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.
Made this as described and we Loved it. I did add two Arbol Chili Pods at the end since it didn’t seem that spicy however. Thanks for a Great recipe.
Great starting point! Tweak to your liking.
I followed the recipe (more or less) But my question is; I used raw kidney beans rather than canned Kidney Beans. I soaked them in water and left them out overnight. Then I put the m in a pot with 1 can of crushed tomatoes and one can of tomato paste. I cut up some sweet peppers and half of a jalapeño pepper to make it spicy. I cooked ground beef on a separate pan and mixed it with the chili when it was brown and fully cooked. I added two table spoons of garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and lemon pepper. Also two table spoons of chili powder.
Then I let it sit for an hour
It tasted great, but the kidney beans were crunchy, not soft. It still tasted great but I’m wondering if I should have cooked the kidney beans by themself for 15-30 minutes so they wouldn’t be so crunchy.
Does anybody know if raw kidney beans must be cooked, or if you can get sick from eating crunchy (undercooked) kidney beans?
This is amazing! Thankyou for sharing. YuM!
This was really tasty and quick! I added 1 green bell pepper, 2 celery stalks and 2 garlic cloves to the onion saute step.
This was amazing. I’ve made a few different recipes in the past and this blew them out of the water. My new go-to!
A great starting point for you to put your spin on. My chili has spiraled out of control, so starting again with this great recipe.
Adjustments I made: Doubled the recipe, also added extra cumin, chili powder, chipotle, black pepper and dark brown sugar instead of sugar.
Probably the best chili I have ever made. The seasoning is spot on! Don’t change a thing!! This is definitely a keeper. Thank you.
I caramelize the onions in bacon fat. Add roasted jalapeño towards the end of the onions. Add the 5 chopped slices of thick cut bacon that was cooked previously cooked to a crisp for the onions at step 4. I simmer on low for an hour and serve with brown rice made w broth. Also the ground protein I’ve used is turkey. Adjust spice salt and sugar as I go.
Wow this is pretty tasty! My daughter doesn’t like green peppers or tomatoes so I subbed the diced tomatoes with crushed (she can’t tell they’re there 😅) wow turned out pretty tasty in 1/3 rd of the time it takes for my main chili recipe! Definitely saving this for when she’s over
Very easy recipe and has amazing flavor. I added a little more kick for my family and they absolutely loved it. Our toppings are unique! Cheese it ctackers, cheese and sour creme. Perfect weather right now with fall in the air and rain in our forcast. Sanford, Fl
Awesome whole family loved it so simple
I needed something quick to use with my ground beef and found this recipe. I didn’t use sugar and I used traditional spaghetti sauce because I did not have tomato sauce. It is excellent and it was so easy.
Don’t make chili much, but when I get so many rave reviews, I think I’ll make this one often! Didn’t have tomato paste on hand so I fudged it with some ketchup. Omitted sugar and beans. Exchanged salt with potassium. Half of my broth was chicken broth. Literally just rumaged through what I had on hand and it still came out great! I personally thought there was too much cumin, but my husband said “no! Leave it how it is next time.” It’s hard to replicate a good thing, we’ll have to see how it goes a second time. But with this many good reviews, how could it go wrong?!
I was looking for a good quick chili recipe and this is it! This will be my “go to” recipe from now on.
Has anyone ever tried beer instead of the beef broth?
This was amazing. It was a little spicy and that’s what I loved about it. It didn’t need a lot of ingredients which made it better. This chili was the best chili I ever made and tasted. I put cheese and sour cream on it and it was the bomb. I loved it so much and when I make chili again this is what I’ll use
This recipe has way too much salt and it’s heavy on the cumin. I mixed all of the spices together. I wish that I had added about 1/2 of the mix, then tasted the chili before adding more. I think I could have done a double batch with these spices. Sorry.
I just made this chili today! I tweaked it a bit. I added two cans of beans and I 10 ounce can of mild Rotel with green chilies. I omitted the beef broth because the thickness was perfect. It was delicious! Thanks for this recipe! I only changed because of what I already had on hand. Rotel instead of sauce. And a 29 you ce can of crushed tomatoes. I will keep this one it was yummy.
Excellent chili. Very easy to make and wonderful flavor.