Ready to spice up your dinner routine? This homemade chili recipe has a perfect blend of spices and hearty ingredients.
If you’re a chili fan, try my other flavors, like white bean chicken chili, vegetarian chili, or slow cooker pork chili.
Jessica’s Recipe Science
- Browning the meat before adding it to the chili develops rich, savory flavors through the Maillard reaction, forming the foundation for the dish’s depth and complexity.
- Slow simmering the chili allows the flavors of the spices, veggies, and meat to meld together for a well-balanced taste.
- A mix of beans provides texture and fiber, while their starches help thicken the chili, for a hearty and satisfying consistency.
Featured Comment 25
“Just made this tonight and it was fantastic! The recipe is a keeper, thank you!”—Burt
Why It Works
Make a big pot of this classic chili recipe for an easy and comforting meal to feed a family or crowd. It’s prepared with simple ingredients like hearty ground beef, chili beans, and vegetables that simmer in bold spices. My favorite thing is it only takes 30 minutes to cook and infuse the delicious ingredients together.
What makes a good chili recipe a great one is my special homemade chili seasoning, plus coffee, to add dimension. Customizing the heat level for those who love an extra spicy flavor is easy, or you can tame it down for kids. This beef chili is versatile! It’s great for serving on top of burgers, fries, hot dogs, nachos, or baked potatoes.
Jump To a Section
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beef: I use 80% lean ground beef to balance the meat and fat ratio for the best taste and texture. Other types of ground beef can be used, but leaner options tend to be much chewier.
- Chili Seasoning: Use my special chili seasoning blend for the recipe. It combines chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chipotle chili powder. You’ll need ¼ cup for the easy chili recipe.
- Vegetables: Freshly diced onions and minced garlic add earthy notes and natural sweetness to the dish. Bell peppers add crispness and complement the paprika. Minced jalapeños add a kick of heat.
- Tomatoes: I use a trio of tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and diced tomatoes. The variety increases the thickness and adds sweetness and a chunky texture.
- Beans: Red kidney beans are traditionally used in chili. For convenience and to save time, you can use canned beans that have been rinsed and drained.
- Liquids: Beef broth or stock enhances the meaty taste of the ground beef. Coffee is bitter, which balances the sweetness of the tomatoes. Worcestershire sauce adds a tangy and umami flavor.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
You can experiment by customizing the ingredients. Try these delicious suggestions for your next pot:
- Protein: Instead of beef, try ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork. Make it vegetarian with tofu, seitan, tempeh, or quinoa.
- Chilies: Add fresh serrano, poblano peppers, or habanero, or your favorite type of peppers. Increase the spiciness of the chili with cayenne pepper or more chipotle chili powder for a smokier flavor.
- Herbs: Add fresh or dried oregano, thyme, basil, or parsley.
- Vegetables: Add diced sweet potato, carrots, celery, corn, mushrooms, or zucchini.
- Beans: Along with the kidney beans, add white beans, black beans, or pinto beans for different colors and textures.
- Liquid: Swap beer for the coffee, or add more beef broth. Soy sauce instead of Worcestershire sauce, but add a splash of apple cider vinegar for tanginess.
- Sweetness: Add brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to add sweetness.
- Toppings: Add crunchy tortilla chips, corn chips, goldfish crackers, hot sauce, plain Greek yogurt, diced chilies, cilantro, avocado, or shredded cheese like sharp cheddar or pepper jack.
How to Make Homemade Chili
Step 1: Cook the Aromatics
To develop layers of flavor in the chili, start by cooking the alliums on the stove. Add the onions and garlic, cooking to mellow out the sulfurous notes.
Pro Tip: I like to use my Dutch oven; it’s great for sauteing and simmering.
Step 2: Cook the Beef
Add the ground meat and break it into smaller chunks before thoroughly cooking. If you wait too long, the proteins pack tightly together, making separation harder. It takes about 4 to 6 minutes to brown the meat.
Step 3: Add the Seasoning and Vegetables
With the fat drippings from the beef in the pan, it’s the ideal time to add the dried chili seasoning. This allows the spices to bloom in the fat, releasing more fat-soluble flavor compounds and intense aromatics.
Add the tomato paste, diced red bell pepper, and spicy jalapeños. Cook them briefly to add tons of flavor before simmering the chili.
Step 4: Add the Beans and Tomatoes
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot: the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, coffee, and Worcestershire sauce.
Step 5: Cook the Chili
The ingredients need time to meld together for the best taste. Bring to a boil, then simmer and stir the beef mixture. This reduces some liquid and concentrates the savory and spicy flavors, yielding a heartier texture.
Simmering also allows the acids in the tomatoes, coffee, and Worcestershire sauce to help further break down the muscle fibers of the beef. The process takes about 25 to 30 minutes.
Chef’s Note: The chili will taste even better the next day as the ingredients have more time to infuse flavor.
Step 6: Ready to Serve
I like to top each bowl with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions for serving. Grab a spoon, it is truly the best chili recipe and ultimate comfort food!
Frequently Asked Questions
Canned beans are the quickest option for making stovetop chili. If you prefer dried beans, try my quick soaking method before simmering the beans in the chili. After soaking, cooking the chili will take at least 60 to 90 minutes.
I would omit the Chipotle chili powder from the basic chili seasoning mix. The chili powder can also be reduced from 1 tablespoon to 2 teaspoons. Adjust the levels to taste.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 5 days or frozen for longer storage. Transfer to freezer bags or an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator, then microwave or reheat on the stove.
Making a batch of chili in a slow cooker is an ideal way to prepare the dish because it gives more time for the flavors to infuse and the beef to tenderize. The meat can be browned and the vegetables sauteed before adding to the vessel for more flavor, or added directly to the pot. Cook on the high setting for 3 to 4 hours or the low setting for 5 to 6 hours. I recommend adding only ¾ to 1 cup of beef broth since the liquid will not evaporate and concentrate in the vessel.
The chili can be reduced on the stove for longer over medium-low heat. Alternatively, add in more tomato paste or tomato sauce for extra solids. You can also add 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour along with the chili seasonings. You can also add a cornstarch slurry right before serving to thicken the soup. Combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, then simmer until it thickens. Add more as desired.
Serve This With
If you tried this Homemade Chili Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Best Homemade Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced yellow onion, ¼" dice
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef, 80% lean
- ¼ cup chili seasoning
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup diced red bell pepper, ¼" dice
- 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno
- 30 ounces canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 14.5 ounces canned diced tomatoes, plus juice
- 1 ½ cups unsalted beef broth, or stock
- ½ cup brewed coffee, optional
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Cook Aromatics – Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil, then once hot, add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Cook the Beef – Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking the meat into smaller chunks, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Add Seasonings and Vegetables – Add the chili seasoning. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add bell peppers and minced jalapenos, and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the Beans and Tomatoes – Add the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, coffee (if using), and Worcestershire sauce. Stir to combine.
- Cook the Chili – Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally, cooking until the liquid reduces slightly, about 25 to 30 minutes. Reduce the heat if bubbling too rapidly.
- To Serve – Serve with desired toppings like sour cream, cheddar cheese, and sliced green onions.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Recipe Yield: About 8 cups
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Coffee Substitute: If omitting the coffee, replace the amount with beef stock.
- Storing: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Steven Haislet says
Love this recipe. Great foundational ingredients and the coffee works as well. I added nutmeg and white vinegar to give a little sweet and tangy. I also used the coffee and prefer to cocoa
Jessica Gavin says
I’ll have to try adding nutmeg and vinegar the next time I make the chili, great additions Steven!