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.
Delicious!! Super simple and easy! I did make a few changes…..fresh garlic instead of garlic powder, chicken broth instead of beef broth, and I added a green bell pepper that I had on hand. We topped it with sour cream, cheese, and avacado. I will definitely be making this again!
I forgot to add…..I only put in half the sugar. I also made this with ground venison, so I also added a good bit of extra olive oil.
Way too much cumin
Great recipe! I opted out of the sugar and cumin and it turned out so good!
Other than the sugar and salt that I have to omit (diabetic and over 70 yrs old) the combined taste at the end is very, very good. I never learned how spices work or do not work with certain foods. You certainly have mastered the trade of combining different foods and spices for a finished entree.
Now I will try some other offerings of yours.
Keep up the great work !!
Fantastic?! 54 yo husband who made chili for the first time! It was marvelous. Added one jalapeños do one red chili pepper, both diced!
Wife couldn’t believe how good it was and does not know where I came up with the recipe! Lol!
Thx. Jim
This is the best chili I have ever made. I doubled the recipe and substituted fire roasted diced tomatoes for the plain. I also used the optional cayenne pepper. With the toppings- diced jalapenos, green onions, shredded sharp cheddar, and sour cream it was soooooo good. My family, including the picky eater, was very happy.
So, as a chili recipe this is not great. It’s too sweet and the cumin makes it taste like taco meat. BUT! When you use it as a taco salad instead (when you’re trying not to throw it out because its not chili…), its great! Needs more salt and spice, but I made it exactly as written and its better as taco salad filling.
ive cooked this recipe over and over again. its great. its my go-to recipe when im craving chili. since then ive expanded upon this recipe and added other things like chocolate, ghost chili, beer, and fish sauce. yes, fish sauce, since it makes the whole thing taste beefier and deeper and the fishy taste dissappears after cooking for some time.
Awesome recipe. Ee ate everybit. The cumin.makes it. Better the 2nd day too.
We absolutely loved this recipe! And will make it again and again! I always double my recipes, so I can freeze some for later. Doubled everything and came out perfect. I prefer to use 85% rather than 90% ground beef, adds a little more flavor and doesn’t dry out as easily. I season each layer of ingredient, so I did use a little more salt and pepper. (very little each time)
I grew up eating chili with macaroni noodles in it, I thought that was the way it was suppose to be, lol. I didn’t miss them in this recipe, but I will add more kidney beans. 2 cans per 1 lb. of ground beef.
Thank you! For sharing this delicious recipe!
This is the best chili I ever made. I was out of cumin so used tumeric. I only used a pinch of cayenne. I uded some tomatoes I had frozen. It definitely rated 5 stars and will I will definitely use the recipe again.
Awesome recipe! iI I want to cook for 12 servings, do i double everything???
Thanks!
I made two batches of this chili, one with diced tomatoes and one with crushed tomatoes. I took the crushed tomato one to a chili cook-off yesterday and I won! The sauce, I think, is what makes this so good. Very hearty and flavorful. I did use the cayenne too.
I followed the recipe exactly. Turn out great. It is easy and fast, highly recommend!
When you doubled the recipe did you double the spices?
THIS WAS AWFUL!!! The sugar ruined it. I am blown away because the reviews are amazing. I was so excited to make this, and literally tried for hours to correct the odd sweet taste…ended up trashing the whole pot 🙁
Fantastic ans easy.
All I can say is wonderful. So very good. Easy to make. Didn’t take hours and better. Husband loved it too. I skipped the Cheyenne pepper and it still had plenty off flavor and a great blend of spices.
This was the worst chili I have ever had. It was too sweet and and the cumin was overpowering. My husband and I forced down a bowl of it and threw away the rest. I should have went with my instincts and left out the sugar and halved the cumin. Don’t waste your time and money.
Wow. First time I made this and it is wonderful. I will Definitely make it again.
Can I use white cannelloni beans in place of red kidney beans??
Absolutely, I personally use a mix of red, pink, white, yellow and black beans for my chili. They all have different nutrients. It’s not classic, but it IS delicious and nutritious.
You can use whatever beans you’d like in your chili. I wouldn’t recommend using any split peas or anything like that. I use this recipe but I use black beans, pinto and small red kidney. It’s so good with those 3 beans.
Absolutely! I often interchange my beans to make whatever im in the mood for! I like black beans, too, as looking as I’ve added kidney beans as well.
Best chili recipe EVER! I’ve made it three times now. Thank you!!! 🙂