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 never leave comments on recipes I try. But this one I had to because it is the very best chili I have ever made! During this coronavirus, I was not able to find organic chicken, but I did find grass-fed organic beef. So I looked for a new chili recipe and found this one. I didn’t have beef broth so I used vegetable broth instead. I also added some sliced jalapenos. Oh the flavors are wonderful, and I definitely will make this recipe again. Thank you!
Great recipe, easy to follow and my family did love it. Thanks
Has anyone made this without the tomato paste or substituted it with something else?
I ran out of tomato paste, but had some sloppy joe sauce. I added about 6 ounces, just enough to thicken it up a little bit. A little bit of bottled chili sauce would work great too, I imagine.
I had the paste but I didn’t have tomato sauce so I used some
Spaghetti sauce. It was my first time making it and it came out great!!
Yes just used canned diced tomatoes for mine still turned out great
Yep- my go to recipe/ I also add diced green pepper with onion/- I also drain all fat after I brown the beef – I make a big batch, it freezes very well!!
Yes, very delicious recipe, I added the green peppers too.
This is a five star chili for sure! I’d never made homemade chili before and it was delicious. Thank you so much! I left out the cayenne because my daughter doesn’t like overly spicy and it was still excellent. It’s going in my book of favourites.
I doubled the beef amount, and added avocado as a topping! Delicious!
Wanted to find a simple chili recipe and by far this was easy and taste wonderful. I made a first attempt and it was so bland it wasn’t worth eating. My second attempt with a different recipe and came out wonderful. My daughter (pickest eater) even loved this chili recipe. Only thing is I added some red peppers to give it a little kick, but overall my new go to for chili!
Do you mean THIS recipe was bland? Or the one prior to trying this recipe?
Yummy!! We loved the recipe. Two spice changes: only 1 T of cumin and a 1/4 t of coriander. Since I didn’t have tomato sauce, I added 6 oz of tomato paste and a 1/2 cup of water. Simmered covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 1.5 hours. Thanks for the recipe!
I left out the sugar, cheyene pepper. Cut the cumin and salt in halfadded a tsp of onion powder, and two pre-boiled peeled potatoes chopped up. Very good.
So basically you made something else altogether
haha exactly!
This recipe needs to be doubled for sure, but it is really good!
A great chili recipe for all of us that are staying at home due to Corona Virus. I doubled the ground beef and used 2 cans of chili flavored beans as well as 2 cans of tomatoes. And since I’m originally from Kentucky added some broken spaghetti like my Mom used to make. Delicious!
Dynamite !😋😋🤪🤗👍🇺🇸
I am 59 years old this is the first chili I’ve ever made in my life homemade. I followed the instructions except I did not have garlic powder so I used to garlic salt. For me it was a little too salty. But other than that it was the Perfect Blend of ingredients for the perfect flavor of chilli.
This is really delicious!! My whole family love it and it’s so quick and easy to make! A definite winner
Great chili! Just the right amount of spices and thickness to the sauce. I’ll come back to this one again and again. We had some leftover mac and cheese which we mixed in. Yummy.
Just made this for my 2 year old and partner. They both licked their bowls clean, loved it! and so easy!
yummy!! Made this with 1 pack of the vegan beyond meat crumbles and it just fits perfectly, might even be better than with regular meat dare I say… Thank you for the recipe!
Great flavor! Thank you for the recipe!
Made this for the first time and ….wow this was the perfect chili for us plan on making this again.
I have made this chilli several times in fact I’m making it tonight for supper. its an amazing chilli