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 have made this recipe several times and I love it. I have cooked, cooled & frozen this chili to bring camping twice. It freezes well, reheats well, and is easily a crockpot recipe if you brown your beef and sauté your onions beforehand.
all the adults in the house loved it!
Great recipe but made these changes – Halved the sugar, Omitted the salt and Cayenne Pepper, subsituted Mild Rotel for diced tomatoes, used black beans with the red kidney beans.
Truly the best chili! I always cook in a crockpot for several hours.
This chili is insanely good – the best I’ve ever had. I dont make anything else since finding this a couple years ago! No tweaking needed whatsoever.
My first time making homemade chili and this recipe was everything. It did not disappoint! Was a hit with everyone in my family of 5. My husband was even at work today hoping noone ate the bowl that was leftover because he had forgotten to take it to work. He was too late myself and my 2 year old finished it off. The only change I made was I used Chicken broth instead of beef (I forgot it when I went for the other ingredients) and then of course seasoned to my liking.
This is my go to chili recipe. I make it in the Instant Pot and it’s super quick and easy. Delicious every time!
Good recipe- easy very tasty- but needs the little kick of tobasco! Also
Family loves it on chilly days( pun intended)
I loved this recipe !
This is now my “go to” chili recipe. I use ground impossible “beef” and no one can tell the difference. This seasoning profile is SO much better than those packets you buy at the grocery. Fantastic recipe.
I Love this recipe so does everyone I made it for, only thing I changed was I used Venison burger & added Celery salt to get rid of the wild taste & added fresh minced garlic 🧄 fresh diced jalapeños cooked it in crockpot after cooked the meat onions & garlic . I then added shredded cheese & crackers after I served it
This recipe is among the best chili I have ever had. I doubled the batch the first time and actually used truvia instead of sugar. It was amazing. I’m just finishing up a second double batch. The whole family has been asking for it. Outstanding.
Simple and awesome!!! If you want a quick, hearty and delicious meal; this is it!!!
It’s a tradition in my family to make chili on Halloween and this was my first time trying to make it myself. Directions were SO easy and it tasted GREAT! Thank you!
Best chili I ever made, I added 1 can Ro-tel. Which gave it a little extra kick. Family loved it.
This chili was a huge hit with my family! The only mistake I made was not making a double batch!
I’ve been making this recipe for years now and it has never failed. I make double batches because my neighbors love it so much too and I make some for them with some corn bread.
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Tasted great! Easy to make too. I cooked the sauce in a crockpot instead of cooking in the saucepan. I didn’t add the cayenne and had to use garlic salt instead of powder.
Its pretty good but has a very strong cummin flavor. Maybe do 1 tablespoon instead of 2 if you’re not a huge fan of that flavor. Otherwise, it’s delicious!
This recipe is pretty good. I just thought it was way too sweet for chili. I would reduce the sugar by at least half. I was wondering if it was supposed to be 2 teaspoons instead of tablespoons. Thanks!
Have made this many times now; coming to say THANK YOU for sharing this recipe, it is absolute perfection. Exactly what I want when I am craving chili. It is so easy to make, quick, and no fussiness. I use it to make a cheese dip recipe, too (layer baking dish with cream cheese, chili, shredded cheese- bake at 400 for 10 mins or until bubbly- so good!).