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.
Best chili I have ever made. Everyone loves it – and that’s a rare thing in my home!
Delish!!!
Best homemade chili ever.
This is my first time making any chili.
My family and friends loved the meal
My daughters fav!
This Chili was delicious! Will probably be they way I fix it from now on! Thank you!
My whole family loves this chili! Can you cook it in the crockpot?
I always used packaged chili seasoning. I have to watch my sodium so I used no salt beef stock I had in my fridge, no salt petite diced tomatoes and no salt tomato sauce. I had a can of light red kidney beans (I know now that there are no salt beans in the market) and half of the cumin. I did end up putting salt in but only a teaspoon and also some cayenne pepper to taste. This is by far the most delicious chili and will be used from now on. My disabled son loved it and gave me a thumbs. It was served with cornbread.
Can you use chicken broth instead of beef broth? Just getting ready to make this chill. I will let you know how I like it. Hope you can answer my question before I start.
I don’t even like chili. I make it so I can feed my family cornbread for dinner 😉 But this?! This is delicious! I am blown away! Making this again soon. Everyone in our family loved it, including the kiddos.
Made this Chili recipe, and it was delicious! I added jalapeños because my family likes it spicy, and we have no littles. So good!
Everyone in my household loves this recipe. Even the picky eaters that promised that would hate chili lol. This is something to save and pass on. Easy recipe to reach the young ones.
Ohmy GOD yummmmmm
Awesome recipe! My little picky eaters absolutely gobbled it up! Very easy to make and very flavorful!
Very Good and very easy. I have slaved for hours cooking chili from scratch and this recipe is as good if not better without all the work and wait.
Wow! This chili is absolutely amazing. I will make this again and again.
Excellent Brush Chili Recipe
No Hot Cayenne For Our Family.
This is my go to recipe and is pantry/freezer ready anytime! Good as is but I use fire roasted tomatoes and chipotle instead of cayenne
Really Delicious…sauce was nice and thick…I used black beans and 20 oz ground bison as they’re healthier. Also added a diced green bell pepper and minced garlic instead of powder. Then added the extra amount of spice and other ingredients accordingly but put 1/2 the amount of sugar. Omitted the cayenne and was still spicy enough. Love the prior suggestion of adding a dash of cinnamon…will have to try that next time. Delish!
Thank you Lynda! This was great. I used all ingredients except Cheyanne pepper. The combination of spices was terrific. My husband loves it. Even made chili dogs from leftovers.
Can you make this in a crockpot