The best homemade chili recipe! This from scratch chili is loaded with plenty of garlic, peppers, beef & kidney beans for a hearty and healthy meal that is a staple through the cooler months.
This from scratch chili recipe is my absolute favorite and I have been meaning to add it to the blog quite literally for years. As soon as I perfected it I wrote it out and emailed it to myself to make sure it wouldn’t get lost in my notes app, and ever since I’ve sifted through my emails every time I am making up a batch. Safe to say, this post is long overdue.
Chili makes for the perfect meal any time of year, but it’s the ultimate comfort food come the cooler months. From a nutrition standpoint, it’s packed full of veggies, filled with fibre thanks to the beans, and loaded with protein from the beef. It really is the perfect meal.
Variations And Substitutions
Change up the meat. I love to use ground beef, but feel free to substitute ground bison, venison, or turkey. All work well, but red meat has the best flavor.
Switch out the beans. I like to use kidney beans, but pinto beans or a combination of the word also is great.
Add in raisins. Hear me out. I’m sure most of you that read this will be skeptical, but adding 1/2 cup of raisins adds the perfect touch of sweetness. The inspiration for this comes from The Best of Bridge cookbook. I don’t always add them, but I do love this addition. It’s one of the few ways I do like raisins.
How To Make Homemade Chili
Heat a dutch oven over medium low heat. Add onion, garlic, and peppers and cook 3-5 minutes until they begin to brown. Add ground beef and brown, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks.
Once beef is mostly cooked through, add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and brown sugar. Continue cooking until beef is cooked through.
Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in tomato sauce, broth, and kidney beans.
Bring chili to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Taste and add salt and adjust seasonings if needed. Cover with a lid and allow to simmer at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-3 hours until thickened.
Toppings For Chili
Some of my favorite chili toppings include sour cream or greek yogurt, shredded cheese, green onion, cilantro, fresh or pickled jalapeños or cowboy candy.
Storing From Scratch Chili
This homemade chili will store 4 days in the fridge. This does make a large batch, so we typically freeze half of the recipe. This freezes really well, just add to an air tight container with an inch of headspace and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Homemade Chili
The best homemade chili packed with garlic, onions, peppers, beans and beef for a hearty and healthy meal.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 head garlic, minced
- 3 bell peppers, diced
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 7 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 can tomato paste
- 24 oz crushed tomatoes or plain tomato sauce
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven over medium low with olive oil.
- Add garlic, onion and peppers and sautee until lightly brown.
- Add ground beef and brown, using a spoon to break up the beef as it cooks.
- Add chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder and brown sugar. Continue browning beef until fully cooked through.
- Add tomato paste and cook 2 minutes longer.
- Stir in tomato sauce, broth and kidney beans.
- Bring chili up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid.
- Simmer at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-3 hours stirring occasionally.
Notes
Top with any combination of sour cream, cheese, green onion, cilantro and jalapenos.
Other Recipes You May Like
Crockpot Creamy Chicken & Veggie Soup
Gluten Free Chicken Noodle Soup
Creamy Chicken & Rice Chili Soup
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