Best Beef Chili Recipe
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Craving comfort food on a chilly day? This hearty, boldly spiced chili is just what you need—perfect for game day, family dinners, or a cozy night in.
This chili recipe is my absolute go-to. It’s everything you want in a classic ground beef chili—rich, flavorful, and perfectly spiced to warm you up. Whether you serve it with fluffy cornbread, spoon it over rice, pile it on baked potatoes, or scoop it up with tortilla chips, this homemade chili always hits the spot. Plus, it freezes beautifully, so making a double batch is always a smart move.
You’ll notice I don’t add beans to my chili—my kids aren’t fans. But if you love beans in yours, go for it! I recommend 1 to 2 cans of kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans. Just rinse and drain them, then stir them into the chili during the last half hour of cooking.
“We’re Texans and love your chili! It is so well flavored without being hot…Thank you for another great recipe!”
Video Tutorial
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Chili
- Ground Beef: Provides the hearty meaty base for the chili. Opt for 85% lean; the fat enriches the meat, enhancing the dish’s overall flavor and texture. And don’t stress about the fat—post-cooking, it’s easy to skim off any excess. If you’d like to use ground turkey as an alternative, I suggest this turkey chili recipe.
- Baking Soda: Helps tenderize the beef by locking in moisture. Also accelerates browning, resulting in a more flavorful, tender chili.
- Onion, Garlic, Red Bell Pepper: Forms the aromatic base of the chili.
- Spices and Herbs: A mix of ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, ground cumin, oregano, ground coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon give the chili its distinctive flavor and heat. This recipe has a medium spice level, but you can easily adjust it to suit your taste. For a milder chili, reduce the chipotle chile powder. If you prefer it spicier, add cayenne pepper to taste.
- Cornmeal: Thickens the chili.
- Beef Broth: Provides liquid and enhances the beefy flavor of the chili.
- Crushed Tomatoes and Tomato Paste: Adds a rich tomato flavor and contributes to the chili’s thick texture.
- Molasses: Offers a touch of sweetness to balance the heat and spices.
- Lime Juice: Adds a hint of acidity and brightness.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Tenderize the beef. Mix the ground beef, salt, baking soda, and water in a large bowl. Use your hands to combine everything evenly, then let it sit for 20 minutes. The baking soda works its magic by raising the meat’s pH, which helps it stay juicy and brown more quickly.
Step 2: Prep the veggies. While the meat rests, finely chop the veggies. I use a food processor to speed this up, but it’s fine to chop by hand too.
Step 3: Cook the veggies. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil and add the onions, garlic, and red pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are softened—it will take about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Brown the beef and add the spices. Add the beef and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, until it’s nicely browned. The beef will give off quite a bit of fat and liquid—don’t worry, you’ll skim the fat off at the end, so no need to drain it. Stir in the ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon (if you’re using it). Cook until well combined and the spices are fragrant.
Step 5: Add the remaining ingredients and simmer. Add the cornmeal, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and molasses (if you’re using it). Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
Step 6: Finish and serve. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the chili—it’ll be a good amount. Then stir in the lime juice, taste, and adjust the seasoning to your liking. Serve the chili with your favorite toppings—sour cream, shredded Cheddar, scallions, corn, avocado, or whatever you love. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days; freeze for longer storage.
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Classic Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds 85% lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion (or 2 small), minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, minced
- 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
- 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, (optional, for a sweeter chili)
- 2 tablespoons cornmeal
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon molasses, such as Grandma's Original (optional, for a sweeter chili)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from 1 lime
For Serving (optional)
- Cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, cheese, scallions
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, salt, baking soda, and 1 tablespoon of water. Using your hands, mix until evenly combined. Let the beef mixture sit on the counter for 20 minutes.
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, garlic, and red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beef and increase the heat to high; cook, stirring with wooden spoon to break the meat into ¼-inch (6-mm) pieces, until the beef is browned, 10 to 12 minutes. The beef will release a lot of liquid—do not drain it; you'll skim the fat off at the end.
- Add the ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon (if using); cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until well combined and fragrant.
- Stir in the cornmeal, broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and molasses (if using); bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.
- Skim any excess fat off the surface of the chili. There will be quite a bit; don't worry about getting all of it, as it adds flavor. Stir in the lime juice, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. For a thinner chili, you can add a bit of water. To thicken the chili, continue simmering, uncovered, until desired consistency is reached.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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This recipe is a winner! I am a Pacific NW native, but I prefer flavorful foods like from the Southwest. I am wheat/corn intolerant so I had to omit the corn meal and use arrowroot. Beans are off my diet as well, so this chili recipe is PERFECT for my needs! In my opinion the additional sweetness is an amazing game changer for chili. By the way, this was my first chili attempt!
I made this recipe precisely as directed, using brand-new bulk spices from Central Market (a local gourmet grocery). On the plus side, the meat was tender and not overly dry. But, the chili was very bland – it was sorely lacking in chili flavor, heat, salt, umami… you name it, it was missing it (except sweetness – the vegetables plus molasses plus sugar made it just a touch too sweet). I can only surmise this is a recipe intended to suit a midwestern palate, as no one I know would find this interesting or even passable chili. With some tweaks (including the addition of a lot more chili powder, salt, marmite, and dousing it with hot sauce before serving), it was edible, but the five star rating suggests people outside of Texas have vastly different expectations of chili.
Lindsey, Chili is very regional and Texas definitely is one regionally defined chili-cubed not ground , broth no beans and probably the least fussy to make. That said it is after all a preference for taste and texture. A little vinegar defines part of Carolina chili, chocolate and pasta Cincinnati. It is fun to experiment with regionally defined dishes. They are all good.
Hi
We really love your chili. My new daughter in law is vegan and i would like to make this for her but leave out the meat. How many cans
Of beans would you suggest in its place?
Thank you
Marci kalinin
Hi Marci, this does call for a lot of beef so I hope it translates well to just beans as I’ve never tried it this way. That said, I’d probably suggest 3 cans of beans. Also, I’ve never worked with veggie crumbles of any kind, but you could bulk up the chili a bit with those if your daughter in law will eat those. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I am planning on making this today with ground turkey. Would you still use beef broth or should i use a poutlry broth? Thank you so much!
Hi Vikki, I’d use chicken broth. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn. Any thoughts on making this vegetarian by using TVP/veggie crumbles/veggies and vegetable broth? I’ve done that when winging chili in the past with good results…but I love all your recipes and value your experience and recommendations!
Hi Frankie, Glad you like the recipes! 🙂 I’ve never worked with veggie crumbles of any kind, so it’s hard to say for sure, but I definitely think it’s worth a try. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Hi Jenn! Can I substitute something for the cornmeal, or would it be okay to leave it out? Would love some chili, but have no access to cornmeal at the local store where I am!
You could probably get away with omitting the cornmeal, although it helps to thicken the chili. If you have corn tortillas on hand, you could grind a few up in a food processor and use them. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you so much for the reply, Jenn! I did blend up a couple of corn tortillas with the broth, and the chili was absolutely delicious. I will make this again and again, it was a huge hit with my family!
Glad everyone enjoyed! 🙂
I was trying to find a chili recipe to use for guests I am having for July 4th but wanted to try it out first before serving it to others and it was fantastic. I added a can of beans as other reviewers had suggested. This will now be my “go-to” chili recipe. Thanks you for always providing great foolproof recipes!
Hi Jenn,
Made your chili today. Not to overstate, but that’s the best chili recipe I’ve ever made. There were a few things I liked about it. First, as you make it, the recipe fills the house with amazing chili fragrance. Second, it was simple and last of all it tastes even better than it smells. Truly a masterpiece recipe, thanks for sharing it and that is how I will make chili forever after.
☺️
My second review, just because we love this recipe so much. In our humble opinion, what makes this the best is
1– the broth. Instead of a thick tomato-y sauce this is a rich flavorful beefy tomato sauce. May be too soupy for some but the broth is one of the keys.
2– spice combination is perfect. Not just “chili powder.” It’s part of what makes the broth so great.
3– adding beans towards the end. They aren’t mushy and two cans is plenty. We don’t like too many beans in ours.
So thanks again for sharing another awesome dish with us!
I only have 1lb of lean ground turkey, would this be ok? If so, should I do half of all the other ingredients?
Yes, I think cutting the other ingredients by half (if not a tiny bit more) will work. Hope you enjoy!
It was a big hit, thank you!
I have been cooking for my husband for over 40 years (along with 4 kids) so I’ve made chili many times. Sometimes with a recipe and sometimes not. When I made this recipe the first time, my husband said it was the best I’d ever made. When I made it again, he said the same thing. I think I have found my “chili recipe for life”!