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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I wish I could give this recipe 3.5 stars. I wasn’t crazy about it, though it was a very good quality chili. I will say that I did not have ancho chili powder so I used regular and that might have been the problem. I had to keep adding more spices because I found it not “chili” tasting enough and it was a bit too beefy for me (in taste). I did add kidney beans because for me, I NEED kidney beans in my chili. I will try this recipe in the future a few times before I decide it’s not my favourite chili recipe, adding ancho and seeing if it changes things. I did make Jenn’s cornbread recipe which is an absolute MUST to accompany this chili. Also: after a day it tasted a lot better.
Jenn, will it make a big difference in the taste if I just use regular chili powder instead of the ancho & chipotle? I know chili powders can vary a lot.
Hi Debbie, it’s fine to replace the ancho and chipotle chili powders with regular chili powder. The ancho chili powder adds a little heat, so feel free to add a pinch or 2 of cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper flakes. Hope that helps!
Made it for dinner and was sooooo delicious!!! Added a can of black beans for more fibre. Everyone loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
How many Cups is 1 serving?
I would guesstimate a serving is about 2 cups. 🙂
This is by far the best chili I have ever had. My husband said “Now THAT tastes like chili!”. Thank you so much for this recipe. I didn’t change a thing, just added beans.
Yowza! This one made it onto my wife’s Facebook page. Again with the perfect spice balancing. You rock with sparkles! Using the Test Kitchen technique really delivered the tender.
I enjoy improvisational, intuitive cooking. Not reliable, but fun. I’ve also come to enjoy my wife’s pleasure and relaxation when she knows I’m following one of your recipes. Thanks again for helping this husband-homemaker advance toward Certified HearthMaster status.
Wow! I’ve finally found my go-to chili recipe–the best I’ve ever tasted! I love the complex flavors (cinnamon and molasses, oh yes!) the richness, and the thickness. Lime juice at the end adds brightness and just takes it all over the top. Spice level is perfect too. Now, please excuse me now as I go toss out all my other chili recipes 🙂
We had family over for football last weekend, so I made a pot of this chili and added a poblano and a can of mild chili beans that I had in the pantry. It turned out great! My husband usually makes chili without a recipe and is rarely happy with it…lol. I served the chili with various toppings and a pan of cornbread. Everyone thought it was delicious!
love, love and love this recipe. I made this last night for picky stinky people. 🙂 they loved it and I will only make this version of chili from now on and forever. thank you so much for giving my family the best of all tastiest meals ever. I never go wrong cooking from your page, it’s always a success.
Hey Jen,
I cannot find any chipotle chili powder. Any suggestions for a substitute? Please advise when you have a chance!
Hi Staci, You can replace the chipotle chili powder with regular chili powder. Enjoy!
I get mine from The Spice House. They have lots of chili powder options!
Staci,
If you can’t find chipotle powder try looking for chipotle sauce in a can. It’s usually in the ethnic/hispanic aisle in a small can. A little goes a long way so can keep remaining in the fridge for many mths.