Rich, beefy, and easy! That’s how I like my chili! How about you? This homemade beef chili recipe is a fast, simple, and failproof way to put chili on the table any day of the week. It takes no time at all so get to it!
Best Beef Chili Recipe
What makes this beef chili recipe the best? Perhaps that it’s so simple and full of flavors. If you’ve never made chili yourself before, you’ll find this recipe quick yet rewarding on all levels.
Homemade Beef Chili Ingredients
- Ground beef – Go with the 90/10 lean ground beef.
- Onion – Dice this up.
- Garlic – Mince it so you get it distributed throughout the chili properly.
- Beans – You’ll need a can of black beans and 2 cans of red kidney beans. Drain and rinse them all.
- Canned tomatoes – And here, you’ll need the diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato sauce, and a can of the diced tomatoes and green chilis with their juices too.
- Beef chili seasoning – You’ll need cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper.
Easy Beef Chili Recipe
In just 15 minutes, you can get this winning beef chili recipe going. Start it before work and come home to a classic, rich, and meaty meal or make it over the weekend to enjoy with friends and family.
How do you Make Beef Chili from Scratch?
Heat your beef on the stovetop over medium high for about 5 minutes, stirring all the while. Then add the onion followed by the garlic and seasonings. Once this is ready, put it in the slow cooker with all the other ingredients. Stir to combine, then set it to low for 6 to 8 hours. Serve it with your favorite chili toppings!
Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Beef Chili Every Time
- Brown that beef. Beef chili has the best taste when you spend about 5 minutes browning the beef with the onions and then garlic.
- Make sure you rinse and drain the beans. Canned beans have, well, a canned taste. They also have more sodium, so rinse it off. They’ll taste better after they simmer in the chili.
- Add more chili powder for spicier beef chili. If you like things spicier, go for it! You can also add it on later if you’re one of those super-spicy people so that everyone else will be able to enjoy it without too much heat.
What is traditional chili?
Traditional chili has a combination of meat, chili peppers, beans, and spices. Depending on the type of chili you’re making, it could have any combination of these items.
How do you make beef chili?
Follow this recipe and you’ll have the full details, but it involves browning beef on the stovetop and then combining an array of ingredients into the slow cooker to finish cooking.
What ingredient makes chili better?
Chili seasoning is the way to make chili better though if you add chili powder, ground cumin, dried oregano, and garlic powder, you’ll recreate that flavor.
What is the best secret ingredient for chili?
The best secret ingredient for chili is chili powder since it’s what gives chili that signature taste.
What cut of beef makes the best chili?
Lean ground beef is the no-fail meat to use when making the best chili. It’s a classic that works well in every recipe.
What is the secret to great chili?
The secret to great chili is in the seasonings. These help unite the flavors of the beef, beans, and tomatoes for a delicious combination.
How do you make chili more flavorful?
Chili becomes more flavorful when you add seasonings. Adding in cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and dried oregano is a simple yet efficient way to boost the taste of your chili.
What liquid do you put in chili?
Some chili recipes call for the use of beef broth, however that’s not always the case. When there is no broth, it is usually the juices from the canned tomatoes that serve as the liquid.
What can you not put in chili?
Never just add raw meat to your chili. Sure, it will cook, but it won’t have that browned flavor that makes chili taste so good.
How to Cook Beef Chili?
Beef chili starts on the stovetop with the browning of the beef, onions, and garlic. Then it goes into the slow cooker with all the rest of the ingredients.
What goes well with Beef Chili?
Cornbread or garlic bread are definitely awesome with this beef chili. You can also throw a salad down, baked potatoes, or a cauliflower mash if you’d like. Toppings for beef chili that work best are shredded cheddar, sour cream, red onions, or hot sauce.
How to store Beef Chili?
When everyone is full and the chili is cool, store it in the fridge.
How long does Beef Chili last?
Beef chili will last within airtight containers for about 3 to 4 days in the fridge. It’s best to portion it up so that if you can’t finish it, you can freeze it.
Can you freeze Beef Chili?
Heck yeah! Freeze that beef chili and you’ll have 3 months to get to it. It’s easy to reheat for any time.
How to reheat Beef Chili?
All you need to do is warm this up on the stove. Then serve it with your favorite toppings again!
Watch How To Make Beef Chili (Video)
Classic Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 lb lean ground beef (90/10)
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 2 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 15 oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 15 oz cans red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 30 oz can diced tomatoes (with their juices)
- 1 30 oz can tomato sauce
- 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chilis (with their juices)
- 1 small tub sour cream (optional topping)
- 1/2 cups red onion (optional topping)
- 1 small bag shredded cheddar cheese (optional topping)
- 1 bunch cilantro (chopped) (optional topping)
- 1 bag tortilla strips (optional topping)
Instructions
- On the stove top, heat a large skillet over medium high heat and cook beef for about 5 minutes while stirring with a spatula.
- Next, add the onion to the skillet and continue cooking until tender for about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and all seasonings. Cook for about 1 minute while stirring constantly. Transfer to a slow cooker.
- Next, add all remaining ingredients into the slow cooker including beans, all tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir to thoroughly combine and cook on low for about 6-8 hours.
- Serve with your preference of toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped red onions, hot sauce.
