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.
This Chili Rocks!
Best Recipe I ever made!
Made this chili tonight and it was soooo good! I substitutes honey for the sugar and added diced mushrooms and celery.
Was great! I addes fresh green chilis to it for anadded kick and skipped the cayenne.
I did the exact same thing! Also added ground deer. It’s in the crockpot now.
This Chili recipe is delicious!! 😋 I added some canned green chilies because we love them, but your recipe is really the best!! Thank you for posting it!
This was just amazing !!!! I skipped the Cayenne but added red pepper flakes I also shared with all my friends and family thank you for this it’s so easy and good made some baked grilled cheese to go along with it
I have made this recipe….. many times… sometimes I have added a can of black beans as well, drained of course, and a can of rotel tomatoes with green pepper…… just a yummy start to a wonderful afternoon!!!
This recipe isn’t for me. The chili is too sweet, as opposed to savory. Too heavy on the chili powder as well, just for my taste.
This is truly delicious. My boyfriend likes heat and I prefer mild. Alterations I made: used Rotel instead of diced tomatoes, added 1 thinly diced jalapeno, added chili beans,used the whole small can of tomato paste, and added worcestershire to the ground beef. Kept all other seasonings and beef broth the same, but omitted the cayenne. He can sprinkle that into his or use hot sauce. Thank you for this wonderful, easily adjustable recipe!
Waaaaay to much cumin for my taste and I even cut the amount in half. I’m wondering if it’s supposed to be teaspoons instead of tablespoons. Next time I will make this with a lot less cumin and I think it will be really good that way.
I wish I would’ve see this comment before I made it. I agree with the too much cumin!! Every other recipe I’ve looked at only calls for 2 teaspoons, not tablespoons! Trying to fix the best that I can, but I feel like this was just a total waste!
Best Chili ever! We love the flavor.
Just made this tonight and used 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili seasoning instead of the cayenne (I was out) and it turned out superb!! It’s a keeper for sure!!
Delicious, added a little less cumin and an extra can of beans , also 15 oz.can of crushed tomatoes instead of 8 oz of tomato sauce. Served with sour cream and shredded cheddar . My husband loved it !
Yes! I did the exact same thing! Super delicious
Absolutely phenomenal recipe. Too much cumin for me, will cut in half, but I thought the heat with this was amazing. Will double it next time. Also, want to try this with an Italian sausage. Awesome job!
Hi Bonnie- Can you tell me about how much this recipe makes in cups or what size pot? I’m trying to serve samples to a large crowd so I wont be using a whole 1/6th of the recipe to each person.. only about 2 oz each so I need increase the ratio enough but not over too much. Thanks !
I will try less cumin next time. Delicious.
Do you drain the hamburger meat?
I’m not sure if I commented before, but, either way, I’ve made a lot of different chilis over the years. I’m sticking with this one. It’s perfect
Has anyone tried making this with a crockpot? slow cooker?
I skipped the cayenne but added come diced canned jalapeños, another can of beans (pinto), and extra minced garlic. I went overboard on the jalapeños so it was a little too spicy, but served with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and corn chips, so that helped cut it. Was delicious and very easy!
In the process of making this for the first time and I’m pretty impressed so far.. and I’m a staunch southwest black bean and corn chili kind of missus.. taste check yielded a “bullseye” reaction.. and it smells *exactly like what classic chili is supposed to smell like. I used ground beef, which I cooked and drained before adding, because that’s what the pantry had to offer, and fresh tomatoes from the yard, because fresh tomatoes from the yard. Cooking a bit longer for a thicker sauce.. will update my response and rating once we’ve tasted.
Update: awarded the extra star for top notch flavor. Glad I skipped the first few chili recipes I found and went with this one lol Bravo!
GREAT RECIPE! My boys loved it, snd they are very picky eaters.
I loved it not only because it was absolutely delicious but so so so easy to make and with very simple ingredients.
I will save this recipe with my other treasure recipes s add nd I will be making it again and again. Thank you for sharing it with us!
What Chilli powder do you use as I put 2 tblspn of the one I have and my mouth is on fire? I cannot serve this to my kiddo
Tried this recipe out today and it was perfect! added mushrooms. Thank you for the recipe!
Has anyone made thus in the crockpot?
I generally always make mine in the crockpot. I brown my ground beef & onions on the stove first. I throw everything in the crockpot, give it a good mix, set it on low & walk away. My favorite type of meal 😉. Depending on how hot your crockpot runs you may need to switch it to keep warm to avoid it being dry or pasty.
This is a great family chili recipe! I was planning a n going quick and easy with a packet and didn’t have one, but had all of these ingredients in my cupboard and is was just as easy and so much better! And without the cayenne the spice level was perfect for everyone.