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.
I made this for my family and they said it was the best chili they’ve ever eaten. I did sub the kidney bean for charro beans though. My brother in law doesn’t like things to spicy and this was the perfect combination of spices. I’d been looking for a chili recipe that pleased everyone so thank you so much. It’s my go to recipe now.
I had to quadruple the recipe. It still wasn’t enough. It is that hood
Wow! I had never seen a chili recipe that calls for broth and was skeptical but curious…this is the BEST chili I have ever had! We made it twice in one week and now we double the recipe every time we make it. I wish everything I liked came out as amazing as this!
Excellent recipe I added Chipotle chili powder for kick.
The best chili I have ever had!! As a 47 year old man and a self proclaimed chili con·nois·seur I am the final word on chili. Period.. And this here is #1 by a country mile. For me to rank this above my mother’s homemade chili took every inch of my being. But I did. Sorry Mom God rest her soul 🙏 I believe she would agree with me in this particular case. I’ve been telling everyone that I tried a few things differently to attain such an amazing chili meanwhile I just followed this recipe to the T, and everyone absolutely loves it. Oh well I’ll sleep just as well every night knowing I told a small white lie. Anyways I want to personally thank you for sharing this Recipe. I’ll never change a thing 😁
Delicious!!
Love!! Next time we are going to double the recipe since it got gobbled up!!
Best chili recipe I have tried
Amazing, so delicious
Our favourite Chili Recipe! Used fresh garlic instead of powder, left out the sugar and the cayenne. Delicious, tasty and hot enough for us. A definite keeper thanks so much❤️
Amazing! Thank you so much, family loved it!
The best Tks
Very good, thank you, hubby had 2nd’s
Finally, a recipe that lives up to it’s name. This was really the BEST chili I have made , extremely flavorful, perfect texture. I will definitely be making again
Made this tonight. Quick to make and really flavorful. Every had two bowls. Excellent chili recipe.
This is near perfect for my taste anyway. Can’t remember how I came to find it here on the internet but am so happy I did.
It is the perfect base chili that cooks can add to or subtract from to find just what they like. Me I left it alone and made it just the way the recipe called for. It was great. Thanks for the recipe.
I never post comments, but this is my favorite classic chili recipe! I’ve tried more recipes that’s I can count and this one is IT!! It is on repeat at my house. Thank you for such a wonderful, easy recipe!
This is such a great chili recipe and super easy. It is one of my favorites to make.
Fantastic basic chili recipe that’s easy to tweek to your own liking. It was my first time making chili and it was delicious.
Some things I did differently were using canned chili beans (1 kidney and 1 black beans) with their sauce and left the tomato sauce out. I also added a finely chopped Carolina Reaper for a little extra kick.
I made this chilli and added canned mushrooms and pure beef smoked sausage cut into bite size pieces which came fully cooked so I added them in the last 10 minutes to heat them up, my family said it was delicious and a keeper. Excellent chilli thank you