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.
The flavor in this chili is spot on. I add corn and extra black beans. This is my go-to recipe always.
For those watching salt intake: I’ve been making a similar recipe for years, and never added any additional salt. The spices provide great flavor. And once you’re used to lower salt, try reduced sodium broth and even no salt tomatoes!
But this recipe is a KEEPER! Thank you for sharing.
Delicious ❤️
I made this a few years ago and loved it. I’ve since adjusted here and there to eliminate waste (who uses 2T of tomato paste or 1 1/2 C of beef broth???). The spice quantity is definitely on point.
Best chili ever! I make it often
Oh my goodness. This is the best chili recipe. I took a batch to my dad and son, both called about how great it was. My son used the word excellent!! Made it exactly as the recipe states and will never cook chili any other way.
Best chili ever!! Nice and sweet incoming with a bit of heat afterwards!! Loved it!!!
I tried this recipe for the first time. I wasn’t sure about all the cumin, so I did like 1.75 tablespoons of it. For me it’s a little too strong, it hits you in the back of the throat. But what I did to fix that was added the whole can of tomato paste, a 28 oz can of the crushed tomatoes, a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 cup of water. Now I know this will sound weird, but online said this is one of the things you can add to offset the cumin, so I added 4 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, no you cannot taste the lemon juice. I actually fresh squeezed the juice to 1 tablespoon size amounts and froze in ice cube trays so they are portioned out, worked great for this. This fixed the overpowering cumin, and made it taste so much brighter. I also added 2 cut up Delmonico steaks. I seared and seasoned them real quick, cooled them off and cut them in small bite size chunks. This really tastes delicious. Now I’m going to make the Durgin-Park Restaurant Corn Bread.
The perfect spice combination for the perfect chili and it’s so easy to put together! This will be my go-to chili recipe from now on. Thanks!
I used some chuck roast and cooked it longer. The flavor was perfect. I will definitely make this again. I think this is my favorite chili recipe now.
Question. Can you blend the diced tomatoes. My family will not eat any chunky tomatoes
I too really do believe you’ve found the best chili ever! This is soooooo good, it is in my regular rotation now. My family loves it too. I added corn, celery and mushrooms tonight to add more nutrition but it is perfect tasting the way it is in the recipe 🙂
Love the recipe!
Does 1 serving equal 1 cup?
Everyone gets excited when they know THIS chili bean recipe is on the menu ~ the flavor balance is perfect and the chili comes out nice and thick. Tonight I was low on regular chili powder so I substituted 1/2 ancho chili powder and it was just as delicious . We always top our bowls with grated cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. It’s the perfect meal on a cold evening with homemade cornbread (try the Land O’Lakes recipe..it’s another family favoriite) . Enjoy
The best chilli recipe I’ve ever tasted. I will always use this one.
This is our go to chili! The only one we make now and everyone loves it! Thank you!
LOVE this recipe. I have been making it for years for my husband and for gatherings and it’s a hit every time.
I usually double up on the beans because I like them.
I have been making this recipe for last 3 years
Everyone tells me it’s best Chili they have ever had
Do you drain the fat from the beef?
This would be EXCELLENT, except there’s way too much cumin, and a little too much sugar for my entire family. I made it for a get together after Christmas for 8 people, and everyone agreed. The consistency, heat, everything else is on par, except that. I’ll definitely make again, but reduce the cumin by half, to start with, and reduce the sugar a little as well.