The Best Beef Chili Recipe

scooping out some beef chili from the bowl with a spoon.

4.32 from 120 votes

This beef chili recipe is the best comfort food, combines bacon, ground beef, vegetables, beans, and a perfect combination of spices in a homemade chili seasoning. This flavor-packed chili is ready in about 2½ hours and perfect for game days, cold nights, or easy meal prep. It's full of protein, fiber, and flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time2 30

Total Time2 40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: (Makes about 2 quarts)

Calories: 555kcal

Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

8 oz raw bacon
2 lbs ground beef 85%-15% lean to fat ratio
1 yellow onion
2 bell peppers - various colors
2-3 jalapeno peppers
2 tomatoes
4-6 large garlic cloves
14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 oz tomato paste
16 oz can low sodium pinto beans drained
16 oz can low sodium kidney beans drained
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 tbsp ancho chili powder adjust if needed for spice level
3 tsp smoked paprika or regular
3 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp coarse sea salt more or less to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare ingredients ahead of time by dicing bacon, onion, tomatoes, and peppers. Measure the stock and seasoning, drain the beans, and mince garlic
Preheat a 2.5-3 quart pot over medium heat and add a little bit of oil.
Add diced bacon and cook until browned and most of the fat is rendered.
Add ground beef, season with some salt, and cook, breaking up all the clumps of meat as much as possible. Continue to cook until the meat is mostly brown. Take meats out of the pot and set aside.
Add diced onion, jalapenos, and bell peppers to the pot and sauté until softened.
Make some room in the middle and add minced garlic. Sauté until garlic is fragrant and mix it into the veggies.
Add meats back to the pot, stir, and add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, and seasoning. Stir everything well and pour in beef stock.
Bring the chili mixture to a low boil and then lower the heat to low. Cover with a lid but leave a crack for the steam to escape.
Cook for about 1.5-2 hours and make sure to stir from time to time. Take the lid off half way through and cook the rest of the time uncovered.

Video

Notes

Storing: store cooled leftover chili in an air-tight food storage container, in the refrigerator, for 3-4 days.
More or less spicy: Use spicier peppers like serrano or habanero if you want spicy chili. For less spice, use young jalapenos and discard seeds and membrane.
Additional veggies: Feel free to load your chili with veggies like carrots, celery, more bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, corn, winter squash, and avocado for topping.
Beans - I like to use pinto beans and kidney beans but you can choose any variation of your favorite beans.
Thicker chili? Omit or use less beef stock.
No beans? You can simply omit the beans and either increase veggies and meat or just omit and don't substitute.

Nutrition