Name: Beef Chili
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 15 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef, SEE NOTE 1; 2 teaspoons salt, divided; 1 onion, diced; 1 stalk of celery, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2-3 cups dry beans, pre-cooked, or 3-4 cans of beans, drained; 1 (14 oz) can tomato sauce; 3 cups beef broth; 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1 bay leaf

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Classic beef chili is an American staple. This homemade chili recipe has tender ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, fragrant aromatics, and perfectly balanced seasonings. This is the best Beef Chili recipe, as it is easy to assemble and delivers that classic chili flavor you crave! Enjoy a heaping bowl with your favorite toppings, use it to top a hot dog with cheese and Fritos chips, or top a loaded baked potato.

A yellow dutch oven filled with a batch of beef chili with a colorful napkin alongside.

This beef chili recipe was inspired by my Mom's. She always used ground beef, mild chili pepper heat, and sauce only for the tomato component. There are not a lot of chunks in this chili. While the idea may be textbook, the flavor is anything but. We couldn't get enough of this stuff, and I made it three times this week! I love how versatile ground beef is for making meals besides chili, like meatballs and cabbage rolls.

Read on for all the details for making Beef Chili.

Featured Ingredients

Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make easy Beef Chili.

All the ingredients used to make this easy beef chili recipe.

Beans - I chose a mixture of light red kidney beans and pinto beans for this beef chili recipe. I like the difference in texture and color. You can use any bean you like! Scroll down to find out the best cooking method for your needs.

Beef - The best chili allows for a long simmer time, which gives all the flavors a chance to come together. For these reasons, I chose a fattier beef. It helps the meat stay tender and creates the perfect amount of grease to cook the vegetables.

Seasonings - Time flies on the spice shelf! Use this as a reminder to ensure your dry seasonings are still usable. Ground spices have a 1-3 year shelf life, depending on the type. If the color has dulled or herbs are starting to wilt, they're probably past their time. Fortunately, they won't be poisonous, but their flavor can diminish significantly. Bulk spices are so helpful because you can buy only what you need for the current recipe you're working on. I have tested this theory with chili powder, and newer, fresh spice makes a difference!

Aromatics - Besides garlic, we're using onion, celery, and green pepper for our aromatics. Like the classic French mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrot, this is another version known as the Cajun holy trinity, most commonly found in southern food.

Ingredient amounts are listed in the recipe card.

Tools for the job

Cutting board and sharp knife (paid link)
Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 quart or larger
Wooden spoon and/or slotted spoon
Measuring spoons and cups

A yellow pot of chili with onions, cheese and parsley topping.

Type of beans to use for beef chili

Canned beans

This is an easy one. Drain and rinse the beans, and you're all set! Follow the recipe instructions to know when to add them to the recipe.

Stovetop beans

Soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Drain the water, add them to a large pot, cover with water by 3 inches, and add 2 teaspoons of salt.
Bring the beans to a boil, then turn them down to a simmer and cover the pot.

They will take 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours to soften. Drain the water and follow the recipe instructions to determine when to add them.

Instant Pot beans

Soak the beans overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Drain the water, then add the beans to the Instantpot with 2 teaspoons of salt and 5 cups of water.
Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 25 minutes. When the time is up, let it do a Natural Release for about 20 minutes.

Unsoaked beans are cooked for 35-40 minutes. It's not a bad trade-off (for soaking) in my book!

Hot Tip!

Add a peeled and quartered onion and a few garlic cloves to the Instantpot for a flavor boost. Discard after the beans are cooked.

A yellow pot of chili with onion topping alongside the lid and a cutting board.

How to make beef chili

Warm a pot over medium heat. Crumble the beef into the dry pot and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Brown the beef until no pink remains, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula.
Then, using a slotted spoon, remove the beef to a bowl and set it aside. Leave the grease in the pot to cook the vegetables.
While the beef is cooking, dice the onion, bell pepper, and celery, and mince the garlic.
After you've removed the beef from the pot, add the diced onion, celery, green pepper, garlic cloves, and another teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook until the onions start to brown and everything softens, about 10-15 minutes. Cooking the vegetables longer adds a rich flavor by slightly carmelizing the aromatics.
Next, add the dry seasonings and a bay leaf to the vegetables and stir until everything is coated in the seasonings. Cook for 2-3 minutes to soften the dry seasonings. This technique helps to bloom the flavors while removing any grittiness from the seasonings.

A pot with raw ground beef beginning to cook.

Crumble the beef into the pot, season with salt, and brown it.

Remove the beef and saute the vegetables until the onions have darkened.

Now, add the beef back to the pot and stir to coat it entirely with the seasonings.
Next, pour in the beef broth, beans, and tomato sauce. Bring it to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cover the pot, stirring the chili occasionally.
Continue to simmer the beef chili for at least one hour and up to two hours, depending on how thick you like it. As the chili thickens, it will need to be stirred more often. If it becomes too thick you can thin it out with water or broth.
Serve with your favorite toppings, such as freshly diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, and sour cream.

A pot cooking ground beef and vegetables with seasoning.

Add seasonings and cook, then return the beef and stir to coat in the flavor!

A pot filled with all the chili ingredients but not stirred.

Add the beans, broth, and tomato sauce and simmer to thicken.

Leftovers

If you happen to have some delish chili leftovers, you can make this awesome old school fav.

Or, to store the beef and bean chili for another time:

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days.
Freeze in a sealed container for up to 6 months.
Reheat on the stove in a covered pot on low. If it has thickened quite a bit after cooling, thin it out with water or broth to reheat without burning.