This is seriously the best chili recipe (if I do say so myself). It’s meaty, hearty, loaded with veggies, and simmered with warming spices that make your whole home smell amazing.
Why You’ll Love This Classic Chili Recipe
When the weather starts to cool, this beef chili is always on repeat in my kitchen. It’s a one-pot, comfort food classic that’s right up there with beef stew, pot roast, braised short ribs, and shepherd’s pie. And I love that it’s great for meal prep, so I’ll often freeze extra batches of it! The hearty texture, blend of spices, and budget-friendly ingredients make it the perfect weeknight meal during the fall and winter months. So if you’re a chili lover like I am, this is a must-make recipe. Here’s what else makes this chili special:
- The secret ingredient is bacon. Yep, bacon. It adds a sweet, smoky depth that really sets this chili apart.
- It’s easy and affordable. I always try to keep my recipes approachable without sacrificing flavor. And this chili is proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients to make something incredible.
- It’s super adaptable. You can easily switch up the beans, protein, or spice level to make it your own. I’ve got some ideas in the recipe card below to help you tweak it!
Chili Ingredients
- Ground beef: I typically use 90% lean ground beef so that I don’t have to drain much fat, but 80% works too. Just be sure to drain any excess grease after browning.
- Bacon: Bacon adds a wonderful smoky flavor and depth to the chili. You’re going to love it!
- Beef broth: A good-quality broth really boosts the flavor.
- Dried spices: I’m using a bold combination of chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat (though this is optional).
- Canned tomatoes: Fire-roasted tomatoes are my go-to for extra flavor, but any canned tomatoes will do.
- Beans: I like a mix of black beans and red kidney beans, but you can swap in pinto beans, white beans, or whatever beans are in your pantry.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How to Make The Best Chili
Step one: Start by cooking the bacon until it’s golden and crispy. This lays the foundation for that irresistible flavor. Then, add in the onion and bell pepper and sauté them in the rendered bacon fat.
Step two: Add the ground beef to the pot, cook until it’s browned, and drain off any excess fat. Then, stir in the spices and seasonings to bring out the best flavor of the meat and veggies.
Step three: Pour in the tomatoes, beef broth, and beans. This forms the bulk of the chili! Give everything a big stir, then let it simmer on low for about 30 minutes. This step is key! The longer it simmers, the better it tastes.
Tasty Chili Toppings
I love loading up a cozy bowl of chili with toppings. It’s like a build-your-own comfort food situation. Here are my favorites:
- Cheese or sour cream: Shredded cheddar, cotija, or a dollop of sour cream works well for a creamy contrast.
- Onions: Diced red onions or sliced green onions add a bit of zip.
- Jalapeños: Fresh or pickled jalapenos are great for that spicy kick.
- Cilantro or parsley: Just a little sprinkle adds a pop of freshness to balance the richness.
Storage Tips
Let any leftovers cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the chili in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months. I like to freeze individual portions for easy weeknight dinners.
When you’re ready to enjoy it again, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If it’s a bit too thick, stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.
Common Questions
Absolutely! You can get a head start by chopping the vegetables and mixing your dried spices a day in advance. In fact, I like to make a larger batch of the spice mix and store it in a jar. Then, I can scoop out what I need when I’m ready to enjoy. This is especially handy when prepping for party days like Halloween or as the best Super Bowl recipe.
Yes, you sure can. I recommend browning the beef, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a skillet first to build flavor. Then transfer everything, including the beans, tomatoes, spices, and broth, into your Crockpot. Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for 6 to 8 hours, until it’s rich and hearty.
Definitely. While traditional chili often includes beans, a no-bean version (also known as Texas-style chili or chili con carne) is just as delicious. You can also bulk it up with chickpeas, lentils, or diced vegetables if you’d like to switch things up while keeping the same bold flavor.
More Chili Recipes
- White Chicken Chili: A community favorite around here.
- Turkey Chili: Best way to use ground turkey!
- Vegetarian Chili: The best comforting vegetarian meal.
If you make this chili recipe, especially for a chili cook-off, I’d love to know how it turns out in the comment box below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration (and exclusive content), join my free newsletter.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Le Creuset Dutch Oven My favorite pot for making chili!
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon paprika, or smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (28-ounce can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, you can use diced or crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce can) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15-ounce can) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- Optional garnish: avocado, red onion, shredded cheese or sour cream
Instructions
- Cook the bacon. Heat a large pot on medium heat, add the sliced bacon and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally and scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat if bacon is browning too quickly.
- Cook the veggies. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot, stirring frequently. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Add the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.
- Cook the beef. Add the ground beef, breaking into small pieces with a spatula, until cooked through. Strain off any accumulated liquid and fat from the pot.
- Add the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the tomato paste, and dried spices, and cook until they are fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the rest and simmer. Add the canned tomatoes with juices, drained beans, beef broth, and bay leaf, and give it a stir. Increase the heat to high until the chili comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally.
- Serve. To serve, remove bay leaf and ladle servings into individual bowls. Garnish with avocado, red onion, cheese, cilantro or other toppings (I've got ideas above).
Lisa’s Tips
- Serving Size: This recipe makes about 9 cups, enough for 6 good-sized servings.
- Storage tip: Place cooled chili in an airtight container and store for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. For freezing, use a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Reheating tip: Thaw frozen chili overnight in the fridge. Then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. If the chili thickens too much for your taste, add a splash of water or beef broth.
- To control the amount of salt in your chili, choose low-sodium or unsalted beef broth, beans, canned tomatoes, and tomato paste.
- Add heat with diced jalapeno, hatch green chiles, or chipotle peppers in adobo, or 1¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Play with other seasonings like coriander or this Cajun seasoning that has a little bit of everything.
- Bacon can be tricky to slice. To make it easier, place your bacon in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to firm it up.
- You can also serve this over nachos or make chili dogs.
- Make sure to use a large pot to accommodate all these ingredients. My favorite is the beautiful Le Creuset dutch oven you see pictured.
Nutrition
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Recipe originally published September 2020, but updated to include new information and photos for your benefit!
Lisa this is fabulous chili! I made it for a family gathering and everyone lapped it up. It was delicious. Actually, I should have made two pots of it!! 😋 Thank you!
Oh yay! I’m so glad everyone loved this chili recipe. Definitely make two pots next time. Enjoy, Donna!
Love this recipe , thank you for sharing the best recipes. I did because of health reasons had to substitute any tomato ingredients with using puréed pumpkin or carrots. Had to drop any heat out also but so appreciate the recipe, and loving the best white chicken chili too. Delicious!!
Hi Janie – I’m glad you were able to tweak this chili recipe to your liking! Also happy to hear you love my white chicken chili. They’re two great chili options!
It really is the best ever!!!
Happy to hear you love this chili recipe as much as I do, Deanna!
The recipe looks appealing especially given all your other great recipes. What would you recommend for those with pork allergy (Pork-Cat syndrome) to get the flavor provided by the bacon? Thanks kindly!
Hi Evelyn – You could swap in turkey bacon instead. Enjoy!
Very good chili. Will definitely make it again. Only change I made was cut chili powder down to 1 TBLS. Still more than enough heat.
Thrilled you loved this chili recipe, Bradley!
Made this chili last night, it was really good. I added a little bit of corn starch at the end to help thicken it up a little bit. That was a preference though since I like my chili thick
That’s a great way to thicken it up. Happy you loved this chili recipe, Wally!
This recipe has become something we make every two weeks or so (we eat a lot of soup). I make two small changes, I skip the beans because I don’t like them, and then halve the amount of canned tomatoes so just 14.5 ounces and then do a full 32 ounces of beef broth and then simmer it covered for 30 minutes so its not super thick. But this recipe, the melding of all the flavors is so good and it’s so easy to make. Thank you for the great recipe.
Thrilled to hear this chili recipe has become a staple for you, even without the beans!
We have a family chili recipe that we make quite often but I’m always on the lookout for other variations to add to our rotation. This is it’s definitely a keeper! Even my picky two year old finished his bowl. Thanks Lisa!!
Glad this chili recipe satisfied even the pickiest eater, Marie!
Don’t skip the bacon! It definitely added so much happiness to each bite. Simple and easy. Can’t mess it up! Great meal prep that was quickly eaten up by everyone. Thank you.
I couldn’t agree with you more, Aubrey! The bacon in this chili makes all the difference.
This recipe came turned out well. I liked the step by step way it’s presented.
I’m a weight loss surgery/GLP-1 patient and I can eat this recipe with my 2 sons. I didn’t have bacon, but it’s still a hit!
Happy to hear this post was easy to follow along to, Jennifer! Sounds like the whole family loves it.
Loved this recipe! Substituted beef for ground turkey. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed this chili recipe with ground turkey instead, Angela!
I added an extra tablespoon of chipotle powder, a strip of bacon, a teaspoon of regular paprika, a little extra garlic, and an extra bay leaf, and needed a little more broth to thin it some, otherwise I stuck to the script. My wife is picky and loved it. I seared the beef in a cast iron pot as one giant patty before breaking it up to get it really nicely seared. That way I wasnt trying to separate the fat from the main pot. It was pretty fantastic !
Hi Mathew – Great to hear you and your wife enjoyed this chili recipe! Love the extra seasonings as well for a stronger depth of flavor. Enjoy!
Made this tonight and didn’t change a thing! Very good. Thank you!
Hi Dawn – Glad to hear you loved this chili recipe as is!
WAYYYYYY too spicy! Way too much onion, garlic, chili powder, etc. I had to tone it down by adding double broth, 2 more cans of beans and milk! Otherwise, the flavors were nice, especially with the smoked paprika I used. Won’t make again – but will look for a similar recipe without the super fire.
Are you also the kind of white people who finds mayo to be spicy? This is pretty mild, I’d suggest adding some extra chili powder (I did an extra tablespoon of chipotle and an extra teaspoon of regular paprika). Either you did something wrong, or you’ve got a poorly developed palette.
Mathew, your comment was racist and completely uncalled for. As my son would say, everyone has different tastebuds. The great thing about recipes is that they can be altered and still make people happy. Be kind, take a deep breath, and spice up your recipe not your comments.
This is truly the best chili I have ever had. I have made it with and without the fire-roasted tomatoes. In a pinch regular diced tomatoes are great but the fire-roasted tomatoes really make all of the difference. This is my second favorite freezer lunch. Not only is it delicious, it freezes beautifully.
Yay, so thrilled that you love this chili, Sherri!
I made this chili for dinner last night and it was wonderful, especially the with the cold weather we’ve been having. I know the leftovers will be even better. Thanks for the great recipe, Lisa!
You can’t beat a big pot of chili on a cold, winter day! Glad you loved this recipe, Alan.
The most satisfying chili ever due to the depth of the flavors! Thank you so much! An instant favorite!!!
Thrilled to hear this chili recipe was an instant favorite! It’s all about the layers of flavor in this recipe. Enjoy, Kim!
I followed the recipe exactly and it is so good. Very tasty. Does the nutrition data apply to 1 serving or 6 servings.
Great to hear you enjoyed this chili recipe, Shirley! The nutritional information will always be per serving.
Hi Lisa! I’m a huge fan of yours, and so far I’ve tried your chicken masala and chili recipes. Your charisma and positive spirit and outlook on life inspires me greatly. I relocated to Seoul, South Korea a few years ago, and while it takes a couple of days to get American ingredients locally, I was lucky enough to find them online, including the fire-roasted diced tomatoes. The chili I made tonight was out of this world fantastic! Thank you so much. Wishing you all the best, and I look forward to more great recipes and videos from you.
What an amazing story, Yoon! Happy to hear you’re enjoying Downshiftology recipes all the way from Korea. I can’t wait to see what else you make this year.
This chili is so good! I’ve been making it for my parents for a year now and it never gets old.
Happy to hear it’s a recipe on repeat in your house, Ashlee!
Absolutely the best! Love the addition of bacon. The only change I made was to reduce the chili powder. Definitely a keeper
Hi Darlene – I’m so glad you found a chili recipe you love! The bacon is a game-changer in this meal.
This was a HIT!! Everyone loved it and came back for seconds and thirds!!
This is such a good recipe and easy to make. Thanks Lisa.
Hi Barbara – I’m so happy to hear this chili recipe was a hit, yay!