Chili Basics – How to Make and Customize Basic Chili
Now that it’s officially fall, I think we could all use a good primer on how to make a basic pot of chili. I have several chili recipes on this website, but this basic chili recipe is my absolute favorite. Like, so good that I can’t stop going back for spoonfuls. Not only is this classic chili recipe super flavorful and easy, but it can be used as a template which can be customized in a number of ways to make it your very own. Scroll down for ideas for customizing the proteins, spices, liquids, vegetables, and toppings!
Originally posted 12-23-2013, updated 9-23-18.
Basic Chili
I like to add fresh jalapeños, cheese, green onion, and crushed tortilla chips to my chili!
Basic Chili
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.32)
- 1 yellow onion ($0.49)
- 2 cloves garlic ($0.32)
- 1 lb ground beef ($4.79)
- 15 oz can kidney beans ($1.09)
- 15 oz can black beans ($0.89)
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes ($0.50)
- 6 oz can tomato paste ($0.55)
- 1 cup water ($0.00)
Chili Seasoning
- 1 Tbsp chili powder** ($0.30)
- 1 tsp ground cumin ($0.10)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar ($0.02)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper ($0.03)
Instructions
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add both to a large pot with the olive oil and cook over medium heat until they are soft and transparent. Add the ground beef and continue to sauté until the beef is fully browned.
- Drain the beans and add them to the pot along with the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 cup water, and all of the ingredients for the chili seasoning. Stir until well combined. Place a lid on the pot and allow it to simmer over a low flame for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (the flavor gets better the longer it simmers).
- Give the chili one final taste, adjust the salt or seasonings if needed, then serve hot with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Customize Your Basic Chili:
Protein:
- Use half pound ground beef and add an extra can of beans (pinto beans are great) to reduce costs
- Make your chili without beef (vegetarian) with two cans of extra beans instead of the beef
- To make your chili without beans, use 2 lbs. ground beef instead of one
- Mexican chorizo makes a spicy alternative to beef and really increases the flavor of the chili
- Use other ground meat, such as turkey or chicken
- Shredded chicken breast works well in chili and I’ve even used chopped up chicken thighs
Liquids:
- Instead of water, use tomato or vegetable juice (like V8 juice)
- Using dark beer instead of water adds a super earthy flavor
- Beef broth instead of water gives the chili extra flavor oomph, but you’ll need to reduce the salt in the chili seasoning
Spices:
- Adding a couple chipotle chiles will give the chili a very spicy and smokey flavor
- A little smoked paprika (1 tsp) will add smokiness without extra heat
- Cocoa powder (1/2-1 Tbsp) makes the chili extra rich
- Cinnamon (1 tsp) plays nicely with the chili peppers
Vegetables:
- Make an extra veggie-licious chili by adding finely diced zucchini and bell pepper
- Poblano peppers add a really great southwest flavor (sauté with the onions and garlic)
- Jalapeños sautéed with the onions and garlic make for an extra spicy chili
- Add a cup of frozen corn kernels for flavor, color, and texture
- Diced sweet potato or butternut squash adds a unique sweet contrast and beautiful color
Toppings:
- Cheddar or Monterey jack cheese
- Sour cream
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Crushed Tortilla Chips
What is your favorite chili secret ingredient, add-in, or topping? Share in the comments below!
Step by Step Photos
Start by dicing one onion and mincing two cloves of garlic. Cook the onions and garlic with 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until they are soft and transparent.
Add one pound of ground beef and continue to cook until it is fully browned.
Drain a 15oz. can each of black beans and kidney beans and add them to the pot along with a 15oz. can diced tomatoes, a 6oz. can of tomato paste, and one cup of water.
Stir that all together until the tomato paste is well incorporated. Doesn’t look like much yet, but just wait…
Add the chili spices to the pot of chili. I used my recipe for Homemade Chili Seasoning, plus a little brown sugar. 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/2 Tbsp brown sugar. If you don’t have all the ingredients to make your own chili seasoning, you can add a store bought packet of chili seasoning at this point.
Let the pot simmer for at least 30 minutes over low heat with a lid on top to allow the flavors to blend and for the natural sugars in the tomatoes to caramelize, which reduces the acidity. If you have time, let it simmer longer. Now your “basic” chili is done!
How easy was that? Now go crazy with the toppings. Look in your fridge for leftovers and see what fun things you can use to top your basic chili to make it not so basic anymore.
Hi, is there anything you would recommend substituting for the brown sugar? Would honey or maple syrup work? Or would cinnamon or cocoa powder work instead?
You could definitely do a little maple syrup. :) While cinnamon and cocoa will be excellent in this, they won’t provide real sweetness, which helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes. They only sometimes elude to sweetness, which doesn’t have the same effect here.
Hi Beth – love your site. You inspired me to start cooking instead of eating out all the time. I was wondering if this recipe would work in a crockpot? If so, how long and at a High or Low setting?
I’ve seen a lot of crock pot chili recipes, so I’m assuming it would work, but I’ve never tried it my self, so unfortunately I can’t give any guidance about settings or cooking times. :(
As is, this recipe is wonderful!
I add lentils to mine, sometimes I pulse them in the food processor to give them the texture or ground beef. I add a little cinnamon and cocoa powder.
I made this chili for Super Bowl and it was a huge hit!!! I added a couple of chopped carrots for a little sweetness, corn, a bit of cinnamon and a bottle of amber ale. I also used kidney, black & pinto beans.as well as the hamburger. I used the liquid from the cans of beans and corn for a little extra flavor. I served it over your cornbread recipe with cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, a few slices of avocado and crumbled chicharrones (fried pork rinds) for some crunch.. Incredibly easy and super delicious!!
I know it’s tough to mess up chili, but this was totally amazing. I made the basic recipe and added the cinnamon (seriously – try it.) Avocado on chili? Brilliant! This was a total winner and I love that it’s somewhat light on the meat compared to others, substituting with beans.
I have used this recipe twice now and love it! I swap the ground beef for ground turkey, add a can of corn, traded the kidney beans for garbanzo beans because I had them on hand, and doubled the spices, and both times I have been really impressed with how delicious it is. You always have the best and easiest recipes and the best cooking tips. Thank you!
Instead of Cyane pepper, I used a TBLSP. of “Texas Pete” Instead of salt, pepper, onion, & garlic powder. I used a TBSP. of BADIA Sazon, Tropical. I used 2 cups of water, 1 cup V8 juice, 1 cup beef broth.
I did this chili for 24 servings in a 3 galleon stock pot. Taste good! It will b e a hit at the Moose Lodge Christmas party!
This looks great! If I were to use dried beans instead of canned, how many should I use? Thank you!
Unfortunately you won’t be able to just swap dry beans for canned or cooked beans in this recipe. Dry beans require different cooking conditions, so would require a lot of alterations to this recipe to make it work. It’s best to either cook them separately first, then add them to the chili after cooking. Three 15oz. cans of beans is roughly equivalent to one pound of dry beans.
Thank you so much! I cooked .66 lb of beans beforehand, and added them like you suggested. It worked great, and the chilli was really delicious! I think it’s my new fave chilli recipe! I also used passata instead of tomato paste plus water and it worked well, in case anyone else is like me and never has tomato paste :)
This recipe is so easy and delicious! Definitely one of my go-to chili recipes.
To make it even easier though, my mother tried just using an envelope of taco seasoning, a jar of salsa, a jar of pasta sauce, and 2 jars of kidney beans with a pound of ground beef. It was great! Such a cheap way to make a yummy slow-cooked chili.
I have always used a teaspoon of vinegar and this time I also used a package of onion soup mix. I sometimes like sliced black olives!
I just polished off a bowl of this a second ago and I’m already looking forward to the bowl I’m going to have tomorrow. Also made your sweet potato cornbread to go with. Thank you Beth for the easiest recipes that still taste restaurant-worthy!
Changes: ground turkey, fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, added a can of corn, a few shakes of crushed red pepper, simmered for an hour