Best Beef Chili
Best Beef Chili

Everyone needs a recipe for classic ground beef chili. Make this your goal! With corn, peppers, tomatoes and beans, it’s enough to freeze for later.

I like to call this my Saturday chili. It’s meaty and hearty and filling, and it’s been in our food rotation for years during the cold months. (It’s “chili” months, after all, haha.)

Any Saturday morning I might start that early and let it simmer long and leisurely while sipping my coffee, reading the paper, or tossing in a load of laundry. I can call friends and have an impromptu, casual meeting with very little muscle.

Video: How to make the best beef chili

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Best Beef Chili

Cook this beef chili low and slow

It’s the long, lazy simmer that really sets this meaty chili apart. Onions, garlic, peppers and tomatoes slowly bind the chili together until almost creamy.

You can cut the time down to about 45 minutes, but if you’re not in a hurry, let it simmer for up to 1 1/2 hours. You will be rewarded with a fantastic, deep taste.

Make your own chili powder for great chili

Instead of pureeing reconstituted dried chiles like most “from scratch” recipes do, I directly skip using pure ground chili powders like ancho and chipotle powder to save a step.

Ancho chiles are dried poblano peppers and are relatively mild with an earthy flavor, while chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeños and as such provide a lot more heat, so use the powder wisely.

Generic chili powder is a mix of chilies and other spices like dried onion and garlic, and I prefer to add these “extra” flavors myself.

Ways to customize beef chili

  • The amount of chili powder There’s just a little kick in the recipe, but you can turn up the heat by adding more chipotle powder if you like it spicy.
  • Use black, kidney, or pinto beans, or a mix, if you happen to have them on hand; They are interchangeable in this recipe.
  • Even if you want to sneak in a few extra veggies, you could add diced zucchini, diced squash, or even carrots and celery, but I don’t usually guilt this lily. i love it the way it is
  • Swap out the beefTopped with ground turkey, pork, or a mix of your choice.

Best Chili Toppings

There are many toppings to choose from in the “go-withs”. Set out bowls of these for each person to choose their own. Here are some of my top contenders:

  • sour cream
  • Shredded sharp cheddar or Monterey Jack
  • Sliced ​​onions
  • Chopped radishes
  • Shredded lettuce
  • Fresh coriander
  • Chopped jalapeños

What to serve with Beef Chili

Bake a pan of cornbread while the chili is simmering and you have a comforting dinner, ready and waiting, whenever you want.

Freeze leftover chili

Leftover chili will keep in the fridge for at least a week or can be frozen for up to three months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat frozen soup straight from the freezer in a saucepan over low heat.

More Chili Recipes to Try!

  • Chili con carne
  • Pressure Cooker Ground Beef Chili
  • Cincinnati Chili
  • Easy no-bean chili
  • Buffalo Chicken Chili

Best Beef Chili


preparation time
15 minutes

cooking time
90 minutes

total time
105 minutes

portions
8th
up to 12 servings

If you don’t have ground ancho and/or chipotle powder, you can use 1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon chili powder.

ingredients

For the chili:

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil

  • 2 Middle onionsfinely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlicfinely chopped

  • 2 lb lean ground beef

  • 1 teaspoon Salt

  • 1 tablespoon Ancho Chili Powderor to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin

  • 2 teaspoon oregano

  • 2 sweet bell pepper (red, orange, yellow or mixed), diced

  • 1 (28 ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (or equal amount chopped or mashed)

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans or black beans, drained and rinsed

  • 1 Cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

For the garnish:

  • sour cream

  • Grated sharp cheddar

  • Sliced ​​thin radish

  • cut spring onions

  • Chopped onions

  • avocado slices

  • Shredded lettuce

  • Freshly chopped jalapenos

  • Fresh coriander

method

  1. Cooking onions, garlic and beef:

    In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until onions are tender.

    Add the beef and salt. Using a potato masher or the edge of a spoon, cook the meat for 5 minutes or until no longer pink.

  2. Add spices and paprika:

    Add the ancho and chipotle powders, cumin, and oregano to the saucepan. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the peppers.

  3. Puree the tomatoes and add:

    In a blender, pulse the tomatoes and their juice for 5 seconds to break them up. Put them in the pot with the water and bring to the boil.

  4. Cook chili:

    Reduce the heat and simmer for at least 45 minutes, or up to 1 1/2 hours, or until liquid is flavorful (the longer the better!).

    Add more hot water, 1/2 cup at a time, during cooking if the mixture seems too thick.

  5. Add beans and corn:

    Add the beans and corn and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until hot. Taste and add more salt or chili powder if you like.

  6. Serve with garnish:

    Prepare bowls of your favorite side dishes to serve.

    Covered, this chilli keeps in the fridge for about a week and can be frozen for up to 3 months.

nutritional information (per serving)
512 calories
29g Fat
32g carbohydrates
35g protein
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Recipes Team
Hello everybody, Even if you're limited on time and money, I believe you can prepare wonderful food with everyday products. All you have to do is cook cleverly and creatively!

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