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
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Recipe originally published September 2020, but updated to include new information and photos for your benefit!
Made this recipe this afternoon for dinner tonight and leftovers for work tomorrow. Absolutely delicious! The only thing I added was a bit of ground pepper. Overall great meal. I’ve tried several of her recipes and I have yet to be disappointed. All great recipes and full of flavor!
Wonderful! Glad to hear this chili recipe was a success Sandra :)
This is so delicious!!! the bacon is a GAME CHANGER! I had to make a few adjustments (my grocery store has been out of canned tomatoes for weeks…not sure whats going on there) but thankfully I had crushed tomatoes. I gave some to my parents and they loved it as well! My mom is making it herself tomorrow. Your recipes never disappoint! Thanks, Lisa!
The bacon definitely adds a depth of flavor! Happy to hear everyone enjoyed this recipe :)
Lisa,
thank you for another great recipe which I cannot wait to try! Can this be made with fresh black beans?
Yes, if they’re properly soaked. Enjoy!
So delicious! Loved the step by step process. Very clear directions. My new favorite chili
So glad you enjoyed this chili recipe Kathleen :)
You can’t ever go wrong with bacon as an ingredient, and the bacon in this chili is no exception. Perhaps I’m alone in not knowing bacon could be put in chili, but for me, it was an eye-opening, “why didn’t I think of that” moment. Very delicious recipe that I will be making again soon! My husband typically does not like chili, but this recipe got his stamp of approval when he requested that I make it again!
So glad you two loved this chili recipe! Perfect for the upcoming winter months :)
LOVED this recipe. Shared it with a few others who also totally love it. It’s so easy and has so much flavor. I like a little spice, so I added some hot sauce or red pepper flakes to mine. SO. GOOD.
Thanks so much for passing along the recipe! And glad you and your friends enjoyed this one :)
Best chili recipe I’ve ever made! And I don’t just say those things. The bacon in it made it!!! So delicious!! Loved this recipe, thanks so much for sharing!!
Glad this recipe was a winner Tessa!
I made this chili yesterday (I just left out the bay leaf because I didn’t have one). It is perfect! I have never made chili with fire roasted tomatoes, but now I don’t see myself making chili with any other type! Thank you for your simple, healthy recipes.
The fire roasted tomatoes definitely adds a depth of flavor :)
We had one of our chilliest days of the season today, so I decided to make this. Now, I cannot stop eating this chili! It’s that good! I added celery because I had it on hand. I threw in a bag of seasoning blend frozen veg (in addition to the fresh veg). I used Ancho Powder. And I think I had a little less ground beef yet it was still good and meaty. The flavors are SO GOOD!!! THANKS SO MUCH FOR THIS RECIPE!
Hi Melisa – I’m so happy you loved this recipe! And you’re right, it really is flexible so feel free to tweak it with the ingredients you have on hand. Sounds like you did a fab job! x
Wow this was delicious! We added it to the recipe box. Looking forward to more new cold-weather dishes this fall/winter. Thanks Lisa!
So glad you loved this chili recipe!
Hi Lisa, I made this recipe last week. It was easy and so good. Love your blog and videos. Thank you. Have a great weekend.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this chili recipe :)
This REALLY is the Best Ever Chili! I followed the recipe, but added 2lbs of ground beef and 6 strips of bacon.
This chili will be a staple in this household, and probably a weekly meal during this winter! Thank you Lisa for another hit recipe!
Amazing! Happy to hear this has become a staple in the kitchen now Jane :) Definitely one to enjoy all year round as well.
This chili is my new go to! It is so warm and perfect on a chili day like today. Thank you!
Chili always is great for warming up on a chilly day :)
Made this chili tonight its 45 degrees today hubby and i have the fireplace going and let me tell you! THIS is truly the BEST Chili I have ever made or had! Thank you SO much Lisa! Awesome! 5 stars!!!
Oh yay, I’m so happy you loved the recipe! I hope it helps to warm you up. :)
This is such a great recipe! I switched the beef for ground turkey and it turned out really good!
Great! Ground turkey tastes just as good :)
Delicious, Lisa! Made it today just as the recipe stated and it came out great. Used my new Temptations skillet. Thank you for sharing this wonderful meal with us all. Excited to enjoy now that the temperatures are dropping in Las Vegas, finally!
Glad you enjoyed this chili recipe Kari! Definitely one to keep on hand for cold weather days :)
Hi Lisa! Made the beef chilli today , came out absolutely amazing, taste good and my husband loved it. Thanks for a great recipe 🙏
Wonderful! Glad you and your husband enjoyed this chili recipe :)
This looks delicious! Just a quick tip for any Australian readers – American chili powder is NOT the same as our chilli powder which is 100% dried, powdered chillies. American chili powder is a mixture of spices which includes dried chillies – hence this recipe uses 2 TBS. You can make your own mix by googling it.
Thanks for the tip Julie! Good to know for all the Aussies out there.
Best chili ever Lisa- 5 stars! Thank you for this delicious recipe :)
Thanks so much, Chandrani! I’m so happy you loved this chili. :)
Excellent recipe Lisa, flavors are all spot on. I added a couple of chopped jalapenos for garnish.
Glad you loved this chili recipe!
I’ve made this several times now but yesterday was the first without bacon (substituted a bit of olive oil) and it was still amazing.
Wonderful! Glad you love this chili recipe Andrew :)
Wow! Delicious. I needed to use up some ground turkey, and the substitution was no problem. Your recipes are consistently on point. Thank you!!
Perfect way to use up any ground meat you have :)
This chili is the best I’ve ever had! I love all your recipes and am going down the whole list of the
recipes, making up a shopping list for the week. I especially like the one pot meals. So good, healthy and no fuss!
Thank you!
Wonderful! I’m glad you loved the chili recipe, Susan. One pot meals are always popular, and I plan to add many more. Hope you enjoy!
This is a good and healty recipe for chili. It’s not because of the recipe, and I’m not certain if it was the brand of chili powder I used. But it had a blunt, dull, bitter flavor. I did a little digging around on google and came across a video about this bitterness problem. She suggested several remedies. I’ll list the healthy options:
Lime
Maple Syrup
2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar (which is what I used and it did help to cut that bitterness).
If anyone uses a brand of chili that doesn’t cause this issue please let me know. I used Simply Oraganic. I’m fairly certain that’s what it was because I only used 1/2 the amount of Cumin in fear of that being bitter as well.
Hi Donna – the recipe doesn’t taste bitter to me, but everyone’s taste buds are different. I’m glad you found a few tips for flavor tweaks. Hope your next batch is even better!
This was the best!! We love it and it will become part of our rotation. We have 5 kids and no complaints. I halved the chilli just to be sure but will add some back in next time. :)
This definitely is the perfect family meal! Glad you enjoyed it Fran :)
Husband and teenager were agree to say that this chili IS the best!
The leftovers will be in our bento boxes for tomorrow.
Thank you so much for sharing.
Wonderful! Glad everyone enjoyed this chili recipe :)
I made the chili last night, it was AMAZING!
Glad you loved this chili recipe Melinda! :)
It was wonderful and pretty easy to make. Lots of flavor!
Wonderful! Happy to hear you loved this chili recipe :)
This was delicious! I used half turkey and half beef and added a bit of chipotle in a dodo sauce.
Hi Ginny- Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this recipe :)
This chili is now on the stove smelling sooooo good. It was so easy to put together and I sneaked in some extra veggies that I needed to use up. I made an extra batch since it is so freezer friendly. Cant wait to eat it tonight ;-).
Hope you enjoyed this recipe Babette! :)
Best Ever Chili Recipe is a winner! Thank you! I was going to freeze part of it, but it was gone before I had a chance. I love the Potato Salad, too.
Glad you’ve enjoyed both recipes Janis!
Omg my family and I absolutely loved this recipe, I will definitely make it again. I’ve tried different chilli recipe in the past (they were horrible) but this one is the best 10/10👏
Awesome! Happy to hear this chili recipe was a success :)
Just made this on a cold autumnal day in France. Thanks Lisa, another beautiful recipe. We are so grateful to you for making beautiful food, videoing it and giving us clear instructions. I’ve made many of your dishes and they are always a success. Stay well and creative xx
Thanks so much Mary! I’m glad this recipe has got you covered for Autumn in France :)
This was a hit with the whole family. It was delicious
and flavorful.
Wonderful! So glad this was a success :)
I’m not a big fan of chili; but, I made this for my family of three tonight and we all enjoyed your recipe (my 4 year old even ate it). We will definitely be making this again. Can you tell us how much you think is one serving? Thanks!!! 🙂
Hi Starr- Happy to hear the whole family loved this chili recipe! One serving is about 1.5 cups :)
Looks yummy! What brand of beans do you use?
Hi Misty – I usually use 365 brand. Enjoy!
Sounds delicious! Can this be thrown into an instant pot and if so, do you know how long I should cook it for?
Hi Stephanie- I haven’t tried this in the instant pot yet, but if you do try it, let me know how long you cook it for!
I made this last weekend and it was wonderful! I love the addition of bacon which really boosts the flavor. Just two of us, so we are having it again tonight and I froze a third as well.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this recipe Susan 😊
Lisa, this looks great! Would using a slow cooker be a good option?
Hi Elizabeth- I haven’t tried using a slow cooker but I think it could work!
Just to clarify, is your NUTRITION label for the whole pot? If not , what is the serving size? Thank you! Love your work!
Hi Leean- the nutritional info will always be per serving :)
We had all the ingredients for this. It was so good, the two types of beans and the bacon made it really awesome!!! Thanks for a great recipe
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed this recipe Mia :)
Hi Lisa I will definitely try this today, without buy the chilli seasoning that come in the package, I can’t wait, what’s sooo funny is I have the seasoning in my cabinet!!
Can’t wait for you to make this one :)
Looks perfect for the season! So comforting and delicious
Definitely a recipe to add to your fall collection!
Love this chilli recipe! Perfect for busy weeknights, I can make it during the day and reheat at dinner!
You’re going to love this one!
I love the addition of the bacon. Can’t wait to try it!
Definitely adds a depth in flavor :)
The chili recipe to fight for! And it is so timely to prepare to the new season ahead. Really excited to have this in my collection.
This is definitely one to add to your fall recipe collection :)
Wow! This truly does sound like the best ever chili! Love the addition of bacon :)
You can never go wrong with a hint of bacon :)
You mentioned adding tamari to the chili, but it wasn’t included in your recipe. How much do you use?
You have great recipes and videos!!!!
Hi there- that was on a previous version, but recently removed to keep the recipe soy-free. But you could always add 1-2 tablespoons as it simmers!
Lisa, I don’t see the tamari (your secret ingredient) in the recipe. Maybe I missed it.
Hi Paula – that was on a previous version, but recently removed to keep the recipe soy-free. But you could always add 1-2 tablespoons as it simmers!
Hi! I’m always looking for the best chilli! Quick question – at the beginning of the post it says Tamari is a secret ingredient, but it’s not listed in the recipe ingredients Section or the directions. It’s also 1am so maybe I missed it 🙈
Hi Heidi – that’s strange, that was listed on a previous version but not the published version (as I had a few requests to keep it soy free). I don’t see it listed on the website…do you still see it there today?
Hi Lisa,
This recipe looks amazing, but my hubby hates beans in chili. If I remove the 30 oz of beans from the recipe, will the ratios of everything else still be okay or do I need to make some adjustments?
Thanks for all the great resources that help us become more confident in the kitchen!
Michelle
Hi Michelle – I’d probably reduce the amount of liquid a bit and add in some other veggies to compensate for that. :) Hope you enjoy it!
You mentioned your secret ingredient is tamari in your chili recipe ,but I don’t see it mentioned in the ingredient list, directions or video. Did I miss something?
Hi Vicki- that was on a previous version, but recently removed to keep the recipe soy-free. But you could always add 1-2 tablespoons as it simmers!