Simple to make and so delicious, this homemade chili recipe hits the spot on a cold day. It combines lots of ground beef, two varieties of beans, and veggies, making it thick and hearty. Top your bowl with your favourite chili toppings or enjoy as is. Either way, this beef chili is such a satisfying comfort food meal.
Though I can eat chili all year round, you can’t beat it on a cold fall or winter day. There is not much better than curling up with a big bowl of chili piled with colourful, tasty toppings when it’s raining, snowing, or simply chilly outside, is there?
I’m so looking forward to fall. By far, it’s my favourite season. The cooler weather, the crisp, fresh air, the comfort food, it’s just the best (if you ask me). Are you a fan of fall too?
With two pounds of ground beef, this is quite a meaty chili recipe. Plus, of course, there’s classic chili ingredients, such as beans and veggies. Like most homemade chili recipes, this one is super easy to make and makes your kitchen smell so good. Who needs those scented candles anyway?!
Fan of chili recipes? Check out this turkey quinoa chili! It’s such a fun and delicious twist on chili.
Ingredients
- Vegetable oil: Used for sautéing the veggies.
- Vegetables: In this beef chili recipe you’ll find onion, garlic, bell peppers and celery. I like to use to different colours of bell pepper just to mix things up, but you could use whatever colour you have on hand.
- Ground beef: I prefer to use lean or extra lean ground beef, but you can use a fattier variety. Just drain the excess grease after cooking.
- Tomato paste: Adds richness to the chili and helps to thicken it.
- Canned beans: Black beans and pinto beans add lots of heft to the chili.
- Seasoning: Includes lots of pantry staples, such as chili powder, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.
- Brown sugar: Helps to balance some of the acidity in the tomatoes.
- Cocoa powder: Adds depth and flavour to the chili and, don’t worry, it’s not going to make the chili taste chocolatey.
- Canned Tomatoes: I used whole peeled tomatoes and crushed them with my hands before adding to the pot. You can substitute with crushed or diced tomatoes if you prefer.
- Beef broth: Adds another element of beefy flavour to the chili and helps to thin it out.
- Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar adds a lovely subtle tang to the chili after it has cooked. It really brightens the dish, if you ask me!
How To Make This Homemade Chili Recipe
Here is an overview of how to make this homemade chili (full details are in the recipe card below):
- In a pot, sauté some onion in a little vegetable oil until it’s softened.
- Stir in garlic until it’s nice and fragrant. Things are already starting to smell wonderful!
- Cook the ground beef.
- Stir in the tomato paste, coating the ground beef with it.
- Add both types of beans, remaining veggies, seasoning, cocoa powder, brown sugar, canned tomatoes and broth. Rinse out your can of tomatoes with a little water and add that water to the pot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the chili is simmering. Cover ajar and cook until thickened. Once done, stir in apple cider vinegar.
Chili Too Thick?
If your chili is too thick or overly reduced, stir in some water or beef broth until you reach the consistency you like best. Remember, it’s best to add a little at a time. You can always add more if needed.
Chili Too Thin?
If your chili is to thin, simply continue simmering it for a little bit until it reduces/thickens to your liking.
Ways To Serve Chili
Aside from serving this homemade chili as is (which is delicious, by the way), there are so many ways to serve it. The possibilities are pretty much endless, but here are some of my favourite ways to serve this beef chili:
- Over French fries or crispy potato wedges
- In chili cream cheese dip
- On top of a hot dog
- Over nachos
- In an omelette
- On a burger with cheese (chili cheese burger, anyone?)
- With some queso or warmed processed cheese (like Velveeta or Cheez Whiz) for a fun and easy dip
Sides to Serve With It
Lately, my favourite thing to serve with chili has been tortilla chips. I love dunking them into the chili and sometimes I even crush some over top for texture. Other delicious sides are garlic bread, buttery toast, cornbread, or a simple green salad.
Chili Topping Ideas
It’s so fun to customize your bowl of chili with chili toppings. There are so many yummy options, but here are some of my go-to chili topping ideas:
- Crushed up tortilla chips or corn chips
- Thinly sliced red onion or pickled red onion
- Sliced green onion
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- Shredded cheddar cheese or crumbled queso cotija
- Sliced or diced avocado
- Diced tomato
- Sliced jalapeno
- Chopped cilantro
Leftovers and Storing
Properly store any leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat before serving.
Alternatively, you can freeze the chili. To freeze, allow the chili to cool, then freeze in resealable freezer bags or freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight when you are ready to reheat and enjoy.
This simple chili recipe is such a convenient meal to have on hand and makes those busy weekdays that much easier. Gotta love that!
Reheating
Reheat chili in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If you need to thin out your chili, stir in a splash of water or beef broth.
Tips for Making the Best Chili
- Use fresh spices: Chili benefits greatly from lots of flavourful spices. It goes without saying, but make sure you are using the freshest spices possible for the best chili results.
- Brown the meat: Browning the ground beef creates a Maillard reaction, ultimately giving the chili a more complex and delicious flavour. Plus, by browning, you can drain any excess grease from your pot before adding the other chili ingredients.
- Drain excess grease: If your ground beef is extra fatty (something besides lean or extra lean, for example), don’t forget to drain that excess grease so it doesn’t end up in your chili.
- Regularly stir: When simmering the chili, make sure to give it a good stir every once in a while to make sure there is nothing sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Season to taste: Depending on the brand/variety, canned tomatoes and broth can vary in sodium. Also, everyone has a different preference for salt. If you feel you need to add more salt to the chili once it has cooked, go for it.
- Acidity: Just like these homemade meatballs with tomato sauce, chili really benefits from a little splash of something acidic once cooked. I love to add vinegar, such as apple cider. With all the rich and savoury flavours going on, the acidity from the vinegar really brightens the chili and adds something special. Instead of apple cider vinegar, you could use white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or the brine from a jar of pepperoncini peppers, pickled jalapeno peppers or banana peppers. A little vinegar or brine goes a long way, so if you’re unsure about how much to add, start with a little and add more to taste if you feel it’s necessary. Or, you could pour yourself a bowl and add some, rather than adding the vinegar to the full pot. Not a fan of vinegar or pepper brine? Serve the chili with lime wedges for squeezing over top.
Variations
- Try a different variety of bean: I used canned black beans and pinto beans in this chili recipe. You could use one or the other or substitute one of the varieties for canned red kidney beans. Also, oftentimes, you can purchase tins of beans that have a variety in them, perfect for chili.
- Adjust the spice: If you want a less spicy chili, consider adding less smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, for instance. Or, if you want a spicy chili, add some more! You could also add a splash or two of your favourite hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes or adobo sauce for some smoky heat.
- Add a different flavour: Instead of cocoa powder, try adding espresso powder or instant coffee.
- Switch out the protein: For a change, try making this homemade chili recipe with ground bison or ground moose.
- Try using beer instead of broth: For a twist, swap out the beef broth for beer, such as a pale ale, red ale or lager.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas
- Ground Beef Stir Fry
- One-Pan Ground Beef and Rice
- Spicy Ground Beef Rice Bowls
If you try this homemade chili recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!
Homemade Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds ground beef, I like lean or extra lean
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (19-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (19-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed with your hands before using (or used diced or crushed tomatoes)
- 2 cups beef broth
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large enameled cast-iron Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the ground beef. Cook, breaking the ground beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the beef is fully cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess grease from the pot, if necessary.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every so often. Add the pinto beans, black beans, bell peppers, celery, chili powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, tomatoes and beef broth. Rinse out the can of tomatoes with ½ cup of water so you get every last bit of the tomatoes. Pour the tomato water into the pot. At this point, I like to add 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper (I add more to taste after it cooks, if necessary). Give everything a good stir.
- Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat (to about medium-low) to maintain a simmer. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and making sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once done, the veggies should be tender and the chili should be thickened to your liking. If you want a thicker consistency, you can cook the chili a few minutes longer. If your chili is too thick, you can stir in some water or beef broth. Add more salt and black pepper to taste, if necessary. Stir in apple cider vinegar.
- To serve, divide the chili into bowls. Garnish with your favourite chili toppings (if desired) or enjoy as is.
Notes
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Michelle
Such a cozy one-pot meal with delicious flavors, perfect for fall and winter! Love the addition of the apple cider vinegar to brighten and round out that flavor too.
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Thank you very much, Michelle! Gotta love those easy one-pot meals!
David @ Spiced
Oh what a great chili recipe! Laura and I were just talking about how we wanted to make a batch of chili soon – your timing is perfect. Chili really is one of the best comfort foods ever!!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
That’s awesome! Thanks so much, David! It really is, isn’t it?
Heidi
I love all of the big flavors you’ve added to this hearty beef chili. Your homemade seasoning blend is perfect… and I loved the added touch of the brown sugar. You’ve made this so easy… and so delicious!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Thank you so much, Heidi! It’s such a comforting meal on a chilly day.