The best chili is a homemade chili and easy to make with ground beef, beans, fire roasted tomatoes and the perfect chili seasonings, what I grew up with.
Mike's Recipe Highlights
We're cooking up a big pot of comforting homemade chili in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends. You're going to love it. It's loaded up with ground beef, fire roasted tomatoes, lots of chilies, and beans.
This particular chili recipe is a ground beef chili very much like you'll find all around America in kitchens and restaurants. It's sort of a prototypical bowl of chili with beans, very easy for you to make and also customize to your own preference.
Like many of us, chili is something I grew up with. My mother used to cook up a big pot for dinner, and I remember the smell of it simmering on the stove, driving me crazy with hunger.
What is Chili?
Chili is a flavorful stew of meats and chilies, often with tomatoes, beans, and seasonings. Chili has evolved from its early versions of meats and chili peppers simmering in a broth thickened with cornmeal.
You'll find variations all over the U.S., from simple classics like Chili con Carne and Chili Colorado to delicious renditions like Chili Verde and White Bean Chicken Chili.
I hope you enjoy it!
Let's talk about how to make chili, shall we?
Customizing Your Chili
You can change up this chili recipe to make it completely unique, which is why there are so many types of chili out there. This is a basic recipe, but here are some ways you can really make it your own.
Meat Variations
You can use other ground meats, but also consider tougher cuts of meat like chuck roast, brisket, or pork shoulder. Cooking them low and slow in your chili makes the entire pot amazing.
Other Liquids To Try
This recipe uses fire roasted tomatoes and beef stock, but consider other tomatoes, roasted chili sauces and roasted chilies themselves, homemade stocks, beer, and others.
Substituting Kidney Beans
Kidney beans are popular for typical chili recipes, but consider others like black beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, red beans, and others. Chili is often great with a nice mix of colorful beans.
Seasoning Variations
Most chili recipes call for "chili powder", which is typically a blend of ground chili peppers. Consider using your own personal blend of chili powders, such as ancho powder, guajillo powder, chipotle powder, chile de arbol, ground cascabel, or ground New Mexican chili powder.
You can also add other seasonings, like brown sugar, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, chili pastes, and others.
Your possibilities are endless, so experiment and make your own favorite spicy chili recipe. Enter a chili cookoff and win!
Does Chili Have Beans?
Old school chili recipes do not include beans, but were instead a simple mix of meats, chilies and spices. Many people argue that beans don't belong in chili, and there are some great no bean chili recipes out there.
However, you'll find beans in most typical American pots of chilis, and many people enjoy them. It's a great way to round out the meal and stretch it to feed a family or crowd.
If you want to include beans in your chili, the choice is yours. It's a chili bean recipe!
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil.
- Onion.
- Chili Peppers. I like to use jalapenos for heat and flavor, but use bell peppers for a milder chili.
- Garlic.
- Ground Beef. You can use other ground meats, like ground turkey, chicken, or pork, or lean ground beef for less fatty.
- Seasonings. Chili powder, cayenne pepper (optional), cumin, salt and black pepper. Feel free to use garlic powder.
- Tomato Paste. Adds thickness and flavor.
- Beef Broth. You can use chicken broth or vegetable broth as well.
- Fire Roasted Tomatoes. You can use diced tomatoes or tomato sauce instead, but I love the added flavor of the fire roasted tomatoes.
- Crushed Tomatoes.
- Red Kidney Beans. You can use other beans, like black beans, pinto beans, or a mixture.
- Optional Extras. Hot sauce (a must!) and red pepper flakes.
- Toppings. Choose your favorites!
How to Make Chili - the Recipe Method
See the recipe card at the bottom of this page for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
First, cook down the onion and peppers in a large pot or Dutch oven, then add the garlic and cook for a minute or so.
Next, brown the beef a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
Add the beef broth, tomatoes, and kidney beans.
Simmer the chili, uncovered, at least 30 minutes to let the flavors mingle.
Serve with your favorite chili toppings, like shredded cheddar cheese, spicy chili flakes, sour cream, chopped onions or green onions, chopped cilantro or parsley, Fritos or tortilla chips, or others.
Boom! Done! Your chili is ready to enjoy. Grab yourself a bowl and add as many toppings as you'd like. Nothing beats a bowl of easy homemade chili, just the way you like it.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Use your slow cooker or crock pot to make this recipe. Cook the vegetables and brown the meats per the recipe steps #1-5, then transfer everything to the crock pot and proceed. Slow cook on high for 1 hour. See my crockpot chili recipe.
- Thicken your chili with a bit of cornmeal or masa harina. Simply swirl a few tablespoons into the simmering pot and let it thicken to your preference. Adds a nice corn flavor, too!
- Try my homemade chili powder recipe for a truly sensational chili experience.
- Simmer your chili longer for more developed flavor. I like to simmer at least 1 hour or more. Add a bit of water or extra broth if needed.
Storage & Leftovers
Homemade will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Simply warm it up gently in a pot to enjoy again. It's even better the next day after all those flavors mingle.
You can also freeze chili for 2-3 months.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this easy chili recipe. It's the best chili recipe ever, you'll see! I'd love to hear how you adapted it and customized it to make it your very own.
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Classic Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers diced (use bell pepper for milder heat)
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons chili powder or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for extra spicy
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices (or use fire roasted tomatoes as a tasty alternative, my preference)
- 1 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes with juices
- 2 15 ounce cans red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- Optional Extras: 1 tablespoon or more hot sauce 1 tablespoon or more red pepper flakes (for a spicier version)
- Toppings. Choose your favorites!
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot to medium heat.
- Add the onion and peppers and cook 2-3 minutes to soften.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the ground beef and break apart with a wooden spoon. Brown the meat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and tomato paste. Cook 1-2 minutes to let the spices bloom.
- Add the beef broth, tomatoes, and kidney beans.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors mingle and develop. You can simmer longer if you’d like, up to 60 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite chili toppings, like shredded cheddar cheese, spicy chili flakes, sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped cilantro or parsley, fritos or tortilla chips, or others.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 11/29/24 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 2/8/23.
Shem Ishler says
It’s very good chili indeed!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Shem!
Geraldine says
Hi Mike
I've just tried your chilli recipe and it turned out perfect! The only thing I changed was I used Turkey Mince and chicken stock. The flavours were really good. Thank you.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Geraldine. I love it with turkey as well. Thanks!
Dan says
Your website is the most honest, knowledgeable, and true to the recipe ingredients I have ever found, including proportion of ingredients. I have read all the chili recipes, and you have shown that letting the true ingredients speak for themselves creates the best dish. No stupid gimmicks like peanut butter, maple syrup, vodka, etc are included, but the classic ingredients are there. There is no attempt to put your “spin” on an already complete recipe. Whenever I am going to make a chili, this is where I will come. Rest of the websites be damned.
Mike Hultquist says
Wow, Dan. That's awesome to hear. VERY, very happy you're enjoying my recipes. I do love to hear it and am always glad to be helpful. Thanks, man.
Joie says
What can I sub for the tomato paste. Making it now and I’m out. I’ve made your chili recipe many times before and it’s amazing. Help please!
Mike Hultquist says
Joie, use an extra 1/2 to 1 can tomatoes. Or, you can use a thick chili paste if you have it.
Joie says
I ended up using tomato sauce that I cooked down until it formed a paste. It turned out great! Thank you Mike! One more question, would it change the flavor tremendously if I use ancho chili powder in the future?
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect, Joie! I love it. No, ancho powder would be GREAT for this! Cheers!
Sharon Raymond says
I made this on Thursday and it was super delicious. The only thing i changed was I used an Amber ale. And topped with Ghost Chilies. Yes it was spicy and i did add a couple jalapeño’s as well. Thanks Mike!
Im not seeing your posts lately?
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect with beer, Sharon! I love it! Not getting the emails? Did you check your junkmail folder? Strange!!
Natalie says
Your recipe is similar to another one I found, so I mashed em together for my very tasty, pleasing result.
I had to make it this nonspicy for a roommate, so here's what I did/used:
1 diced large onion, 1/4 of a 5in long jalapeño, minus seeds & white parts, finely minced (couldnt end up tastingnit or getting any heat from it). Used ~2 tsp "jarlic," ~4Tbsp Badia Chili powder, ~2.5-3 Tbsp Badia cumin, ~1 Tbsp dried Oregano, ~2 tsp Paprika, 2 healthy pinches Kosher salt (BJ's brand, bc that's what I'm used to), ~1/2 tsp, or so, freshly ground black pepper, ~1 Tbsp, or so, regular cocoa powder, and ~1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce. I also used about 3/4 of a 28oz can crushed tomatoes, along with 1 can fire roasted, diced tomatoes. I ended up using 2 cups beef broth, made w/Better Than Boullion. Unless I'm making proper texas chili, I like mine with enough broth. I didn't measure any of the spices/seasonings w/"proper" measuring spoons, so my "measurements" are estimates. I seasoned this to my liking, and to accommodate someone who can't handle any heat.
Ftr, I don't like red kidney beans, so I used 1 can cannelini (white kidney) and 1 can pinto beans (rinsed & drained, as directed).
If I was making this for me, I'd have used all the cayenne pepper called for, along with 2 jalapeños, seeds and all.
Although I prefer chili w/stew meat, I thoroughly enjoyed this and I'd make it again without hesitation! Thank you for a customizable, 5 star recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Sounds like perfection, Natalie! Yummo!!
Bob Cowan says
Wow Wow Wow. I made it with one pound of your Mexican Chorizo recipe and one pound of hamburger. I have now deleted every other Chili recipe that I ever had. What a smashing combination. This one hit it out of the park. Fabulous. Invited the neighbors over and doubled recipe. Got a standing ovation. Really delicious.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom!! Great praise, Bob! Nice! The homemade chorizo brings a perfect touch there. I love it. Thanks so much!
Bob Cowan says
I will be making this tomorrow. I am substituting one pound of hamburger for one pound of your chorizo recipe. Any thoughts? Watch your channel diligently and have made many of your very tasty recipes. Keep on cookin'.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Bob! Yes, that will work deliciously! I sub in chorizo regularly. Like my Short Rib and Chorizo Chili - https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/short-rib-and-chorizo-chili-recipe/. YUM!
Simon Hall says
Did this to your recipe absolutely % and it was % , love following your recipes absolutely banging
Mike H. says
Glad to hear it. Keep rocking!
John Mc says
Made your chili recipe and it came out perfect! Had a great flavor we love spices so I went with 1-1/2 tbs on cumin and 1 tbs cayenne. Aldo just used diced fire roasted tomatoes no crushed and think this is my altime favorite chili recipe, will be making it this chrismas for the family.
Mike H. says
Fantastic. Thank you, John!