My Favorite Homemade Chili - Sprinkle Some Sugar (2024)

Warm, hearty and comforting, this Classic Homemade Chili Recipe is the only one you'll ever need, guaranteed! Ridiculously rich and flavorful and so simple to throw together on a busy day.

Need another recipe using ground beef? Try my delicious Authentic Italian Meatballs.

Chili for me, is the epitome of comfort food. I love making a big batch of this classic chili for my family when it's cold outside. Picture a steaming bowl cradled in your hands, the aroma wafting through the air, instantly bringing you to a place of warmth and coziness after a cold winter day. Sounds like pure perfection, if you ask me!

My recipe starts on the stovetop and can either simmer there to finish cooking or finish it off in the crock pot and simmer it all day. I prefer making it in the crockpot when I have the extra time because the longer you let it cook, the more flavorful it becomes and I love being able to set it and forget it for a few hours. It's also even better the next day! I posted this recipe back in 2016 and have never strayed since!

Ingredient Notes

This award winning chili recipe makes enough to feed a crowd! It also uses very simple ingredients for it to come together quick and easy.

• Ground beef: I like to use around 85% lean ground beef in my chili but it doesn't matter too much what you choose. Just be sure to drain the grease very well after browning the meat. You can also substitute ground turkey, if you prefer.
• Bell Pepper: Dice into small pieces - you can use a mixture of any color pepper you like.
• Onion: You can use yellow or sweet onions.
• Tomatoes: Using a mixture of crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce gives the perfect texture. Not too thin and not too thick. Diced tomatoes are also used to add some more depth to the chili - I use fire roasted garlic diced tomatoes just because I love the flavor but plain diced tomatoes are fine too.
• Chili Seasoning Recipe: I make my own homemade chili seasoning because it truly tastes so much better than store-bought and has so much less sodium. I feel much better about feeding it to my family. A heavy hand of spices are used for a ton of amazing flavor.
  • Chili powder
  • Cumin
  • Garlic powder
  • Onion powder
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar is used to balance and cut the acidity of the tomatoes in the recipe.
  • Crushed red pepper
  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Salt
• Beans: I don't use beans in my recipe because beans don't belong in chili! Just kidding, my family just doesn't like them, so I leave them out for a beanless chili. If you want to add some beans to your chili, try adding kidney beans, pinto beans, cannellini beans or another bean of your choice.

Substitutions & Variations

• Substitute the ground beef for ground turkey or chicken.
• Add spice to your chili: This recipe is pretty mild in the spice department, so if you like a spicy chili, feel free to increase the spice level by adding a few dashes of hot sauce, sprinkle in some chili flakes or even chop up a few jalapeños and sauté them along with the bell peppers.

How to serve chili

Chili is amazing as a main dish but there are so many different ways to serve or even use leftover chili for other recipes, here are some ideas:

• Chili Mac & cheese
• Chili dogs
• Serve over rice, crispy potato wedges, baked potatoes, nachos, fries, or cornbread waffles.
• Serve alongside some homemade cornbread muffins. This is actually a must.

How to make the best chili

Everyone likes a different consistency to their chili. Some like it soupy, some like it hearty, I like mine right in the middle. If you like a thicker chili, cut back on the tomato sauce - if you like it thinner, add some more tomato sauce. Easy peasy.

This recipe for the best chili is prepared quickly and can be cooked a few different ways.

Crockpot Chili Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef in a large skillet until cooked through. Drain well and set aside.
2. Sauté onions and peppers in the same skillet until tender.
3. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and set to low for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.

Stovetop Chili Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef in a large pot until cooked through. Drain well and set aside.
2. Sauté onions and peppers in the same skillet until tender.
3. Add beef back to skillet along with remaining ingredients and bring to a low boil. Stir well, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45-60 minutes.

What toppings go well with chili?

You may also want to have these as toppings to really take your chili up a notch. Think: Chili bar! A chili bar would be SO perfect and fun for football season and game days.

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Sour Cream
• Sliced Scallions
• Sliced Jalapeno
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Chopped avacado
• Diced red onion
• Hot sauce
• Diced tomatoes
• Sour cream
• Lime wedges

Jessica's Tips

• Have picky eaters? You can pulse the vegetables in a food processor first so they are undetectable! Ask me how I know. 😉

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