Homemade Chili Recipe

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Make homemade chili in about an hour with this easy recipe! Ground beef, canned tomatoes and beans, and broth form the foundation of this hearty, thick chili that is quick enough for a weeknight.

This is my everyday chili recipe, made with lean ground beef, canned beans, and a spice blend that I toast in the pot before any liquid goes in for maximum flavor. From chopping the onion to ladling into bowls, it takes about an hour. Plus, the recipe makes roughly 3 quarts, which makes it great for weekly meal prep or to feed a crowd.

How chili should taste is somewhat personal, with everyone having a different preference on exactly what they like and don’t. So I’ve laid out the base recipe and then listed several tested variations you can make depending on who’s eating: smoky, sweeter, spicier, meatier, no beans, or vegetarian. You’ll also find how to quickly thicken a pot that’s too thin, and how to store and reheat leftovers safely.

Beans Or No Beans?

Chili recipes vary greatly by region or how you serve it. Ask in Texas, and many cooks will tell you beans don’t belong in chili at all. Texas-style “bowl of red” is a chili con carne in its simplest form: chunks of beef simmered with dried chiles, no beans, and often no tomatoes. Cincinnati chili adds warm spices like cinnamon, and it’s served over spaghetti. Chili verde swaps the red chiles for tomatillos and green chiles, and white chicken chili uses white beans, no tomatoes, and has a creamy broth.

My chili recipe is a classic, everyday beef and bean chili with tomatoes, broth, and spices. I like the texture the beans add, so I use a pretty even balance between the meat and beans. For a no-bean version, simply leave the beans out and double the amount of beef.

Key Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need to make this easy chili recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.

Ground beef — use 90/10 lean ground beef, sometimes sold as ground sirloin. The lower fat content keeps the chili from turning greasy, and there’s so little fat in the pot that I don’t have to drain it before adding the spices. When I tested this with 80/20 ground beef, there was a large pool of fat in the skillet that I had to spoon off first. It’s fine if that’s what you have, but you can save a step by starting with leaner beef.

Red kidney beans & pinto beans — the recipe calls for one can each of red kidney beans and pinto beans, but I use all kinds of combinations. Any two 16-ounce cans will work: dark or light red kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, even navy or other white beans. Rinse and drain them so the canning liquid doesn’t muddy the chili. Skip cans labeled “chili beans,” which come packed in a seasoned sauce that throws off the spice balance.

Onion, bell pepper, and garlic — I typically use yellow onions for sautéing, but you’re welcome to use either red or white if you prefer. 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. I like to use fresh garlic when I have it, but you can sub in ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for each clove if needed.

Tomato paste, diced tomatoes, & tomato sauce — using three types of tomatoes ensures this chili has a deep flavor. Diced tomatoes add texture while the tomato paste and tomato sauce add body, helping to thicken the chili. If possible, use double- or triple-concentrated tomato paste and fire-roasted diced tomatoes for the boldest flavor.

Beef broth — you can use homemade or store-bought. You’re also welcome to swap in chicken or vegetable broth if needed.

Spices — 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. For dried oregano, the flavor of dried herbs is typically more concentrated, so if you’d prefer to use fresh, use 3x as much.

Variations

Use this recipe as your base and build from there. These are the adjustments I have tested and make when I want to jazz up the pot a bit:

• Deeper and more savory: add up to 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder or 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon with the spices. Cocoa and cinnamon lean more toward a Cincinnati-style chili, but the complexity of these two ingredients brings so much flavor to any pot.
• Meatier flavor: add up to 1 tablespoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce with the broth.
• Smokier or spicier: replace some of the chili powder with ancho or chipotle chili powder, or stir in a minced jalapeño with the garlic.
• A little sweeter: stir in 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. It’s optional, but it can turn more acidic canned tomatoes into having a deeper, rounder flavor.
• Brighter: finish with 1 teaspoon of sherry, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar to balance the richness.
• Vegetarian: skip the beef and add two more cans of beans or use a vegan meat substitute.
• Other proteins: swap the ground beef for ground chicken or ground turkey.

For a cheesy pasta spin, my chili mac uses the same flavors.

How To Make Chili

Below are step-by-step process images for making homemade chili. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card.

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.

Topping Ideas

My favorite bowl is topped with sharp cheddar or pepper jack, a spoonful of sour cream (or homemade sour cream), sliced green onions, and crushed tortilla chips. For more contrast, add pickled red onions, pickled jalapeños, cilantro, guacamole, or a few dashes of hot sauce.

What To Serve With Chili

Cornbread or cornbread muffins are the classic choice, and they bake in about the time the chili simmers. Garlic bread or a grilled cheese for dipping is a close second. Leftover chili also makes a fast second dinner spooned over baked sweet potatoes, fries, or nachos.

How To Store, Freeze And Reheat Chili

Refrigerate. Get the chili into the fridge within 2 hours of cooking since it has meat in it (according to the USDA FSIS). Divide a big pot into shallow containers so it cools quickly. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. When I tested this chili, the leftovers tasted better the next day after the spices had time to settle in. So, make it ahead if you can!

Freeze. Freeze in airtight containers with about ½ inch of headspace for up to 3 months for the best quality. Frozen leftovers stay safe longer, but they slowly lose moisture and flavor (according to the same USDA FSIS source as above). The beans may soften slightly after thawing and crumble apart when there’s a lot of mixing, so be gentle when reheating. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Reheat. Warm the chili in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if it has thickened, until it comes back to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Or microwave for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.

Frequently Asked Questions

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!