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.
So easy! Absolutely delicious!!!
I think it tastes too sweet. We doubled the batch 20 4 tablespoons of sugar. I don’t think the recipe needs any sugar. Great flavour with out.
Good chili. Very happy. Pot I had was too small because I tripled the recipe. Had to omit broth otherwise I would be making chili on the floor, still came out killer
I make with beyond beef and veggie stock, works out well.
This recipe is my first time making chili the recipe was quick and easy to follow. I used chicken broth instead of beef because it was what I had. I thought the cayenne was a bit too spicy so then I added more sugar which made it too sweet so then I sprinkled in a bit more salt and it all balanced out lol rookie mistakes. Served with sour cream, cheddar cheese, crackers or tortillas and crunchy fried jalapeño peppers. Everyone loved it! I will def make again albeit only add one tablespoon of sugar next time and 1/8 cayenne.
I made this chili for my family and it was phenomenal! This will be my go to from now on! We like a little bit more spice (even though I did use the ground cayenne) so next time I think I will add in a little tiny bit of freshly dried cayenne. But this recipe had soo much flavor! It’s worth a try!!!
I made this tonight and it’s phenomenal! I’ve tried many different chili recipes and haven’t fallen in love with any of them until now. So glad I stumbled across this recipe!
Easy recipe and it’s so good!!!
Just made this tonight, if not the best chili, then it’s definitely top 3. I added maybe just a bit more cayenne. Cheddar cheese, sour cream and green onion on top. Perfect.
This is the best chili recipe ever! My son ate the entire pot in one day!
Great recipe. Easy to do most items are staples in our house making it easy to pull together. I kept the cayenne as my men love spicy! Thanks for sharing. Definitely will keep this in my bag of tricks to whip up again.
This was so good and my whole family loved it. We ate it with corn chips and the only change we made was to put less cumin and less chili powder. It was so delicious and not too hard to make even though I’m only eleven! 🙂
I seriously use this recipe every time I make chili. My husband grew up on chili and this is by far his favorite too. Thank you for sharing!!
FANTASTIC! I used beef stock instead of beef broth. Not a bean fan in my chili so I skipped it.
Excellent recipe! Used kidney and pintos…and a combo of ground beef and Italian sausage…eyeballed it a bunch as I do but still, it was the best chili I’ve ever made! Thank you!
Great recipe! We doubled this recipe and it was really good. I would probably do a little less chili powder next time but otherwise great flavor.
My husband requested homemade chili (but I hadn’t made any in over ten years), then I found this recipe. After a quick trip to the grocery store, voila! The chili tasted good and the recipe was simple and thorough. Thanks!
Sooooooo delicious! I used the exact measurements for the seasonings as a foundation for flavor and then added additional seasoning for my taste preference.
It’s sooooooooo yummy! Solid recipe!
This chili is so good our family loves it
My husband husband is a very picky eater. He loved this recipe and so did I! I think this is the best chili ever!!! I added a little bit of cinnamon and only used 2 tablespoons of sugar and used garlic salt instead of garlic powder (just a pinch). This is a recipe we will make from now on!