my chicken tortilla soup, chili mac, or turkey chili next!
Ingredients
Ground beef — I recommend reaching for relatively lean ground sirloin (90/10 or 93/7), so you don’t have to drain as much fat off, but any ground beef will work.
Red kidney beans & pinto beans — canned beans are a huge time-saver, making this easy chili recipe doable on a weeknight.
Onion — I typically use yellow onions for sautéing, but you’re welcome to use either red or white if you prefer.
Bell pepper — feel free to use any color you like. Green will offer an earthier taste, while red, orange, and yellow are sweeter. For extra heat, try using poblano peppers instead.
Tomato paste, diced tomatoes, & tomato sauce — using three types of tomatoes ensures this chili has a deep flavor. If possible, use double or triple-concentrated tomato paste and fire-roasted diced tomatoes for the boldest flavor.
Garlic — fresh is best, but you can sub in ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove if needed
Chili powder, ground cumin, & cayenne pepper — while chili powder itself already contains cumin and cayenne, I like to add a little extra. Feel free to dial the heat up and down by using more or less cayenne.
Dried oregano — the flavor of dried herbs is typically more concentrated, so if you’d prefer to use fresh, use 3x as much.
Beef broth — you can use homemade or store-bought. You’re also welcome to swap in chicken or vegetable broth if needed.
Olive oil, salt, & black pepper — just the basics to finish off the perfect chili!
How To Make Chili
1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, and sauté the onion and bell pepper, stirring frequently, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
2. Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Break up the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
3. Turn the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
4. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the spices are aromatic.
5. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney and pinto beans, and beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any browned bits and bring to a simmer.
6. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve with your favorite toppings.
How To Thicken Chili
The easiest method is to keep on simmering the pot uncovered, which allows the liquid to evaporate. If you’re short on time, mash a cup of the chili with a potato masher— this releases the starches in the beans, which will help thicken the chili a bit more quickly as it cooks.
Variations
My favorite thing about chili is it is endlessly adaptable. Use this recipe as a base and adjust the flavors as you like. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:
- For additional savory notes and added warm spice, add up to 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and/or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- To enhance the meatiness of the chili, add up to 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
- If you like spicy chili, try using Rotel tomatoes with green chilis in place of plain diced tomatoes. Or add a diced jalapeño to the mix with the onions and bell peppers.
- Mix and match your beans depending on what you have. I’ve made this recipe with all varieties, including black beans and white beans—it’s always a hit! My only recommendation is you skip pre-seasoned “chili beans,” which can be overly salty or overly sweet.
- Make a vegetarian chili be skipping the ground beef altogether and adding two more cans of beans, or using a plant-based substitute.
- Swap the ground beef for another protein like ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork.
- Swap your regular chili powder for all or in combination with ancho chili powder or chipotle chili powder.
- You can sweeten your chili with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar or amp up the acidity with 1 teaspoon of sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
Topping Ideas
While the chili itself is important, the toppings are what make your bowl really shine. I personally like to go all out and use shredded cheddar cheese (or pepper jack for an extra kick), sour cream, pickled red onions and/or pickled jalapeños, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, crunched up tortilla chips or Fritos, and a few shakes of hot sauce.
What To Serve With Chili
Aside from plenty of toppings, there are several sides that deserve a spot on your dinner table next to this beefy chili. I love having a crumbly, slightly sweet piece of homemade cornbread on the side, but garlic bread is also delicious. My boys also love it when I make them a grilled cheese sandwich. Fritos corn chips or tortilla chips are also a go-to!
Alternatively, use the chili as a topping for air fryer french fries, sweet potato fries, air fryer baked potatoes, or baked sweet potatoes—this is a great, inexpensive way to stretch the pot for a larger group.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Serving a crowd? Consider setting up a buffet station for your guests to serve themselves. Set up your chili in a slow cooker to keep it warm. Then, lay out all your favorite toppings so everyone can make their own ideal bowl. To keep your chili bar fresh for a while, place toppings in the wells of a muffin tin nestled inside a 9×13 filled with ice; this will keep your perishable toppings cold and separated.
- Make the chili ahead for the best flavor. As with most soups and stews, chili tends to taste even better the next day! I like to make a batch on my meal prep day and then enjoy it later in the week.
- If your chili gets too thick, add a splash of broth (or beer!) to thin it back out to your preferred consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Just note that you’ll want to leave about ½-inch of headspace at the top of your preferred freezing container to allow it to expand. Also, the beans may split in the freezer—this won’t affect the flavor too much, but the beans may be softer and fall apart a bit when you reheat the chili.
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. To reheat, either use a saucepan over medium-low heat or microwave in a bowl topped with a damp paper towel for about 3-4 minutes on 60% heat. You may want to add a splash of water or broth to loosen the chili, as it has a tendency to thicken in the fridge.
You can repurpose the leftovers to make a tasty plate of nachos or spoon them over an Instant Pot baked potato!
While you can, there are some tweaks you’d need to make to do so successfully. I recommend you follow along with my slow cooker chili recipe instead.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Chili recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Chili Recipe
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped (280g)
- 1 bell pepper green or red, chopped (140g)
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground beef (450g)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce/411g) can diced tomatoes
- 1 (8-ounce/226g) can tomato sauce
- 1 (16-ounce/454g) can red kidney beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (16-ounce/454g) can pinto beans rinsed and drained
- 2 cups beef broth (480mL)
To serve:
- Shredded cheese
- Sour cream
- Tortilla or corn chips
- Sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon until no longer pink.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until the spices are aromatic.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney and pinto beans, and beef broth. Scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to loosen any browned bits and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until the chili thickens, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, tortilla crisps, and sliced green onions, if you like.
Notes
- Serving a crowd? Consider setting up a buffet station for your guests to serve themselves. Set up your chili in a slow cooker to keep it warm. Then, lay out all your favorite toppings so everyone can make their own ideal bowl. To keep your chili bar fresh for a while, place toppings in the wells of a muffin tin nestled inside a 9×13 filled with ice; this will keep your perishable toppings cold and separated.
- Make the chili ahead for the best flavor. As with most soups and stews, chili tends to taste even better the next day! I like to make a batch on my meal prep day and then enjoy it later in the week.
- If your chili gets too thick, add a splash of broth (or beer!) to thin it back out to your preferred consistency.
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