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 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 go ahead and make a double batch.
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.
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This sounds delicious, but I don’t have any beef broth. Can I substitute beer for the beef broth?
Hi Maria, I’d probably go with 2 cups of water and one cup of beer. You may need to add an additional pinch of salt. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it this way!
Can I add beans to the chili?
Definitely!
This was some of the best chili I have ever made/ had. I’m not really into beef but my family is and with all the canned goods we have stocked up wanted to put them to good use. I did add two kinds of beans at the end, used chili powder but not specific types listed. I think the cinnamon really gave this a great flavor and perhaps the cornmeal which I’ve never used in chili before gave the sauce a great consistency. Served over halved baked potatoes. Thank you!
Recently made this recipe and used chili powder instead of ancho chili powder because I could not find it. I did add a can of black beans, rinsed. It was simple to make and very tasty. I thought it had enough heat, my husband would have liked more. It will be made again.
I’ve made it three times and it’s the best chili I’ve ever had! The first time I made it I was concerned about the heat concerning some older guests but sour cream leveled the spice factor. It’s delicious!
I first became a fan of Jenn’s recipes after making her pumpkin bread (so delicious!)… After trying out a few random chili recipes and not LOVING any of them, I tried this recipe. Let me tell you, it is my husband’s favorite version and the only one we make now! It is easy and doesn’t require a ton of work or ingredients. It seems a lot more “runny” than your typical chili at first, but it magically adjusts and isn’t too soupy. Once the chili has been in the refrigerator overnight, I’ll skim the visible, hardened fat off of the top.
Such a great recipe!
I think our taste buds are just different from most, or maybe we are just too accustomed to the spicy southwest/Texas-style chili recipes that I’ve made for years. I made this recipe yesterday as a winter storm blew through, and followed the recipe except for using only half of the molasses (thinking I could add the remainder later) and I did add beans at the end. Neither of us liked it – we found it a bit weird – and I am threw away the leftovers. For us the cinnamon was probably the problem, but I won’t try again. The “softer” texture of the ground beef (from the baking soda) also was different, like turkey maybe but with beef flavor. On the other hand we generally LOVE your recipes and are big fans of most we’ve tried. I’m baffled and re-checked the recipe to see if there was something I had missed – tried adding salt, then cayenne… then gave up. (I wondered if we would have liked it better if we didn’t think of it as chili, but decided probably not.)
Sorry this one was a miss for you, Judy!
It is very different and I thought it was epic.
This chili is excellent!! Only sorry I didn’t have more leftovers. I’ll be making it again very soon!
Family favourite – added a couple cans of black beans, kidney beans and frozen corn.
What a fabulous chili! It’s thick and yum and just how my family loves it. I made it last night and let it sit overnight in the fridge. It turned out to be the perfect Super Bowl Chili. Thank you!
Hi! I usually have Grandma’s molasses in my pantry but not today. I have black strap molasses, I’m thinking the tablespoon might be too much, how about a 1/2 T? Thank you!
Yes, Glenna, I’m guessing I may be responding too late to be helpful, but I think 1/2 tablespoon sounds about right.
We all love chili – your looks and sounds delicious, however the sodium count is high, over 1700. Too much sodium is unhealthy. I would love “skinnier” sodium version for all recipes. I give a “2” because of the high sodium. Thanks.
Hi Lynn, yes, this one is pretty high in sodium. Feel free to use low sodium beef broth and reduce the salt.