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’ve made this recipe now twice. I also added two tablespoons of powdered unsweetened cocoa. REALLY GOOD!!!
Great recipe. I used half sausage and half venison burger. I noticed that some reviews said they used less cumin, so I did also, and it suited my taste well.
I was very sad to discover that I had no beef broth in my cupboard 😫 I used chicken broth instead and it still turned out wonderful.
This was sooo yummmy!!! My kids and husband tore it up, added rice and corn bread as a side and it was a hit. I did omit onions since my husband doesn’t like them 😣 I only put 1 TBS of sugar and I did double the recipe since we are a family of 5 and this can last for a few days. Never would of thought to add beef broth. I did add a pack of chilli meat. Will definitely keep!!
Made exactly as instructed, the first time.
Then I enhanced it with some tumeric, honey and less broth the second time.
Both were great, and had everyone coming for seconds.
Thanks for the easy to follow instructions.
This was the best chili I’ve ever made. Thank you!
Great
I use this recipe for a Chili Cook Off contest at work and won 1st place! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This was the best chili I’ve made to date! Saving this recipe for future use! Thanks!
What a dope chili recipe! The only things I did differently was leave out the sugar, added 2 cups of beef broth, and let simmer for 2+ hours to develop deeper flavors. The cumin adds such warmth and that tiny bit of cayenne adds an enjoyable kick. This chili recipe is great and definitely allows room for personal tweaks!
This chili was amazing! So much flavor. Really simple to make. Wouldn’t change a thing!
WoW. So so delicious!!! Classic, straightforward and amazing! And it does not require tons of time, a major plus! Done a lot of chili in my life and This one will be my go to from now on. I did the recipe twice now. First time as is and second added a tablespoon of cocoa powder to add a different kinds of depth. It’s perfect as is and is a wonderful base for further experimenting if so desired. Thank you so much for the recipe!
How did it taste when you added the cocoa?
Way TOO MUCH CUMIN! That’s literally all I can taste. I’m so disappointed.
Way to much cumin!! I thought it was a typo, but apparently not. It ruined that batch of chili for me.
i TOTALLY AGREE. I doubled the recipe using 2 pounds of ground meat, and the cumin still way overpowered even though I did not double the cumin. We didn’t t eat very much of it.
Ditto on the WAY TOO MUCH CUMIN!!! Still trying to figure out how to doctor it to make it edible.
Extremely good. Was pleasantly surprised how well it tasted right away, I usually like chili leftovers better than fresh.
I did think that it was a little on the sweet side and would probably cut the sugar in half next time.
This is probably a good family-friendly recipe in that the ‘heat’ isn’t too high and it’s sweet. The next day, it was too acidic. I’m sure the sugar is intended to offset the tomato paste, but I question the need for either. I think next time I’ll omit both in favor of more tomato sauce or another can of diced tomatoes.
Can this be done in a slow cooker?
Yes, brown the beef on the stovetop and add onions until beef is browned and onions softened. Transfer to crock pot, add remaining ingredients, cook on low 6-8 hours or 4 hours on high.
I made it in a slower cooker. I browned the meat and sautéed the onions on the stove before adding to the slow cooker. Just added everything else in the recipe and set on low for couple hours. Stirred occasionally. It turned out great.
Yes, but I do cook my beef and onions on the stove top first. Then just throw all the ingredients in the crockpot, stir well to mix all the ingredients together. Then set to low for 8 hrs, or high for 4 to 5 hours. That’s what I do when using my crock pot.
This was a very easy recipe. My family and I loved it.
Thank U so much for sharing this delicious recipe!!..This is my 2nd time making it…..My husband & I LOVE it…..I do omit the beef broth, tho….Maybe next time I will try it with the broth.,..
if you did not use the beef broth, what did you use as a liquid instead?
Did you substitute the beef broth with something else or leave it out completely? Forgot to purchase
This recipe is truly amazing and inspirational!
I have never made chili before when I was asked to make some for a chili cook-off for a charity fund raiser event. I decided to give this recipe a shot. I did change it a bit to make it more my own style but overall the bulk of my chili was made by this recipe. I am going to save this recipe, include my own minor changes, and keep it as a family recipe for those cold blustery evenings when we are all sitting by the fire wrapped in a blanket.
Thank you very much for sharing this recipe and allowing us to benefit from your hard work. FYI, I got first place in the cook-off 😉
Would you mind sharing the minor changes? Congrats!! I love Chili and need a new got to recipe
Can I ask what changes you made 😁
How can you tell us you won a chili cook-off with a modification of this recipe and not tell us what exactly you did so we can try it too..
Made this tonight, it was awesome! My husband had two servings. 👍 I did omit the sugar based on the reviews and I modified the suggestions on amount of spices to add in. I forgot to purchase the chilli powder but it still came out great.
Easy to make and delicious chili recipe.
Just finishing my first batch now. Can’t wait to try it!
How many ounces is 1 serving ? Trying to determine calories for a 4 oz serving