Best Beef Chili Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
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. Serve it with fluffy cornbread, spoon it over rice, pile it on baked potatoes, or scoop it up with tortilla chips. Whether you’re hosting a crowd or enjoying a quiet night at home, 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 (ancho chile powder, chipotle chile powder, ground cumin, oregano, ground coriander, smoked paprika, cinnamon): These 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: Acts as a thickening agent.
- 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
Start by mixing 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.
Meanwhile, chop the veggies. I use a food processor to speed this up, but it’s fine to chop by hand too.
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.
Add the beef and turn the heat up to high. 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 chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, smoked paprika, and cinnamon (if you’re using it).
Cook until well combined and the spices are fragrant. Then 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. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the chili—it’ll be a good amount.
Stir in the lime juice, then 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, making it great for make-ahead meals; freeze for longer storage.
You May Also Like
Classic Beef Chili
This hearty, flavor-packed chili is my go-to for any occasion. It’s perfect for meal prep, feeds a crowd, and freezes like a dream—so go ahead and make extra!
Ingredients
- 2.5 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 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 chili powder, chipotle chili 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.
- Make Ahead: Cool slightly, and then refrigerate uncovered until cold. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The chili can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
Powered by 
- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 655
- Fat: 44 g
- Saturated fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 39 g
- Sodium: 1711 mg
- Cholesterol: 134 mg
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.
See more recipes:
Comments
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
My family devoured & loved this chili. I did add two cans of black beans. Thank you for trustworthy and tasty recipes!
I don’t have any bell peppers on hand, can you make another suggestion?
Hi Debbie, you could just omit it or use minced celery instead. Hope you enjoy!
I made this chili tonight and it was absolutely delicious!!!!! My husband said it was the best chili he’d ever tasted and that’s saying a lot because he is such a foodie. Thanks again for another wonderful dish!
Just to be safe, why add molasses to chili? Would it still work if it does not have it?
Hi Bianca, you can leave it out — I’d just add another teaspoon or two of sugar, to taste. Enjoy!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! It brought back childhood memories of playing outside with friends in the cold and coming inside for a wonderfully savory bowl of chili. I made a few adjustments by incorporating ingredients from my previously beloved chili recipe that won me 2nd place at last year’s office chili cookoff. I added half a jar of Pace salsa, omitted molasses and lime because I had neither. Replaced the chipotle powder with 1tbs of sauce and one chopped chili from a can of chipotle chilis. The beef tenderizer definitely made a difference too, my boyfriend was raving about it (and I’ve made chili for him many times in our 7 years together)! My one criticism might be that it’s a bit salty and I love salt. I even used low sodium beef broth which is rare for me. At least with salt it’s easy to add more so for this recipe I would half the amount and add more to taste towards the end of cooking.
Oh, and I also added beans. Two cans of dark red kidney and one can light red kidney beans. Can’t have chili without beans in my opinion!
My kids loved it and asked for it two nights in a row.
My kids asked for 3rds!!
I made this on New Year’s Day and followed the directions with 3 exceptions.
1. Omitted the molasses as I didn’t have any.
2, Added 1 finely chopped jalapeño pepper that I needed to use up!
3. Added 1 29 oz can kidney beans as family prefers chili with beans.
Delicious!
Exquisite! Layers and layers of complex and enticing flavors and because a chef has already perfected the recipe it is easy to make. I’m going to steal these recipes and use them as the head chef of a five star restaurant. Yes, that’s the ticket! 😊
I am from a Texas somInhave both eaten and made lots of chilli all my life. I have a recipe that I’ve used for years. Decided to try this one because I have enjoyed most of the Jenn’s Recipes. It has a good flavor, However, I recommend draining the fat from the meat prior to cooking. I spent a lot of time skimming fat. I personally don’t enjoy a lot of fat in my chilli.
Honestly — five stars. It was the best I have ever made at home. I did add more cornmeal every 20 minutes or so which I think thickened it up. It was so so good….I am still thinking about it!! Thank you!