Classic Chili Recipe. (2024)

Classic beef chili is a delicious and super easy one-pot dinner. Nothing beats a warm bowl of spicy, meaty chili topped with sour cream, onions, and melty shredded cheddar cheese.

Serve this with your favorite tortilla chips or a fresh batch of homemade cornbread.

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My family is a big fan of spicy food. Chili is at the top of that list.

I was practically weaned on Tabasco sauce. I remember my dad eating it on everything! I’m not sure my mom appreciated it. She might have even taken offense to it.

Soup and stew recipes are probably one of my favorite things to make. Not only are they delicious, but they have meal prep built in. A batch that can be eaten all week or frozen to pull out for another week.

What You’ll Love About This Chili Recipe

• Hearty. This chili recipe is hearty and has tons of flavor.
• Chile con Carne. Chili can be made with all meat, or you can make this recipe with beef and beans.
• Make ahead. It’s so easy to make a massive pot of chili ahead of time. You can warm it up any time for a healthy, filling meal.
• One-Pot Meal. Chili is the original one-pot meal.

Recipe Notes

Chili is an easy one-pot recipe that can be made on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, and even in a Slow cooker. It’s so versatile, filling, and it freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

• Meat. I like to use either coarse ground beef or diced chuck roast.
• Beans. Beans are entirely optional with this chili recipe. Try using pinto beans, black beans, red kidney, or a combination.
• Tomatoes. Canned tomatoes are just fine here. I like chunky tomatoes in my chili and opt for whole stewed tomatoes. For smoother chili, you can use diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes.
• Peppers and Onions. This recipe calls for peppers and onions. If you want spicier chili, use more of the spicier chilies.
• Spices. Chili flavor comes from all the spices. Chili powder, cayenne, oregano, garlic, and onion powder.
• Cocoa powder. Cocoa powder is the secret ingredient in my chili recipe. Cocoa gives this recipe a balanced flavor similar to a Mexican mole.

FAQS and Variations

Ways to cook chili

Stovetop Chili

I most often make my chili in my favorite Staub dutch oven. (affiliate link) If you aren’t ready to shell out the money for a Staub, I recommend the 6-quart Lodge (affiliate link)Enameled Dutch Oven. Lodge is a solid brand that knows what it’s doing regarding cast iron cookware.

Instant Pot (affiliate link) Chili

These instructions also work for a Traditional Pressure Cooker (affiliate link) and the Instant Pot.

1. Use the sauté setting on high to brown the meat, then add the onions and other veggies. Sauté for a few more minutes until the vegetables are tender.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and set to high pressure.
3. Cook for 20 minutes if you are using ground beef.
4. Cook for 35 minutes if you are using a cubed chuck.

Slow Cooker Chili

Brown the meat in a sauté pan. Add the onions and other veggies and continue to sauté until tender. Add the beef and vegetables to your slow cooker with the remaining ingredients — cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Chili is the perfect One Pot meal to make for meal prep

This beef chili recipe is high in protein and low in calories.

Chili is great for meal prep because you make a large batch. It is easy to pack in reheatable containers (affiliate link) and store in the fridge.

Chili also freezes well.

How To Reheat Chili

To reheat chili from the refrigerator:

1. Remove the chili it from the fridge, place it in a saucepan.
2. Heat over medium heat until it’s bubbling, approximately 5 minutes.
3. Make sure you stir the chili frequently to prevent it from burning on the bottom.

To reheat chili from the freezer:

1. Remove the container of chili from the freezer.
2. Set it in the sink or on a towel for 10 minutes to thaw slightly. (It will sweat as it thaws)
3. Place the sealed container in a bowl of warm water to speed up the thawing process. The container does not have to be completely submerged.
4. Place the thawed chili into a saucepan. The chili can still be partially frozen.
5. Heat over medium until it is bubbling, Approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Make sure you stir the chili frequently to prevent it from burning on the bottom.

Microwave instructions:

1. Alternatively, microwave thawed chili for 3 to 4 minutes on high.
2. Microwave temperatures vary, so make sure you check yours.

What to serve with Chili

• Tortilla chips OR Fritos Corn Chips.
• Cornbread
• Rice

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