Bring on the comfort food with this thick and hearty ground beef chili recipe! Packed with ground beef, a blend of spices, and beans in a rich and thick tomato sauce, this easy chili recipe is great on its own, on a hot dog, or transformed into Frito pie!
Around the end of summer, I start ITCHING to grab a mug of my favorite hot chocolate, bust out my Dutch oven, and churn out some of my favorite cold-weather comfort food favorites. I’m talking about things like Italian wedding soup, spaghetti and meatballs, beef stew, and HOMEMADE CHILI.
A big bowl of piping hot chili topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and Fritos is one of my ultimate cold-weather comfort foods. It’s something that I’ve loved since I was a kid, and I still can’t get enough of it.
Traditionally, chili combines ground or coarse-chopped beef (or other meat), dried red chili powder, onion, garlic, some liquid, and sometimes comino, oregano, beef suet, tomato, and masa (finely ground corn meal) to thicken. Texas-style chili has no beans. Southerners and Midwesterners generally add beans.
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Crock Pot Chili Cooking Directions
You can easily make this beef chili in the slow cooker but the texture may not turn out exactly the same. To prepare this chili in the crockpot:
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until it is shimmering.
- Cook vegetables and spices: Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes.
- Mix in garlic: Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Cook the beef: Add the beef and increast the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients:Stir in beans, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato puree and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Transfer and slow cook: Transfer to the crock pot and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Uncover and cook: For a thicker texture that mimics the stovetop version, leave the lid ajar and cook on high for an hour at the end.
- Season to taste: Season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.
One of my favorite things about chili is how easy it is to serve in a variety of different ways. Some of my favorite ways to enjoy this beef chili recipe include:
- Top chili with sour cream, avocado, and/or guacamole
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese
- Garnish with cilantro or green onion
- Make into Frito Pie
- Serve over a hot dog or baked potato
- Crush tortilla chips or corn chips on top or use them to scoop the chili!
- Serve it with a slice of homemade cornbread or cornbread muffins
How to Make the Chili
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it is shimmering.
- Cook vegetables and spices: Add the onions, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, cayenne, and salt. Cook until the vegetables have softened, about 7 minutes.
- Mix in the garlic:Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Cook beef: Add the beef and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredinets:Stir in beans, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato puree and the remaining ½ teaspoonsalt.
- Simmer (#3): Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat so it maintains a slow simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and cook(#4): Remove the lid and continue to simmer for an additional 45 minutes.
- Season to taste: Season with additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.
The SHOCKING SECRET to great chili
FAQ
What is chili usually made of?
What does traditional chili contain?
What makes it a chili?
What is the secret to really good chili?
What are the components of a chili?
To begin lets talk about the major components. Chili has five key building blocks: the base components, vegetables, spices, sauce, and toppings. Once you know what’s going in your chili, the next decision is how you plan to make this chili. This is how you put your template to work.
Is chili powder gluten free?
There isn’t necessarily a reason for gluten to be in chili powder, but there is always a possibility that it is an added ingredient, or it is processed in a facility that processes wheat as well. If you are concerned and absolutely can’t tolerate any gluten, there are some gluten free labeled chili powders. Another possibility is to ask the company directly, because unless something is labeled gluten free it is difficult to know whether there is gluten in it or not. An example would be oats, they shouldn’t contain gluten, but some are processed in a facility that processes wheat, so unless it’s labeled gluten free it might have faint traces of gluten.
What are the ingredients in chili?
Another key ingredient in chili is beans. Chili recipes usually include kidney, black, or pinto beans, but you can play around with different kinds to see which ones you like best. Some beans are very healthy, since a one-cup serving has 15 grams of protein, 15 grams of fiber, and essential nutrients like folate and potassium.
What are the different types of chili?
The International Chili Society, which holds the World Championship Chili Cook-off, divides chili into the following categories: traditional red, chili verde, homestyle chili, and veggie chili. As purists would have it, traditional red (chili con carne) hasn’t changed much over the years.