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.
My family lived this recipe. I switched out the powdered garlic for fresh minced garlic and it was fantastic. Definitely a keeper!
Perfect! Best chili recipe. My family loved it. I didn’t make any changes. I look forward to making this again.
I don’t normally like chili, but this chili was packed with flavor and warmth. I think you could use any bean you choose. I tried black beans since I had them on hand and it was great! Thank you!
Love the recipe. I had some leftover turkey that I used for tacos, added the beans and other ingredients….WONDERFUL!!!!
EXCELLENT! Made a vegan version with Yves Mexican ground and mushroom broth. It’s so delicious.
First time I’ll be cooking chilli and used this recipe and it came out sooo delicious!!! I added shrimps and used chicken broth, instead of beef broth. My boyfriend got crazy eating this and says he’s fallen in love with me a hundred times more.😂😂😂
I just tried the recipe. Too much sugar. Only a pinch is necessary. Otherwise it is a good recipe.
This is my go-to chili recipe. I follow the directions exactly, except I leave out the sugar and add some oregano. I also usually let it simmer partially covered all afternoon, instead of cooking uncovered for 25 minutes—but you can’t really go wrong either way. Great flavor. Super easy.
The title says it all, classic taste, and delicious!
My seven tear wanted to learn how to make chili and this is the recipe I chose. I feel like it is a really good recipe but for our family it has a bit too much sugar. I would just say try it without the sugar and add in sugar a little bit at a time to see how much is needed to cut the bitterness of the tomatoes. Thank you for the recipe, it is really good!
Really good recipe!
I didn’t have a small can of tomato sauce or beef broth, so I used a whole little can of tomato paste and chicken broth and skipped the sugar. I think this helped to balance out the liquid and sweetness.
I also added one chopped jalapeno and one serano pepper and a bunch of chopped garlic.
It turned out great!
I make this recipe all the time 🙂
I’ve tried quite a few chili recipes. This is by far the best. My husband who typically doesn’t like chili gave a thumbs up. Finally!
I’ve made this twice now. It is by far the BEST chili recipe ever! I wouldn’t change a thing.
This recipe is AMAZING! My changes/additions were using one tablespoon of ground coriander because I’m out of cumin, using a jar of salsa in place of the diced tomatoes, doubling the amount of tomato sauce, adding a can of black beans and then topping the chili with some fried leftover tamale (masa) dough. Delicious! I will be making again.
I LOVE chili and have never been able to find the perfect recipe that checked every box for me, but this is it. It was so absolutely delicious!!! I added a little extra cayenne because I like a kick. It really is the perfect consistency of chili, it’s not too watery or too thick and spices blend so well together. I used the specified amount of sugar and didn’t find that it was too sweet for me, so make sure you cook it long enough if you use the amount of sugar called for.
Gotta say really like that recipe. I stuck to the measurements and it tasted like awesome chili.
O M G. This recipe is so simple but it tastes like a million bucks. My boyfriend is not a big fan of chili and it took some convincing on this rainy day. He was shocked at how good it was and even said he was going to bring some for lunch tomorrow at work ! The only thing i did different was i make my own chicken, vegetable and beef broth with “Better than Bouillon” and I put 1.5 tablespoons of beef base to 2.5 cups of water. Great job.
Made it and loved it. Am now going to make it again today. If I double it do I double everything?
Yes, double everything. I don’t double the sugar because I don’t like it too sweet, but the tomatoes needs a bit of sugar.
Delicious! Making it for the second time. The first time was a hit with the family.
Can i put this in a crock pot?
I think it would be done in record time, but you could do it on low and check on it frequently. I’d brown the beef first, pour off the grease and put it in the crock pot 5-10 minutes before everything else is done. I don’t think it will taste exactly the same (made in a crock pot) but I can’t imagine that the crock pot version won’t be very good. I think I’ll try this both stove top and crock pot. See which one I like best. (It’ll probably be the stove top.)
I did on high for 4 hour I just cooked my veggies and meat in a pan and poured it in.
I don’t see any reason why not. Just be sure to use lean beef or it will be really greasy!