The Best Classic Chili is a traditional chili recipe just like mom used to make with ground beef, beans, and a simple homemade blend of chili seasonings.
This classic chili is perfect for a weeknight meal because it can be made in minutes. The only thing to chop is an onion.
I’ve been playing around with this recipe for the past few months, making it many times. My family didn’t mind the repetition at all because I really do believe that I ended up with the best chili ever!
How To Make Homemade Chili
Note: This is a summary. The full printable recipe and step by step video are located at the bottom of this post.
- Heat olive in a large soup pot.
- Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Cook for 6-7 minutes.
- Add chili powder, cumin, sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne.
- Stir until well combined.
- Add diced tomatoes, kidney beans, beef broth, and tomato sauce.
- Stir well.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes.
- Let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What do you top chili with?
In addition to the chili ingredients listed in this recipe, you may also want to have these things as toppings.
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
- saltine crackers or oyster crackers
- diced avocado
How To Store
Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Or, store in the freezer for up to three months. Transfer the container to the refrigerator to thaw the day before you want to reheat it.
Pro Tip – Is It Too Spicy?
The brand of chili powder you use will have a huge difference in how spicy your chili will be. Different brands of chili powder have VERY different levels of spiciness.
I always use McCormick Chili Powder (No affiliation) because it is flavorful without being spicy.
More Great Chili Recipes
Find more of my recipes on TikTok
The Best Classic Chili Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion -diced
- 1 pound 90% lean ground beef
- 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder*
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper** -optional
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 (15 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 (16 oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large soup pot and place it over medium-high heat for two minutes. Add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the ground beef to the pot. Break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the beef is browned, stirring occasionally.
- Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne. Stir until well combined.
- Add the broth, diced tomatoes (with their juice), drained beans, and tomato sauce. Stir well.
- Bring the liquid to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat (low to medium-low) to gently simmer the chili, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Let the chili rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Check out all of my great ground beef recipes.
This is so amazing. By far my favorite chili recipe!!
Absoutely delicious recipe. I doubled it for a large batch but put in about half, maybe less, of the sugar requirement. It was outstanding – I definitely hurt myself with how much of it I ate. Spooned it over a handful of Fritos and topped with shredded cheddar (& my fiancé and his parents put some sour cream.) It was a huge hit, thanks for sharing!
Only 1 word needed….Delicious!!!! Thank you so much for this amazing chili recipe!
I made this chili right by the recipe and it is the best chili I have eaten. Will definitely cook this again and I give it 5 stars.
I alrrdded more tomato sauce. It cut the cumin.
Can you advise how much 1/6 is??? Is that a cup? 2 cups?? 3/4 cup??? That is always a bit more helpful in determining serving sizes.
I’ve struggled with making really good chili so I settled for packets. That still wasn’t so great so I rarely ever make any because I never had a great recipe until now. This is so good!!!!! (I can taste the sugar more than I’d like to so I’ll reduce the next time). Other than this, this recipe is definitely a keeper.
This is soooooo good. The only thing I did different was add 11/2 teaspoons of smoked paprika. The best chili recipe I’ve ever tried!
Delicious…especially with sweet, yellow cornbread!
I love this recipe! I eliminate the cumin and only do 1 tablespoon of sugar, even though it doesn’t really need it. I add diced tomatoes with green chilies. My family loves it. So flavorful
Great and a nice easy recipe. I didn’t change too much other than cutting back on the cumin as noted by others.
Will definitely be making this again. Thank you.
Made with 2 lbs beef bc that’s what I had at the house, after reading the comments I did just a little less cumin more like 1.5 tbsp, used beef bone broth for a little more protein, used mild chili pinto beans since I used more beef, bc I didn’t want to try to measure out more chili seasoning. Came out as the best pot of chili I’ve ever made. Thanks for the great recipe.
My first try at homemade chili and my family loves it. Can’t wait to make it again
Omitted the sugar, used a 15oz can of tomato sauce, used about 2 1/2 cups of broth, very tasty
We all loved this recipe. My son said he doesn’t usually like chili cuz it’s just beans and peppers. This was more like a sloppy Joe texture with a delicious flavor! It’s a keeper.
Fantastic!!! I made this as written and it is phenomenal! I do agree with the cumin comments; a tad too much for my liking.. But it was seriously still so good!!! And! Here’s the winning addition to this recipe… My 8 year old liked it! Win, win, win!!!
My family could not stop saying how good the chili was.
I had to improvise with 2 of the ingredients and then I thought I was opened beef broth but it was chicken, so I did one of each. Allowed to simmer for 30minutes on low.
What was suppose to be for New Years want last.
My daughter told me to make it more often
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. We make it just as described. It is snowing for the first time in our city today in too long and I was so eager to make this chili and some cornbread on a cold, snowy day. Thank you!
The flavor was amazing! Making it for for New Year’s Day so I decided to make it a day ahead. With chile, if I have the time, I like to put it together with everything but the beans and simmer for a couple hours. (2-3hours) This allows the flavors to really come together and the meat and tomatoes get nice and tender. Add the beans and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
Overall Rating from Husband
too much sugar – too sweet
too much tomato
I did not add all the cumin as many people said it was overpowering
In our Chili Recipe we always add Jalapeños and some juice to give it a little kick so this did help the chili.
My husband is our Chili cook in the family and he did add a little more chili powder and cumin to what was already in there to get rid of the Tomato taste.
Now the day after chili is always better so I really can’t wait to see how it tastes.
Next time I will cut back on the sugar and half the tomato sauce and add a little more beef broth just to see what that does but over all I think it was good. Will try again.