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.
Tasty. Delicious!
This was excellent. Few changes though. 1# Mild Italian sausage and 1# ground turkey, black beans, hickory and mesquite liquid smoke 1/2 Tbsp each, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 cup chicken bone broth. The liquid smoke, cinnamon, paprika added extras.
Best Ever seriously
Best chili ever!!!
Awesome recipe. Way too sweet for my taste though. I think I’m going to leave out the sugar next time. All the flavors are really good!
Hi! I am making this tonight and im so excited! Can i use tomato paste instead of sauce Thank you so much!
This is right on the money fast and easy! Because we’re in lockdown, I used canned tomato soup for the tomato sauce and jalapeno blackeyed peas. Really, thank you for giving us a fantastic recipe; it’s delicious!
I made this recipe and entered it is a chili cookoff at church. It brought 2nd prize ($100.00) out of over 100 entries. I didn’t change anything. Great recipe
Super good chili. I realized when making this that I under season my chili. This is sooo good. Had to to use ground turkey, but still very, very good!
I should have read the asterisk about cayenne pepper… I added not thinking of HOW spicy it would become. My family eats a lot of Pakistani & Indian food and this was 50x spicier. Good thing for lots of sour cream. Overall – without my mistake of the cayenne pepper – it was good and SUPER easy to make.
Delicious and simple recipe which comes together so quickly! I added half a cup of coffee, half a cup of dark beer, and a couple teaspoons of cocoa to give it a richer, more complex flavor. The end result was absolutely delicious!
I made this without the chili powder and peppers because my husband can’t tolerate it. Even without those, it had so much flavor. My whole family loved it, and it was VERY easy and quick to make!
Absolutely amazing chili! Very easy to make as well. I personally also added some cinnamom after making it about 4 times before and it became even better.
Make this you will not regret it!
I can’t believe you serve this to your children. My throat is burning, my head is sweating, my face is on fire…and I didn’t add any cayenne. I will try it again with half the chili powder. Last chance!
AWESOME recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it!
Excellent..I used a meat substitute and an extra can of red kidney beans to give a meatier texture for a vegetarian husband..he loved it as did I..easy and great seasonings
excellent, delicious, easy, and fool proof
This is scrumptious! I added corn and chick peas for a little twist. Chili is great because you can add virtually anything and it still tastes good. I also added fresh bits of garlic. It’s spicy, but great with a little sour cream. 10/10 for me!!!!
Excellent. Have made it twice over the last few days of the pandemic. I use 1/2 as much chili powder and no cayenne, but otherwise it’s great. I substituted chicken broth as I was out of beef but it was still delicious. Thanks!
If I want to triple this recipe (3 lbs. lean gr. beef) how would I adjust the spices? Thanks.
Multiply them all by 3. If it calls for 1 tablespoon, you’d use 3. If it calls for 1/2 tablespoon, you’d use 1.5.