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 made this recipe tonight and my family did not like it at all. I think it calls for way too much cumin! Should probably only call for 1 tsp of cumin. I doubledit so I put in 4 tablespoons of cumin! Also, a tad too much chili powder.
Easy great recipe. I used some homemade plain red beans I had on hand and otherwise followed recipe ingredients as written. Direction wise, I cooked it down uncovered to be less soupy. No other adjustments. Delicious
I have tried so many Chili recipes, and this truly is THE BEST!! Absolutely loved it. It will be on the menu of every future camping trip. 🙂 Made exactly as recipe states with the addition of another can of beans. Thank you!
Thank you for recipe best Chilli. My family love it I just add one can of Pinto beans as well and add a little more stock.
Simmering now, tastes and smells amazing. Added a couple tbs bourbon and a teaspoon Dijon mustard, and another can of beans, pinto, and 1/2 can corn. With a dollop of sour cream on top it will be amazing, I think. Will serve with cornbread and salad.
Love this recipe!!
It was good i added green pepper and a got tomato with chilis in it and it was really good gave it a bit of a kick but it will also have you in the bathroom the rest of the night. Would i make it again…. Yes as long as i was gonna be home the rest of the night
Does anyone know how much to make to feed 10 very hungry people? Should I double, triple, or quadruple the recipe? Thanks in advance for any answers!
I would say just double recipe, but you mentioned “very hungry” people. So I would triple it. Tripling should be perfect
I just doubled the recipe…must be small portions because I got about what I would call 8 servings. You should probably triple it.
I’d triple it
The above recipe says it’s for 6 servings so you will need to double or triple it for 10 hungry eaters…
triple it
I would triple the recipe unless it is considered a side tothe meal.
I have 10 athletes (a basketball team) so I tripled it! They would have liked more haha.. but they’re pretty big guys 😉
triple it!
Love the spicing in this recipe…I also add a small green pepper chopped and a stalk of celery,sauté with the onions…and just use 2 large cans of tomatoes…if they are whole I cut them up a bit and 2 15 oz can of beans…chili, or black what ever you have , rinsed… it simplifies it but the flavor is great…and let it simmer for45 min if you can….yum!
You should double the recipe it will stretch out if you put it over macaroni or rice I like to spoon it over baked potatoes with sour cream avocado and cheese with a little bit of scallions quite delish
I think this would easily feed 4 people. You’d pobably be good just doubling it and make some corn bread on the side or triple if you want leftovers!
The instructions says it can make 6 servings so you would double it to feed at least 10 people but you will have a little extra in case some want to take seconds.
Excellent 200% … I made this recipe and doubled it, it was absolutely delicious, one of the best chili recipe I have made all ingredients married together perfectly … only thing I omitted was the chili we are not spicy hot enthusiastic.
I made this recipe and doubled it so that I could give half to my folks. This is a SUPER easy recipe to follow…no weird ingredients, and let me just say “DELICIOUS CHILI!!” I’m very pleased (so are my folks). I didn’t add any cayenne pepper. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly. THIS is what chili is supposed to taste like….Classic Chili!
I’ve made this chili twice now. The first time I followed the recipe exactly and added an extra can of beans. Today I made it again, but substituted chuck steak (1/2 in. dice), 1 tbl granulated monk fruit sweetener in place of sugar, 1/2 the cayenne (I have a little one eating table food now), 1 extra can of beans, 1 extra can diced tomatoes (fire roasted), 1 extra cup of beef broth, no tomato sauce (ran out). It was excellent! The spice blend really makes this chili delicious and the recipe is super-simple which makes it very easy to play with and subtitue ingredients or even add to it. Thanks for this. 🙂
I don’t have any little ones I have a 79 yo husband married 50 years whose French mother never put spices in anything and I’ve about had it cooking at all for him. Both the authors and your recipe sounds good as I couldn’t even put the chili powder in but I did put some soy bean sprouts in instead of that extra can of beans.
I make my Chili exactly like this recipe except I use Bravo Spaghetti Sauce in place of the Tomato Sauce. I skip the sugar altogether and I add celery, green peppers, and mushrooms along with the onion. It’s delicious 🤤
Share your recipe on a separate blog.
This was DELICIOUS! Granted, I had to make a few modifications. Didn’t have tomato sauce so used mild salsa. Also didn’t have beef stock on hand, so I stole a bottle of hubby’s beer and used that with beef Better than Bouillon. Hubby can’t stop raving about this chili, so your recipe will be my new go-to. Thank you!
This was really good! My whole family loved it. Although there were a lot of moving parts, overall we found it to be a success. Thank you!
A great recipe
Make this recipe all the time! Love it. I usually add more beans.
My family LOVES this chili ! I make it with ground turkey every 10 days and it disappears! Its a staple in our house. I dont use sugar- it doesnt need it and my boys are athletes
So it is a healthier version. Why add those calories?
Try switching out for ground turkey, add in red kidney beans and chickpeas and black beans. Very very delicious and hearty. This has become a keep-sake recipe and super great meal prep!
I made this chili. It was easy to make and amazing! I followed the recommendations except I used dried red beans and cooked them first, which was brilliant, if I do say so myself!
My husband and I are making this now! Our boys are like, “Something smells good!” We love to eat chili year-round, thanks for sharing this recipe.
Best Chili Recipe! I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious! Thanks!
So delicious! I used 1 Tbs. of sugar and 1 Tbs. chilly pepper and it turned out so good!!
Amazing chili! Didn’t change anything. I had extra spices is anyone wanted to heat it up and no one used extra spice. I also made thin spaghetti that we serves on the side for those that wanted it! Rave reviews from everyone!