Ground Beef Chili with Beans is hot, hearty and ready to warm your tummy in under 30 minutes. Made with ground beef, beans and a tasty blend of chili seasonings and ready in just 30 minutes, this traditional homemade chili recipe is quick, easy and comfort food at it’s best!
Ground Beef Chili with Beans
Let’s take a minute to talk about why YOU need this classic Ground Beef Chili recipe in your life.
As I get older, I have come to realize there are a few things that every woman needs to have in her life.
- A vehicle that tells you how many miles you have left until you run out of gas
- An iron clad cheat sheet how long and at what temperature you cook chicken breasts in the oven
- A bangin’ homemade ground beef chili recipe.
Go ahead, think about it and tell me I am wrong!
traditional chili with beans
Now, THIS girl lives in Florida where it only gets cold a handful of times throughout the year.
You had better believe that on at least one of those days, this ground beef chili recipe is simmering away on my stove top.
Hearty chili warms you from the inside out and this easy chili recipe is ready to eat in under 30 minutes!
Sure, there are amazing chili recipes that you slow cook all day long but sometimes you don’t have all day to babysit chili… or you’re really hungry and need food NOW!
why this is the ULTIMATE chili recipe
- This classic chili recipe is perfect for those weeknight dinners when you just want a heart, delicious meal on your dinner table without the wait.
- The best chili is made with a homemade blend of seasonings to give you complex flavors and depth of heat… we got that!!
- Perfect to make ahead and stash in your freezer for the next time you are craving a hearty meal.
- No more store bought ground beef chili needed to make chili dogs, chili cheese dip, Layered Chili Cheese Dip Bites or loaded tater tots.
- Ready in just 30 minutes and made in one pot, life gets no easier!
- Need to feed a crowd of people? Boom! The perfect ground beef chili recipe to feed the masses.
- Completely customizable!
- You can slow simmer this in the slow cooker so it’s ready and waiting for you when you walk in the door.
how do you make good homemade chili?
To make this classic chili recipe, you will need:
- Ground beef
- Onion
- Jalapeno (or jalapeno powder)
- Tomato paste
- Beef Stock
- Favorite spaghetti sauce
- Beans
- Spices
how to make the best homemade chili
- To make, start by browning the ground beef in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat.
- Once the meat is no longer pink… take a deep breath, this part is hard… DO NOT DRAIN THE GREASE! I know it goes against everything we know to be true in this world but trust me, you want that extra flavor.
- Add your onion, tomato paste, beans, spaghetti sauce, brown sugar, spices and beef stock to your ground beef.
- Stir everything together and let come to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy with cornbread 🙂
pro tips for the BEST chili with beans
- Add your chopped onion and jalapeno pepper to a small food processor and pulse to chop to make prep work easy.
- Don’t have a jalapeno on hand? Substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of ground jalapeno powder.
- Use your favorite brand of spaghetti sauce for extra flavor. Grab the ‘chunky’ version with green peppers and chunks of tomato.
- Not a fan of ground beef? Swap out the meat for ground pork or chicken instead.
- Don’t like chili with beans? Leave them out! … it’s just food, make it to your tastes.
- Want to break out your slow cooker? Simply transfer your browned meat mixture to your crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients, stir and let it simmer on Low all day.
can you freeze chili?
Heck, yeah you can! Simply let your cooked chili cool down and then move it to a large zip top bag, removing the excess air in the bag.
Lay the bag flat in the freezer until frozen through. Homemade chili can remain frozen for up to 4 – 6 months.
To reheat, move your chili to the fridge for one day and then once unfrozen, heat over medium heat in a large saucepan.
You can also freeze a few smaller zip top bags to use easily for things like chili dogs or to add into your eggs, instead of having to defrost the BIG bag of frozen chili.
can you make this classic chili recipe ahead of time?
We all know that homemade chili is one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day.
If you want to start your chili ahead of time, make is as instructed then let it cool down and come to room temperature.
Transfer it to an airtight container and stash it in the refrigerator until needed. It will last 3 to 5 days.
chili recipe to feed a crowd
This beef chili recipe is perfect for feeding a hungry crowd!
As is, this chili recipe makes between 8 and 10 servings. Simply double (or triple!) the recipe depending on how many people you are expecting to feed.
what do you top chili with?
In addition to the Ground Beef Chili ingredients listed in this recipe for classic chili, you may also want to have these additional items on hand as toppings.
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sour cream
- sliced green onions
- saltine crackers or oyster crackers
- diced avocado
- crushed tortilla chips or corn chips
- fresh cilantro or green onion
- chopped onion
- corn kernels
That’s it!! This is a can’t miss, simple to make, perfect every time classic beef chili recipe.
Ready in just 30 minutes, you are serving up a hearty, thick, flavorful chili made with ingredients you probably have in your pantry.
more comfort food recipes
Enjoy ♥ Heather
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?
I would love for you to leave a rating and a comment below! Let me know, how’d you do?! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Classic Ground Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds Ground Beef
- 1/2 Large Onion diced
- 1 large Jalapeno, diced or 1/2 teaspoon jalapeno powder
- 1 1/2 cup Beef Stock
- 32 ounce Spaghetti Sauce chunky
- 3 ounce Tomato Paste
- 15 ounce Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounce Spicy Chili Beans
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
- Favorite garnishes
Instructions
- To make, start by browning the ground beef in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Once the meat is no longer pink, add your onion, tomato paste, beans, brown sugar, spaghetti sauce, spices and beef stock to your ground beef. Stir everything together and let come to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy with cornbread 🙂
Notes
PRO TIPS FOR THE BEST CHILI
- Add your chopped onion and jalapeno pepper to a small food processor and pulse to chop to make prep work easy.
- Don't have a jalapeno on hand? Substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of ground jalapeno powder.
- Use your favorite brand of spaghetti sauce for extra flavor. Grab the 'chunky' version with green peppers and chunks of tomato.
- Not a fan of ground beef? Swap out the meat for ground pork or chicken instead.
- Don't like chili with beans? Leave them out! ... it's just food, make it to your tastes.
- Want to break out your slow cooker? Simply transfer your browned meat mixture to your crock pot along with the rest of the ingredients, stir and let it simmer on Low all day.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in November 2018 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in October of 2023.
what do you think about adding potatoes my husband likes them and corn in his chii…lol
Dotti, I think potatoes would be amazing! Super hearty meal for a cold day, for sure. If you were to cut up and bake or par boil the potatoes, you could through them right in and they would be delicious!