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Rich, hearty, and loaded with flavor, this beef chili recipe is just the thing for game day, a casual get-together, or a cozy night in.
This beef chili recipe is my absolute go-to. It’s everything you want in a classic ground beef chili: rich, hearty, and full of flavor, with just the right amount of spice. A combination of warm spices, tomatoes, and ground beef simmers low and slow until the flavors meld and the chili is thick and satisfying. It’s perfect for a chilly evening, game day, or feeding a crowd, and it tastes even better the next day.
I make my chili without beans because my kids aren’t fans, but you can easily add them if you like. You’ll find instructions below, along with tips for adjusting the heat to suit your crowd.
“We’re Texans and love your chili! It is so well flavored without being hot…Thank you for another great recipe!”
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Chili
- Ground beef & baking soda: I recommend 85% lean ground beef. Baking soda helps the meat retain moisture and brown more readily, keeping it tender during the long simmer.
- Onion, garlic & red bell pepper: Form the aromatic base of the chili. I mince them fairly finely so they practically melt into the sauce as it simmers.
- Spices & herbs: Ancho and chipotle chile powders, cumin, oregano, coriander, and smoked paprika give the chili its smoky flavor. A little cinnamon is optional; it adds warmth without making the chili taste like dessert.
- Beef broth: Adds savory depth and reinforces the beefy flavor of the chili.
- Crushed tomatoes & tomato paste: Give the chili its tomato base; the paste adds extra richness and helps create a thick consistency.
- Cornmeal: A small amount thickens the chili as it simmers without making it heavy.
- Molasses: Optional, but a little helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes and the heat of the chiles.
- Lime juice: Stirred in at the end to add acidity and brighten the rich, slow-cooked flavors.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Adding Beans & Adjusting the Heat
To add beans: Rinse and drain one or two cans of kidney beans, pinto beans, or black beans, then stir them into the chili during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
For a milder chili: Cut back on the chipotle chile powder, which supplies much of the heat. Ancho chile powder is milder, with an earthy, slightly fruity flavor. You can always add a little cayenne toward the end if you decide you’d like more kick.
How To Make Chili
Prep the beef: Toss the ground beef with the salt, baking soda, and water, then let it sit while you prepare the vegetables.
Prep the veggies: Finely mince the onion, garlic, and bell pepper in a food processor, or chop them by hand. Pulse in short bursts so you don’t turn them into a purée.
Cook the vegetables and brown the beef: Cook the veggies until softened, then add the beef. Break it up as it cooks, but leave some larger pieces rather than crumbling it too finely—you want the chili to have some texture. Cook until the beef is nicely browned.
Add the spices and simmer: Stir in the ancho and chipotle chile powders, cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon, if using, and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the cornmeal, broth, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and molasses, if using, then simmer gently, covered, for about 2 hours. Skim off excess fat and stir in the lime juice. If the chili needs thickening, simmer uncovered a little longer; if it’s too thick, add a splash of water.
Enjoy with toppings of your choosing (cilantro, lime wedges, sour cream, cheese, and/or scallions).
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
Like most chilis, this one tastes even better the next day, so it’s a great make-ahead meal.
- Refrigerate: Divide the chili into shallow containers and refrigerate promptly. Cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Store in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Individual portions are handy for lunches or an easy dinner.
- Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen, then reheat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until bubbling throughout. Add a splash of water if it has thickened too much.
Video Tutorial
Classic Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 2½ lb 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.
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.
What To Serve With Chili
Warm cornbread is my first choice for soaking up the sauce, and tortilla chips, guacamole, and cowboy caviar are great for snacking while the chili simmers.
And don’t forget the toppings! Set out shredded cheddar, sour cream, sliced scallions, avocado, cilantro, and lime wedges so everyone can finish their bowl just how they like it.
More Chili Recipes You’ll Love
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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.