This Easy Beef Chili Recipe is as simple and delicious as chili gets. Flavorful ground beef simmered with aromatic spices, beans, tomatoes, and whole kernel corn, this is comfort food at its finest!
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
I absolutely love this Easy Beef Chili, especially during the cold months. It’s hearty and delicious and perfectly satisfying. It’s also a very versatile recipe, so you can tweak it in so many ways to fit your tastes or just what’s in your pantry. You’re going to love it!
- TASTE: Meaty, spicy, and a little sweet from the corn, this chili is too good to pass up. The spices give it a deep and complex flavor that’s even better after it simmers.
- TEXTURE: This Easy Beef Chili is thick and chunky. Pieces of beef, kernels of corn, and diced veggies give you something to chew on in each bite.
- TIME: It only takes 15 minutes to prep this recipe, but about 2 hours with the cooking and simmering time.
- EASE: It’s all in the name – Easy Beef Chili. This recipe is so simple, you’ll love whipping it up all winter long.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Meat– Typically, chili is made with ground beef, but the kind of beef matters. I always go for the lean beef that’s 90% lean so I get some fat to render down for flavor, but also lots of yummy meat.
- Vegetables– This chili is made with onion, garlic, green pepper, corn, and tomatoes. They add both flavor and texture.
- Beans- Red kidney beans and pinto beans are great in chili.
- Spices– Cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper add spicy flavor to this easy chili.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Use different proteins- You can also use black beans or white beans in your chili. Instead of beef, you can also use chicken or ground turkey.
- Add other spices- Cinnamon, curry powder, cayenne pepper, and paprika are also possible spices you can add to your chili.
- Make it spicier- Add some green chilies, jalapenos, or chipotle peppers for some more heat in your bowl of chili.
- Use other veggies- Red bell peppers, celery, and tomato paste make chili even more hearty and filling.
How to Make Oven Baked Ribs
- Cook the beef. Start by cooking the ground beef in a dutch oven pot over high heat until cooked through. Then add the onion and garlic.
- Add pepper and spices. Now add in the diced pepper along with the chili powder, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
Pro Tip: Make sure the beef is thoroughly cooked before adding tomatoes or beans because they will make it harder to see what is still pink and uncooked in the meat.
- Add the other ingredients and simmer. Once the bell pepper is tender, add in the kidney beans, pinto beans, corn, diced tomatoes, and sauce. Then cover the pot with a lid and cook the beef chili on low for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip out of browning the meat- This is crucial for extracting as much flavor from the beef as possible. Browning the beef will result is super flavorful beef chili.
- Saute the onions until translucent- You want the onions to become almost clear before you add the rest of the ingredients. This brings out the sweetness in the onion.
- Let it simmer- You don’t want to rush the simmering process because this will help the chili to thicken and also release the best flavor.
- Don’t skip out on the toppings– Toppings like avocado, sour cream, green onion, or shredded cheese will definitely elevate and enhance the flavors and textures of this chili.
FAQs
The secret to a really great chili is to layer the flavors. Brown the meat, saute the onions and garlic until they release their flavors, add spices and toast them with the meat, then add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for an hour or so to really let the flavors marry and bloom.
The best liquids for a beef chili are tomato sauce, beef broth, chicken broth, or even beer. Just be careful not to add too much liquid because you want a hearty chili, not a watery one.
Serving Suggestions
This Easy Beef Chili is so tasty and bursting with flavor on its own, but some things just taste better with something on the side. Breads, veggies, salads, and sandwiches are so yummy with this recipe.
- Breads: Serve this with some Buttermilk Cornbread, Super Soft Brioche Dinner Rolls, or Hot Water Cornbread.
- Salads: Pair this hearty chili with a Cabbage Cucumber Salad, Spinach Salad, or Caesar salad.
- Veggies: Enjoy it alongside some Crispy French Fries, Air Fryer Broccoli, rice, or Creamed Corn.
- Sandwiches: Make a combo with chili and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Turkey Club Sandwich, or Caprese Sandwich.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prep this recipe beforehand by browning the beef with the onions and garlic and then storing once cool in a container in the fridge until you’re ready to make the chili.
Storing: Store any leftovers of this chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Freeze: This chili freezes well in a freezer ziplock bag for up to 3 months. It might be slightly thinner once thawed.
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Full Recipe Instructions
Easy Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lb ground beef
- 3 medium garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp oregano
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 15 oz cans kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 oz can whole kernel corn drained
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 29 oz can tomato sauce
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef in a large Dutch oven pot over high heat.
- Once the beef is fully cooked add in the chopped onion and minced garlic and sautéed the onion until it becomes translucent.
- Now add the chopped green bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Sauté for about 4-5 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Then add in the kidney beans, corn, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce.
- Cook all the chili ingredients over low heat for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Nutrition
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toni says
good recipe but you say nothing about when to add the corn????
Dina says
Hi Toni, thank you for catching that! I just updated that, The corn should be added at the same time as the pinto beans.
Karen says
Can you make this in an instant pot
Dina says
Hi Karen 🙂 Yes, this beef chili can be make in an instant pot. I have not tried this specific recipe in an instant pot so I can’t say the exact settings that would work. If you give this recipe a try please let me know how it goes. Thanks 🙂
Jenny says
This recipe is great! Super easy and cheap. I was able to make this with a one week old and a toddler with no issues and my toddler LOVED IT! I did double the chili powder and did black beans instead of kidney.
Dina says
Jenny, I am so thrilled to hear that you and your little one loved this chili recipe! Thank you for the kind feedback! Also, congrats on your little baby! 🙂
AnnaMaria Richardson says
I like that your chili summers for 90 minutes to meld the flavors. So many recipes are too quick. I added serrano pepper instead of a green one, also 1/4 cup. Red wine, mushroom and beef stock. Got to clean out my the fridge!!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the lovely recipe feedback AnnaMaria! I love your twist on the recipe. What a great way to clean out the fridge! Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂