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.
BEST CHILI EVER!! The sugar made is super good! I also doubled everything because I have a big family to feed, and it was perfect for 5-7 people!
So good and so easy 😊
I cut the sugar in half and it was still too sweet. And I also thought there was an overkill with the tomatoes; diced, paste, and sauce is just too much. It overpowered the chili powder and beef.
Use crushed tomatoes. Half sugar amount.
My new go to Chili recipe. Made this for a family gathering and everyone raved about it!
My favirite chili recipe! Super easy and everyone loves it!
Easy and good
Outstanding. Always looking for new chili recipes. This one hit all the marks: flavor, consistency, ease.
I loved it my whole life I’ve used water .never again its gonna be broth so thank you for that and I also used black beans instead of kidney just a preference for me
Try using 46 oz of v8 for the liquid!!
excellent
Superbowl dinner .everyone loved it
This is the best chili recipe I believe I’ve ever made. Just wonderful!
Amazing!
I did add chickpeas just because I love them. And I diced fresh tomatoes. Used 1.5 TBSP sugar because I was worried it may be too sweet- it was perfect!
I added chickpeas too and subbed brown sugar! Yum
This was delicious! Based on previous reviews I cut back on the sugar and cumin. My husband loved it!
This is my go to chili recipe now. Delicious!
This recipe is everything!!Just perfect. I’m a huge chilli lover and I will never make it any other way!!Thank you for this fantastic recipe!!
So, so good! I ad some paprika, a little chocolate powder, and a variety of fresh peppers and it’s spectacular! Thank you for this easy and easily modified recipe!
Best recipe for chili that I’ve found. It’s classic but very flavorful. I halved the sugar the second time I used it and it was still delish! Highly recommend.
This is my first time to make chili. I’m vegetarian so I substituted the beef for one of the new “plant based” meats. It was delicious!! I didn’t have any cumin so I am looking forward to trying it again with the additional spice!
Great recipe. I doubled meat and beans as well as the spices. Kept to the original recipe, which was exactly what we wanted. Next time I might experiment with more cumin and add brown sugar instead of white. I would do this because I love to experiment, not because there was anything wrong with the recipe.
Money is no object…..It was good chili….
In my opinion, this is a very good, well rounded hearty chili. 5 stars from me.
Have made it several times now, lot of compliments on it. Always best the next day.
Only thing l add is a bell pepper. All my chilies get a bell pepper.
Same! I added the bell pepper!