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 love this recipe. Have made it several times and plan to make tomorrow for football game halftime. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Are you able to cook this recipe in a crock pot?
I have made it in the crockpot with great success. What I did was brown the ground beef first in a frying pan, then add it to the crockpot and add all other ingredients. I let it cook for the better part of the day (maybe about 8 hours) on low. Or if you have an instant pot, you could brown the ground beef using sauté mode, and then add all ingredients and use the slow cooker mode so you only dirty one pot.
This was delicious. I added a diced jalapeno with the onion at the beginning, and the cayenne, thought the spice level was perfect.
The absolute best!! This will definitely be saved! The sugar gives it a hint of sweetness. Love it so much!
I had mom’s chili before and I liked it! She even put spinach in it & I never tasted it! BTW, she’s making it tonight for dinner for us!
This chili is very good.! Recommend!
Love the recipe..minus the sugar..Thank you. It taste better then in the crockpot anyday!!
Very delicious and flavorful recipe. I’ll definitely use this again!
I used canned fire roasted diced tomatoes and added a can of drained/rinsed pinto beans in addition to the red kidney beans. Topped it with diced jalapeño, shredded cheese and Fritos.
Our family loves this recipe and it is so quick and simple! I omitted the tomato sauce by accident and it proved delish anyway. Thank you for sharing this recipe with everyone.
I liked it, but could use a lot less sugar!
Thanks this is delicious! I switched up some from the last wonderful time I made it. It was very salty. I cut the salt to 1 teaspoon and rather than the salty beef broth I used home made vegetable broth which I typically keep on hand. Otherwise this recipe is truly the best and you can always cut the salt and use low sodium beef broth or even water if you’re watching your salt intake like we should all be doing! Very adaptable, can’t go wrong
This is the best chili I have ever had! Absolutely flavorful and completely delicious! 100% recommend!
Perfect! Wouldn’t change a thing!
Quite the recipe you’ve got miss. It’s a little lacking in spiciness for my family so I’ll go and add maybe more cayenne pepper and possibly some jalapeños + red chilies. Other than that it slapped. Put a little shredded extra sharp cheddar and some sour cream to finish it off on top. Will keep making this!
Made it tonight everyone loved it! Next time I’m making it spicier!!
I’ve been taking the past year to seek out great chili recipes.. AND THIS ONE TAKE THE GOLD MEDAL! This was amazing, and i don’t think I’ll be looking for another recipe ever.
Made it for the family and was a big hit. Next time. I’ll leave out the cayenne and use hot sauce instead!
Hello! Here is a very stupid question I hope you can help me with. When the recipe calls for chili powder that means powdered dried chili peppers? Or store-bought ‘chili seasoning powder’ . Because I’m in Switzerland and can’t get that quick chili seasoning powder. I’m looking for the actual spices and measurements I need to cook this. I am missing some flavors from back home. Thanks!
This chili was so delicious!!! I did add a tbsp of onion powder as well just because.
Will reduce the amount of chili powder next time.
Same!!! I’ve already frozen individual servings of this but plan on coming up with a way to be able to enjoy (more) what’s left.
Agreed! I found it WAY too spicy.
This excellent recipe produced a very satisfying result. It had a rich, beefy taste, a balanced spiciness, and an appealing texture. This recipe came together very quickly which gave me time to enjoy a beer while it was simmering. With regard to tweaking, I used only 3/4 of cumin because too much cumin can throw off the balance (but that’s just a subjective preference). I cook almost every day and chili is a dish I turn to when I need to take a break from more involved processes. I also had everything on hand-no small thing when the closest grocery is six miles away. This is a keeper!
Very well said Yankee from Alabama and I agree with your entire assessment except for the beer. I had a glass or two of Pinot Grigio and, yes I know white wine and beef don’t pair well but I am a white wine only drinker.
Very good! Made this today, skipped the canned tomatoes and used fresh diced grape tomatoes and a whole can of tomato paste instead of the recommended amount. Served with cornbread and Fritos! Will make again for sure, Thanks for rhe recipe.
This is one of the best chili recipes that we have had.
I did not drain. Didnt have much grease using ground top sirloin but I also didnt use the olive oil. It came out really good. I added crushed frito’s ,sour cream and shredded cheddar on top to dress it. MMMM MMMM