This Easy Chili Recipe comes together quickly, but doesn’t skimp on flavor. Made with ground beef, beans, and classic chili seasonings, it’s thick, hearty, and perfect comfort food anytime!
We love serving this with our easy homemade cornbread to mop up the juices in the bowl.
Favorite Easy Chili Recipe
Chili recipes are like spaghetti sauce, meatballs, and pizza dough – everyone has one, and everyone makes theirs differently. And that’s ok! Obviously I’m very fond of my own.
There are so many variations on chili and it’s truly one of those meals that’s hard to mess up. I’ve made countless versions, but this is my favorite easy chili recipe because it’s quick, yet still packed with so much great flavor. Thick and hearty, like a good classic chili recipe should be!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this chili recipe:
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Beef: We use lean ground beef.
- Beef Broth: Use a good quality beef broth.
- Vegetables: Onion, poblano pepper, and garlic.
- Olive oil: Used to sauté the veggies.
- Tomatoes: A combination of tomato paste, tomato sauce, and fired roasted tomatoes.
- Beans: We love red kidney beans in our chili.
- Chili Seasoning: Chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and a bit of cayenne.
Recipe Variations
- Use a different meat: The ground beef can be substituted for ground turkey or even chorizo.
- Need it vegetarian? Omit the meat, add in an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil, an extra can of beans of your choice, and crumbled extra firm tofu.
- Make it more or less spicy: Adjust the cayenne pepper to make it more spicy or less spicy. Or omit it entirely and pass some hot sauce at the table.
- Change the beans: Instead of red kidney beans, use white. Or sub in black beans or a combination of your favorites.
- Add in some corn: Toss in 1/2 cup of corn kernels for added flavor and color.
How To Make Chili
This homemade chili recipe is so easy to make all in one pot. Here’s a brief summary:
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details and don’t miss the video below.)
- Sauté the vegetables: Cook the onion and poblano pepper in olive oil until tender, then add in the garlic until fragrant.
- Add in the ground beef: Add the ground beef to the pot. Cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains. Drain off most of the fat.
- Stir in the tomato paste and seasonings: Stir in the tomato paste and all the seasonings until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Pour in the broth, tomatoes, and beans: Pour in the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with their juice), and kidney beans. Stir well.
- Simmer: Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust seasonings, of necessary.
- Let rest: Remove the pot from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Serve in bowls with your choice of toppings and enjoy!
Video: Homemade Chili
What To Serve With Chili
Try taking your chili up a notch by adding some of these toppings:
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- A dollop of sour cream
- Diced red onion
- Sliced pickled jalapeños or candied jalapenos
- Diced ripe avocado
- Corn chips
- Oyster cracker, fire crackers, or crushed saltine crackers
What Goes With Chili
In addition to the various toppings listed above, we love to serve our chili with some bread to mop up the juices. Here are some of our favorites:
How To Store Chili
- How long does chili last in the fridge? Allow any leftovers cool completely, then store in the fridge in an airtight container. It will keep up to 4 days.
- Can you freeze chili? Yes, chili freezes very well. Let the cooked chili cool completely, store in a freezer-safe airtight container of plastic bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Easy Homemade Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion , diced small
- 1 medium poblano pepper , diced small
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 & 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 & 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 & 1/2 cups beef broth
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 15 ounce can petite diced fire roasted tomatoes , undrained
- 16 ounce can red kidney beans , drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and poblano pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef to the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and no pink remains. Drain off most of the fat.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Pour in the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with their juice), and kidney beans. Stir well.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer (low to medium-low.) Cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust seasonings, of necessary.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve in bowls with your choice of toppings and enjoy!
bro this is so good im 14 and i love cooking and this was so fun and easy to make
I added some jalapeno because we like heat. This is so simple and has the best flavor.
I added some diced celery and carrots, but otherwise no changes. We all loved this so much.