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    Home » Recipes » Main Courses » Best Homemade Chili

    Best Homemade Chili

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, see Disclosure.

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    Cozy up with a bowl of the Best Homemade Chili with the perfect blend of warm spices, beans and fire roasted tomatoes. It's the quintessential comfort food your whole family will love.

    Best Homemade Chili in white bowl with shredded cheese, jalapeno slices and sour cream on top
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    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why You'll Love This Chili Recipe
    • 🛒 Ingredients for Homemade Chili
    • 🔪 How to Make the Best Chili from Scratch
    • ☑️ Storage Instructions
    • 🍴 Delicious Ways to Serve Homemade Chili
    • 🔄 Substitutions and Additions
    • What is the Secret to Making Good Chili?
    • What's the Difference in Chili and Stew?
    • Can I Use a Slow Cooker to Make this Chili?
    • How do I Thin or Thicken Chili?
    • 🍽️ More Stew, Soup and Chili Recipes

    ❤️ Why You'll Love This Chili Recipe

    • Classic homemade chili loaded with robust flavor
    • Fire-roasted tomatoes for a slight smokiness
    • Blend of dark and light kidney beans
    • Perfect blend of warm spices
    • Cooked low and slow
    Best Homemade Chili in ladle over pot of chili

    If you're craving the warm, comforting, and classic flavors of homemade chili, this recipe has you covered. It's loaded with hearty kidney beans, perfectly seasoned ground beef, tender peppers and onions.

    What makes this recipe so tasty is that it simmers low and slow with a blend of spices that adds wonderful, robust flavor. Whether you're hosting a game-day gathering or simply craving a cozy family meal, this homemade chili will become your favorite go-to dish.

    closeup of Best Homemade Chili

    Because this chili includes veggies and beef, it's a complete meal in a bowl. But chili is always better when you serve it with cornbread. For healthy versions, try this Gluten-free Cornbread or this Keto Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread.

    🛒 Ingredients for Homemade Chili

    • Ground beef
    • Beef broth
    • Tomato sauce
    • Dark red kidney beans
    • Light red kidney beans
    • Fire roasted diced tomatoes
    • Jalapeño pepper
    • Yellow onion
    • Garlic
    • Chili powder
    • Olive oil
    • Brown sugar
    • Smoked paprika
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Ground cumin
    • Salt
    • Ground black pepper

    *Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

    🥣 Recommended Tools

    • Dutch oven or large pot

    🔪 How to Make the Best Chili from Scratch

    Heat a Dutch oven or large pot to medium and add in the ground beef, half the salt, and pepper.

    raw ground beef in pot

    Brown the ground beef, then remove and set aside.

    cooked ground beef in pot

    Add in the olive oil, onions, and the remaining salt and pepper.

    diced onions in pot cooking

    Sauté for a few minutes, then add in the jalapeño pepper.  Sauté for another 1-2 minutes, then add in the garlic and continue cooking for another 15 seconds, making sure not to brown it or it will become bitter.

    diced onions, jalapeno and garlic cooking in pot

    Add in the ground cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder and allow to toast for 10 seconds. Don't skip this step, it really helps activate the spices and gives the chili great flavor.

    spices toasting in pot with onions and peppers

    Add the Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar, then stir to dissolve. 

    broth being poured into pot with spices, onions and peppers

    Pour in the beef broth, then add the ground beef back in and the remaining ingredients.

    Best Homemade Chili ingredients in pot uncooked

    Stir until well combined, reduce the heat to low, cover with the lid slightly cracked, and simmer for 2 hours.

    overhead view of Best Homemade Chili in pot

    Serve with your favorite toppings.

    ☑️ Storage Instructions

    Fridge: To store leftover chili in the fridge, allow it to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Chili can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

    Freezer: Freezing chili is a great option. Let the chili cool completely, then portion it into airtight freezer-safe containers. Leave a little room for expansion as it freezes. Label the containers with the date you made it. Chili can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

    Best Homemade Chili in white bowl with shredded cheese and sliced jalapeno

    🍴 Delicious Ways to Serve Homemade Chili

    • Stuffed bell peppers: Cut the tops off bell peppers, remove the seeds, and stuff them with your chili. Bake until the peppers are tender for a nutritious and flavorful meal.
    • Tacos: Use your chili as a filling for these soft Homemade Tortillas. Load them up with fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and avocado.
    • Salad: Serve your chili over a bed of leafy greens. Topped with sour cream or a little of this Chipotle Ranch Dressing.
    • Chili omelet: Make a chili omelet by folding a scoop of chili into your beaten eggs before cooking. It's a great way to start your day with a lot of protein.
    • Baked potato: Top an Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato or regular Baked Potato with your chili. Add some sour cream, cheese and a sprinkle of chives.
    • Stuffed zucchini boats: Halve the zucchini, scoop out the center, and fill them with chili and top with cheese. Bake them until the zucchini is tender.
    • Chili power bowl: Create a chili bowl by serving it over brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. Top with your favorite healthy toppings like avocado, plain Greek yogurt, and fresh cilantro.
    spoonful of chili held up over bowl

    🔄 Substitutions and Additions

    • Beans: Experiment with different types of beans like black beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans,or even chickpeas for added texture.
    • Meat: Instead of beef, you can use ground turkey, chicken, pork, or a combination of meats to create a unique flavor profile. You can also make it chunky Texas style with stew meat.
    • Spice level: Adjust the heat to your preference by using either more or less jalapeño peppers. You can also add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or other fresh peppers like habaneros for extra heat.
    • Vegetables: Consider adding vegetables like corn or diced carrots. They not only contribute to flavor but also provide extra color.
    • Ground cinnamon: Turn your batch of chili into Cincinnati chili with a dash of ground cinnamon.
    • Coffee: Add a splash of strong, black coffee. While it doesn't make your chili taste like coffee, it does add a unique depth of flavor.
    Best Homemade Chili in pot with large serving spoon

    If you like using your slow cooker for chili, try this slow cooker beef chilli recipe!

    What is the Secret to Making Good Chili?

    There are a couple of top secrets to making excellent chili. The first one is to use the right balance of seasoning. Some recipes have an overpowering chili taste that is just too strong. This recipe takes care of that for you by giving you the recommended measurements.

    Allowing the spices to toast in the pot really helps bring out their flavors and provides the perfect base for your chili. This is a step you don't want to skip.

    The other thing that really brings out the flavors is simmering it low and slow. This allows all the seasoned juices time to soak into the beans and meat.

    What's the Difference in Chili and Stew?

    Chili typically has a thicker consistency, with most of the focus on the robustly flavored chili sauce and meat. Chili stew, on the other hand, is often a hearty-style soup with added vegetables and sometimes rice or pasta.

    Can I Use a Slow Cooker to Make this Chili?

    You sure can. Just brown the meat and sauté the vegetables first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

    How do I Thin or Thicken Chili?

    To thin your chili, add more broth, water, or tomato sauce. To thicken it, simmer it with the lid off to allow excess moisture to evaporate.

    Best Homemade Chili in white bowl with blue pot in background

    🍽️ More Stew, Soup and Chili Recipes

    • Chili with Butternut Squash
    • White Chicken Chili
    • Jalapeño Popper Chicken Soup
    • Cream of Asparagus Soup
    • Roasted Beetroot and Butterbean Soup
    • Italian Wedding Soup
    • Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup
    • Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Soup
    Best Homemade Chili in white bowl with shredded cheese, sour cream and sliced jalapeno on top

    Best Homemade Chili

    Best Homemade Chili Cozy up with a bowl of the Best Homemade Chili with the perfect blend of warm spices, beans and fire roasted tomatoes.
    5 from 41 votes
    Author: Julianne
    Servings 10
    Print Pin
    Save Recipe Saved!
    PREP 5 minutes mins
    COOK 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
    TOTAL 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

    Ingredients
     

    • 2 pounds ground beef, I use grass-fed and 85%
    • 1 ½ cups beef broth
    • 28 ounce can tomato sauce
    • 15 ounce can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    • 15 ounce can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
    • 2 15 ounce cans fire roasted diced tomatoes (not drained)
    • 1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
    • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
    • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
    • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • Heat a dutch oven or large pot to medium and add in the ground beef, half the salt and pepper.
    • Brown the ground beef, then remove and set aside.
    • Add in the olive oil, onions and the remaining salt and pepper.
    • Sauté for a few minutes, then add in the jalapeño pepper. Sauté for another 1-2 minutes, then add in the garlic and continue cooking for another 15 seconds, making sure not to brown it or it will become bitter.
    • Add in the ground cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder and allow to toast for 10 seconds. Don't skip this step, it really helps activate the spices and gives the chili great flavor.
    • Add in the Worcestershire and brown sugar, then stir to dissolve. Pour in the beef broth, then add the ground beef back in and the remaining ingredients.
    • Stir until well combined and reduce the heat to low covered, with the lid slightly cracked, and simmer for 2 hours.
    • Serve with your favorite toppings.

    *Make sure to scroll up and read the post for substitutions, additions and helpful tips for making this recipe.

    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American
    Calories 328kcal
    Nutrition Facts
    Best Homemade Chili
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    328
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    11
    g
    17
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    25
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    29
    g
    10
    %
    Fiber
     
    8
    g
    33
    %
    Sugar
     
    12
    g
    13
    %
    Protein
     
    26
    g
    52
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Rate this Recipe

    *Nutritional data is provided as a courtesy and is accurate to the best of my knowledge. You can verify it using the nutrition calculator of your choice. All data is based on net carbs, without sugar alcohol: Swerve, Erythritol, Monk Fruit or Allulose.

    © Copyright for Nutritious Deliciousness. Please use the share buttons to share on social media, but please do not copy/paste the recipe.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 41 votes (40 ratings without comment)

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    1. Andria

      February 05, 2024 at 3:42 pm

      5 stars
      Looks delicious and easy.

      Reply
      • Nutritious Deliciousness

        February 05, 2024 at 7:16 pm

        It really is. Give it a try, because you'll love the flavors.

        Reply

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    Julianne

    I'm Julianne, welcome! Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice great flavor.  I offer deliciously nutritious recipes that will leave you feeling nourished and satisfied, with the occasional indulgence!

    More about me →

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