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 is SO good that I can’t stop eating it, and I am not a big chili eater. My husband wanted me to make chili and when I found your recipe that includes molasses I knew I had to try it. IT IS THE BEST! Thanks so much and I know I will make this often. Your recipes are my favorite.
I really liked this chili, it came together quickly, it was dark, rich and it thickened quickly. I did use Penzey’s Chili 9000 (recommend!) for some of the chili powder, and added Rancho Gordo Domingo Rojo beans. So yummy! I don’t know why, but I found I also really liked this chili topped with sliced green olives.
Once again a great recipe Jenn. We enjoyed this for dinner tonight & loved it with sour cream & avocado on top. It has a great flavour, quite different than any other Chili we’ve had. We like beans so I did add some kidney & black beans. Every recipe I have tried on your site, we love. Thanks so much for sharing Jenn.
Easy and delicious! I used the lower amount of chipotle spice and found it perfect. My husband added hot sauce as he does to everything. My kids like some spice and they said it was tasty.
Your recipes make me feel like I really can cook a tasty meal. I couldn’t figure out why I was so frustrated with cooking until I came across your blog. So many recipes I have found online miss important details and have not been tested adequately. Thank you for your recipes and I love your cookbook!
We love this recipe. I have made it several times, sometimes substituting dried poblano and paprika from my garden.
This is the best chili recipe! It is my go to recipe for chili. The texture and flavor are wonderful.
This recipe looks delicious! However, I would like to add beans. Would I need to make any adjustments for adding two cans of kidney beans? Also, if I make this in advance, what is the best way to warm it before serving?
Hi Naz, you can definitely add beans here during the last 30 minutes of cooking. I’d recommend sticking to one can, but if you prefer to use two, the chili will just be a bit thicker. And if you’re refrigerating it, just reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. Hope you enjoy!
Being from Cincinnati, I can say the addition of cinnamon and molasses definitely gives this a Cincinnati-style chili taste.
That’s not my favorite style of chili, though it’s certainly well-suited to pasta or rice as a mix-in. I prefer a more traditional chili-with-beans dish.
Still giving this a positive overall rating. Just because something isn’t exactly to my taste doesn’t make it a bad recipe. We ended up serving this as a nacho dish and it was fine.
If you like a milder/sweeter no-bean chili, this will likely fill the bill.
I followed the recipe exactly and the baking soda made it taste bitter. I have only used baking soda for baking and never with meats. I could not eat it and I made a double batch. What a waste of money!
WOW!!! I’ve never tasted a Chili so full of flavor! I spent a small fortune buying all the spices but sooooooo worth it. I followed the recipe with all of it’s ingredients from sugar and spices to cornmeal and molasses … tasting all the way. But the topper is the lime juice at the end. It has spicy heat but not for long. “Try it, you’ll like it”!!! Thank you Jennifer! 😋