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 added sauteed green and red peppers as well as freshly chopped garlic to the onion, oh so good! Will definitely make again!
This is by far the best chili recipe I have tried. I get rave revues whenever I serve it! I don’t like too much ‘heat’ so I skip the cayenne pepper and I substitute granulated sugar with brown sugar.
My family loves this chili recipe. For the kids, I leave out the cayenne but for me and hubs, I use the habanero petite diced tomatoes and lots of cayenne. So spicy and so damn delicious.
Flavor packed and utterly delicious. This is a simple and straightforward recipe.
Delicious! My small changes were that I halved the sugar, added some bacon, deglazed the pan with wine after sauteing everything, and added some chard for more veggies. Such great flavor!
This was the best ever recipe for chili. I’m glad I found this site. Looking forward to more gteat meals.
So easy, tastes great. We made it plant-based with a ground beef substitute, and left out the cayenne pepper like the author suggested for kiddos. Took about 5 minutes to put together and got dinner simmering before my wife got home. Happy family, happy life. 🙂
I have been in the hunt for a good chili recipe and HALLELUJAH, this is it. The perfect ratio of meat, beans, and liquid. Consistent every single time. I will NEVER make another chili recipe than this!
Wow!!! This truly is the best chili recipe I have ever tasted! 😋 follow to the tee and it comes out perfect every time!!! Thank you for sharing❤️
This Chili was excellent! My husband has made this twice, doubling the recipe the second time and freezing after dishes for family. Everyone loves it.
Easy and delicious (my 8 year old enjoyed helping me make it! )
I made today ( 07/20/2021 ) it was really good the only change I made to the recipe was I didn’t drain the beans the juice from the beans give it a more red color and flavor and I didn’t add the salt
Honestly best chili ever and it was a quick recipe, no simmering for hours, and no need to wait until the next day for it to taste good.
Made this as the first chili in 15 years because my wife doesn’t like chili. I loved it, my daughter loved it and took most of the leftovers home with. Thank you.
Love this recipe but am I the only one that finds it pretty spicy? I don’t even add the cayenne. Just curious! Lol
This recipe is amazing. My husband commited that it was the best recipe for chili I have tried so far. I was making enchiladas with the chili. It is great both ways. The only change I did was adding the whole 15 oz can of tomato sauce so it did not go to waste. I will definitely be using this recipe from now on.
Looked for a five star chili recipe to try and found it. Love it. Thank you for sharing. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
This recipe is my go to for Chili. I can’t have spicy food, so I use about 1/2 of the spices and its still delicious to my family and friends. I even add corn and mushrooms. Love this recipe. Thank you!
Me and my dad made this for some quick bonding time in the kitchen. We double the recipe to share with the family and it turned out so good. We didn’t have tomato paste, so we substituted ketchup in, and it worked just fine, although we added less ketchup because of the sweetness aspect. The whole family love it, and we’ll definitely be making it again!! Thanks!
This chilli is so flavorful! This is def my go too. Thank the Lord I liked it bc I doubled the recipe before trying it. I also didn’t have chilli powder and just used paprika and the chilli was still delicious