Now that it’s officially fall, it’s time to make my favorite fall comfort food, a pot of delicious homemade chili. While I have several chili recipes on the website already, this classic beef chili recipe is my absolute favorite. Like, it’s so good that I can’t stop going back for spoonfuls. Not only is this classic chili recipe super flavorful and easy, but it can be customized in a number of ways to make it your very own’s extremely customizable. Scroll down for ideas for customizing the proteins, spices, liquids, vegetables, and toppings!
I like to add fresh jalapeños, cheese, green onion, and crushed tortilla chips to my chili!
Ingredients for Homemade Chili
There are so many ways to make homemade chili, but here’s what you’ll need to make our classic beef chili:
- Aromatics: Onion and garlic create the base layer of flavor for this pot of classic chili. Feel free to add double or even triple the garlic if you’re a garlic lover!!
- Ground Beef: I love a slightly higher fat content beef for chili because it makes the pot extra rich and it’s more affordable than lean ground beef, but feel free to use the type of ground beef that you like the best.
- Beans: We use a combination of kidney beans and black beans in our chili for a little extra color and texture in the pot, but you can also experiment with adding pinto beans!
- Diced Tomatoes: Diced canned tomatoes (with their juices) add more flavor and texture to the chili. If you don’t like chunks of tomato, you can substitute with crushed tomatoes, which have a much finer texture.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste really helps thicken the chili and gives it a super rich tomato flavor, which is the perfect backdrop for all of the chili spices.
- Chili Seasoning: We use our homemade blend of chili seasoning, which includes chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Brown Sugar: This is the secret ingredient that helps balance the adicity of the tomatoes and heat from the chili seasoning. A little goes a long way to help balance the flavors without making the chili taste sweet.
How Long Should You Cook Chili?
Chili is one of those dishes that tastes better the longer it cooks (to a point). You’ll want to let this chili simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, but it’s something that you can leave simmering gently for up to a couple of hours. If you do plan to let your chili simmer for a longer period of time, make sure to put a lid on it so it doesn’t dry out. Check it occasionally to see if it is becoming dry, and if so, add a little water.
5 Ways to Customize Homemade Chili
- Use a different protein: Feel free to substitute ground turkey, chicken, pork, or even lentils or more beans in place of the ground beef.
- Add Other Liquids: Instead of using water to make the gravy, try using vegetable juice (like V8), dark beer, or beef broth for even more flavor.
- Customize the spices: Try using chipotle powder or smoked paprika for a smokier flavor. Add a little cocoa for a richer, earthier flavor, or a dash of cinnamon for warmth.
- Add Extra Vegetables: If you’re looking to add more flavor, color, and nutrients, try adding zucchini, bell pepper, poblano peppers, jalapeños, corn, sweet potato, or butternut squash.
- Get creative with toppings: This is where chili gets really fun! Browse your pantry, fridge, or freezer for any fun toppings you might have. Anything that goes well on a taco will probably also go great on a bowl of chili! This also allows each family member to customize their own bowl, which is super helpful with picky eaters!
Ideas for Chili Toppings
Customizing my bowl of chili with fun toppings is my favorite part. I can eat the chili all week and no two bowls will be the same! Here are some ideas for what to put on top of a bowl of chili:
- Cheddar or Monterey Jack Cheese
- Sour Cream
- Green Onions
- Diced Avocado
- Cilantro
- Crushed Tortilla Chips
- Crushed Saltine Crackers
- Pickled Jalapeños
- Diced Red Onion
What is your favorite chili secret ingredient, add-in, or topping? Share in the comments below!
How to Store and Reheat Chili
Chili is the ultimate meal prep food because the recipe makes a big batch, the leftovers taste better the next day, and it’s extremely freezer-friendly!
Chili can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days, or, after chilling overnight, you can transfer it to the freezer for longer storage (about three months). I recommend dividing the chili into single-serving portions before refrigerating or freezing to make easy grab-and-go reheatable meals for the rest of the week.
Chili can be reheated in the microwave by heating in one minute intervals, stirring between each, until heated through. You can also reheat chili on the stove top over medium-low heat, stirring often. You may need to add a little water when reheating on the stovetop if it gets too thick.
Homemade Chili Recipe
Servings 6 1 cup eachIngredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.49)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1 lb. ground beef ($4.79)
- 1 15oz. can kidney beans ($1.09)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.89)
- 1 15oz. can diced tomatoes ($0.50)
- 1 6oz. can tomato paste ($0.55)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
Chili Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chili powder** ($0.30)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp Freshly cracked black pepper ($0.03)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to a large pot with the olive oil and cook over medium heat until they are soft and translucent.
- Add the ground beef to the pot and continue to sauté until the beef is fully browned.
- Drain the beans and add them to the pot along with the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup water, and all of the ingredients for the chili seasoning. Stir until well combined.
- Place a lid on the pot and allow it to simmer over a low flame for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (the flavor gets better the longer it simmers).
- Give the chili one final taste, adjust the salt or seasonings if needed, then serve hot with your favorite toppings.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Video
Serve with a side of Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread!
How to Make Homemade Chili – Step by Step Photos
Start by dicing one onion and mincing two cloves of garlic. Cook the onions and garlic with 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until they are soft and transparent.
Add one pound of ground beef and continue to cook until it is fully browned.
Drain a 15oz. can each of black beans and kidney beans and add them to the pot along with a 15oz. can diced tomatoes, a 6oz. can of tomato paste, and one cup of water.
Stir that all together until the tomato paste is well incorporated. Doesn’t look like much yet, but just wait…
Add the chili spices to the pot of chili. I used my recipe for Homemade Chili Seasoning, plus a little brown sugar. 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar. If you don’t have all the ingredients to make your own chili seasoning, you can add a store bought packet of chili seasoning at this point.
Let the pot simmer for at least 30 minutes over low heat with a lid on top to allow the flavors to blend and for the natural sugars in the tomatoes to caramelize, which reduces the acidity. If you have time, let it simmer longer. Now your “basic” chili is done!
How easy was that? Now go crazy with the toppings. Look in your fridge for leftovers and see what fun things you can use to top your basic chili to make it not so basic anymore.
I’ve been using this recipe for over a year-year and a half. It always comes out great and it’s highly modifiable! Usually I add dark beer instead of water and sometimes add bell peppers too (as suggested in the tips). The cocoa powder tip was also great, tried it a couple of times and it didn’t disappoint. If you want great chili, try this recipe!
I found this recipe by accident and boy am I glad did. have been making chili a very long time , but this recipe is different from what i have always made. we like to try different things and when I read this recipe to my husband, he said sounds great so we tried it. the only thing i do that maybe no one else does is I cook thin spaghetti and have it on the side because we like it in our chili. thanks for the recipe we love it only chili i make.
Hands down the only chili recipe I use. A great base on its own or to mess around and get fancy with. Highly recommend this one and all of Beth’s recipes for that matter. Yes, I call her Beth because my husband and I use her recipes so often that we say we are making “Beth’s chili” and he knows what recipe. Stop searching, just make what Beth tells you to do.
It’s so simple, so I don’t know why it’s the best chili ever (1 cup of water helps the texture, maybe..?). But it is the best chili ever.
I’ve made this many times with additions/subtractions, and it’s always a hit. Today I made it with ground bison and lean ground pork, added about 1/4 chopped jalepeno to the garlic and onion, and added cocoa powder, smoked paprika and cinnamon to the spices. Used a dark chocolate stout instead of water, and it turned out fantastic as always. Later today, I’m going to do a vegetarian friendly version with soy chorizo and cubed sweet potato. My favorite way to make it is with a dark beer, but I’ve made it before with broth, instant coffee and water and it’s always great.
By far the best chili recipe I have tried. My husband loves chili and this was awesome, he licked the bowl. Thank you
My go-to chili recipe! I made the recipe as follows aside from a few swaps/additions:
-Beef broth in lieu of water
-Fire-roasted diced tomatoes
-Smoked paprika
-Northern beans in lieu of kidney beans (My Aldi was out of kidney beans which are normally what I use but I enjoyed switching it up this go!)
Toppings:
Colby jack shredded cheese
Sour cream
Green onion
Simple, customizable, and easy on the wallet!
This is the best Chili ever! I used a few substitutions…
1.) Crock Pot – Works great! I cook on high for 45 minutes…and then simmer all day….then I turn off at bedtime…back on in the morning You have to watch it so that it does not dry out.
2.) A nice Bock beer instead of water. I don’t drink…so I buy just two bottles and this is usually enough.
3.) I use dry beans. 2/3 kidney beans, 1/3 black beans. I begin soaking 24 hours before I cook.
4.) I roast some corn – toss in fire roasted mild green chilies. This is for both the chili and the corn bread. The corn bread is just Jiffy (but trying your recipe next time)….corn bread I cook in cast iron dutch oven.
5.) For color I cut up red, green, yellow and orange bell peppers)
6.) About 1 tsp cocoa (i use the bar and grind it up to a powder.
7.) I user your Chili Seasoning.
8.) Finally, I use impossible burger. It tastes amazing…and believe me, no one will ever guess it is plant based! :) However, it may raise your food costs slightly.
Thank you Beth for this a.
It’s not flavorful enough. It needs something.
Made this with ground chicken because I forgot to buy beef. Added diced red pepper, zucchini, corn, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Delicious!
Has anyone tried using red wine to replace the water?
Deeeeeeelicious! Added the poblano pepper suggested and it was a hit!
A couple of questions.
Could you do this in a slow cooker? What can I sub in instead of the chilli powder? (as I am not in America and do not think it is something stocked at my local super market) and finally could I sub the cayenne powder for actual chilli’s?
Thanks
Hi Shaun, Yes, you could probably do this in a slow cooker, although I haven’t tested that so I can’t offer any specific advice. American chili powder is mild red chiles with other spices (many of which I have listed already in the recipe, I just increased their amount). But again, I’d need to test quantities before offering any specific substitution recommendations there. :) And yes, you can add dried chiles in place of the cayenne, just add to your liking.
Well I made it with a few additions/subs. Chopped anaheim chillis instead of cayane pepper, a habanaro seasoning instead of chilli seasoning, some bell peppers, mushroom and chopped spinach. Tastes amazing! Will make again, now to resist the urge to eat more before I freeze it.
This was very good, my 4 star is because it was really, really spicy. Well let me put it this way, for those of us that don’t like spicy and always go mild to no spice, this is burn your ears and lips spicy. Very tasty, will make again, but have to cut down on some of the spice.
Made this using some of the suggested additions – beef broth instead of water, a poblano pepper, some cocoa powder and some smoked paprika. I also added extra cayenne pepper and a little can of hot green chiles because we like things spicy and the recipe said it wasnt spicy as written, and I added some lime juice because the end result was little on the sweet side for me. After letting it simmer for over an hour, it was delicious! I love chili for the fact that it is endlessly customizable and somehow always turns out great. This is a great base recipe to play with!