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.
Kicks butt, love it…
Have used this recipe for years! It’s super easy and so delicious. My family LOVES it!
It was amazing best chili I’ve ever had only thing I’m doing this time is leaving the sugar out girl didn’t like the sweetness last time but I loved it.
Such great flavor in this chili. My young children, loved it!
Best chili recipe!
Absolutely a 5-star recipe! It is the classic warm, meaty chili flavor that’s a fan favorite! I omit the beans (a personal preference) and did add the cayenne pepper which gives it a perfect little zing!
So many chili recipes out there but this one is shareable. I’ve tried it with ground beef, pork and chicken and all were wonderful!
Delicious…..added chuck roast to it with other meat. Family loved!!
Easiest best chili I am made in heaven
Wow!! Packed with flavor, this chili was a hit!! Definitely a keeper recipe foe my house.
Delicious!!
My husband and I love it. Just added some hot sauce.
Absolutely amazing! My husband doesn’t like chilli and ate almost all of it! Thank you for Sharing!
I was born and raised in Southwest Texas
and I can honestly say ” This tastes like home ! “
Great, I used 2 table spoons of chili powder the second time around and added 1/2 pounds of sausage. My friends want to pay me to make it for them. The sugar is the secret, I used just a pinch more.
This was an easy recipe and made a delicious chili. It is so good I made it last week and again this week! Try it, you won’t be disappointed.
My families favorite recipe! The only difference is I slow cook mine. You definitely should give this recipe a try!
Best chili I ever had. I added an equal amount of Italian mild sausage. My friends want to pay me to make it for them.
Love this recipe
Made this with chunks of ground sirloin. Added fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and homemade beans instead of canned beans.It came out amazing. I’ve never made chili where it called for sugar. It was delicious for sure. Added ancho Chile powder for a little more spice. It was so flavorful.
My new go to chili recipe!
Great recipe. Easy, straightforward, tastes really good. If I had a go-to chili recipe this would be it.
Just made this for lunch. The chili is DELICIOUS! I did not alter it in any way. I served it over rice with sweet yellow cornbread on the side. We added shredded cheese, sour cream and black olives on top. Yummy!!!!
Love this recipe. I have made it several the past few months.
I used low or no sodium it came out delicious I just made it for the 4 th time love it and so easy just right for a single guy .
I think this is going to be my new chili recipe! I’m a picky chili lover and I thought mine was the best but this is better. I probably will cut the sugar back just a bit (maybe by a 1/2 T). I added a small can of green chilies and a can of pinto beans so I used a 15 oz. can of tomato sauce. It was delicious! It even converted my chili hating daughter to a chili loving one! Thanks for the great recipe!
Great chili and easy to make. Wondered about the spice level but it’s perfect. Next time I’ll use a little less sugar for more of the spice kick. Thanks for the recipe!
This was delicious. Keeper for sure!
My first time making chili – amazing! I subbed black beans for kidney (personal preference). I used about a 1/4tsp of cayenne but may just do a pinch next time because I am very spice sensitive. Will make this regularly!
Very good 👍🏻 chili
And I’m not a chili person
It is very very flavourful and scrumptious
I’ve made this several times and it’s always a hit with family and friends. My go to chili recipe.
I found this recipe while looking for the best chili to make for dinner. It popped up – easy recipe to follow
I only added 2 cloves of fresh garlic and corn kernels at the end. It is surely a keeper.
This is very good. I added only 3/4 tsp of cumin on the advice of a previous comment. I also added 1/2 can of mild chili beans just because I had them leftover from something else. I added some brown sugar to taste at the end of cooking time just because my husband doesn’t like spicy foods. Sorry for the minor changes. This was so good, my husband raved about it. We had it for dinner and then again for lunch the next day.
Husband and kids raved about this one and asked me to be sure to keep the recipe!
I am thrilled with this recipe. It has just the right amount of seasonings. I did add a small can of fire-roasted green chilies for our family. This is my new go-to chili recipe :-). Thank you!
EXCELLENT RECIPE!!! I substituted a few ingredients and used smoked salt, smoked paprika, and fire roasted diced tomatoes and then added two TBL spoons of maple syrup and a quarter cup of Guiness Extra Stout beer.
I also added the smoked salt and fire roasted tomatoes and this came out Amazing!!
Fantastic!!!
I don’t normally comment on recipes, but this one was really good. Easy to adjust spices as per your own taste. Thank you!
I made this and it is now my families favorite chili!! I halved the sugar and added in a 1/2 cup of green chili’s. Will be making it again soon.
This chili is delicious, though it’s a bit more work than the one I usually make. It has a little bit of a bite to it – just right.
Excellent recipe! I have made several times and everyone loves it!
I made the recipe as is except only 1tsp. of sugar. It was very good.
Family loves it. Even my brother who doesn’t like chile ate it.
First time making my own chili and I am OBSESSED with this recipe! I’ve already made it twice in 2 weeks, the first batch was the x1 portion size just to try it out and the second batch was x3. And it came out amazing each time. The only thing I changed was the beans which I kept out (I prefer my chili without beans).
Made this chili today. It was absolutely amazing!! I used salsa instead of diced tomatoes.
This recipe is amazing! So easy and so yummy. My boyfriend is a huge fan. Perfect for a cold snowy night!
Simple, easy and great flavor.
Pretty darn delicious and foolproof! My one comment is that the cumin flavour is very overpowering, i would recommend halving or even quartering it and adding more at the end if you want.
Charlene … most people don’t know that store bought chili powder already contains cumin. It is not just chili powder. So yes … cut back on the cumin, if you find it overwhelming.
Love this recipe!, I also added chopped olives 🫒 and mushrooms 🍄…try to make it 1 or 2 times month. Thanks 😊 🫂 🙏
This is delicious! Would probably do one less tablespoon of cumin, it’s a bit strong, but still really good as is!