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.
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 or skip on down to the recipe card.
Featured Ingredients
Read below about a few of the ingredients used to make Easy Beef Chili.
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 beef 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 - In addition to 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.
Tools for the job
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- Large pot or Dutch oven, 5 quart or larger
- Wooden spoon and/or slotted spoon
- Measuring spoons and cups
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 pot for a flavor boost. Discard after the beans are cooked.
How to make beef chili
- Warm a pot over medium heat. Crumble the beef into the 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 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.
- Now, add the beef back to the pot and stir to coat it completely with the seasonings. Then, pour in the beef broth, beans, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cover, stirring occasionally.
- Continue to simmer the 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.
- Serve with your favorite toppings, such as freshly diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, and sour cream.
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.
More recipes
Here are a few more bean and beef recipes you may enjoy!
Beef Chili
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Classic beef chili is an American staple. This simple version is made with tender ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, fragrant aromatics, and perfectly balanced seasonings. This beef chili is not only easy to assemble but delivers that classic chili flavor you crave!
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
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Warm a 5 quart, or larger, pot over medium heat. Add 1 lb. of beef and 1 teaspoon of salt. Brown the beef just until no pink remains. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef to a bowl and set aside. Leave the grease in the pot.
- Add the diced onion, celery, green pepper, 2 minced garlic cloves, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook and stir until the onions start to brown, 10-15 minutes.
- Add the chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, pepper, cumin, and bay leaf to the vegetables. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes to bloom the dry seasonings.
- Add the beef back to the pot and stir to coat with the seasonings. Then add the beef beans, beef broth, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cover stirring occasionally.
- Continue to simmer the chili for at least one hour, and up to two hours depending on how thick you like your chili. SEE NOTE 2
- Serve with your favorite toppings like freshly diced onions, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced jalapenos, and sour cream.
Notes
1. If you like a meatier chili, add up to two pounds of beef, using 1 teaspoon of salt per pound added.
2. To thicken the chili faster, leave the lid off, but longer cook times leads to richer flavor overall. You can also use a thickener like cornstarch or cornmeal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: American
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