This quick and easy Classic Ground Beef Chili is filled with ground beef, two kinds of beans, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spices. It's a hearty one-pot meal that's packed with flavor and ready in under an hour!
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It's made with common ingredients that you probably keep on hand in your pantry, refrigerator/freezer and spice cabinet - and if you don't, you should - so it's a cinch to make a batch whenever you want.
That's right...even on a weeknight. This recipe is proof that you don't need hours of simmering to make an excellent chili!
Sure, it's got a little bit of a kick from the chili powder. But it's not overly spicy or hot, which makes it family-friendly too.
And if you are a fan of a thicker chili, like me (soupy chili just doesn't hit the same for me), then this chili recipe will be right up your alley. It's the ultimate cold weather comfort food!
Love Chili?
Also try my Quick and Easy White Chicken Chili, Slow Cooker Turkey Chili and Quinoa Veggie Chili.
Ingredients You Need
Note: Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Ground beef - I use 80/20 for its great flavor and texture, but you can use a leaner option if you prefer.
- Butter
- Green bell pepper - Or use any color bell pepper that you like.
- Onion
- Celery
- Garlic
- Diced tomatoes - Canned; I use petite diced tomatoes because there's more pieces to go around, but regular diced tomatoes work too, as do fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
- Tomato sauce
- Black Beans & Pinto Beans - Canned beans make it super easy. You can use home-cooked beans if you prefer; you'll need about 1¾ cups of each (try my Instant Pot Black Beans and Instant Pot Pinto Beans).
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Sugar - Balances out the acidity from the tomatoes.
- Salt and pepper
How to Make Classic Ground Beef Chili
Note: This is just a brief overview of the steps. For the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, please go to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
In a large pot over medium heat, cook and break up the ground beef until it is no longer pink. Drain off any excess grease.
Add the butter, peppers, onions, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the tomatoes and sauce, the beans, spices, sugar, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.
Remove the lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes (or to your desired consistency). Adjust seasoning if needed.
Ladle into bowls and enjoy! If desired, add your favorite chili toppings.
Recipe Tips
- The liquid from the canned beans adds flavor, and it contains starches that help thicken the chili, which is why I use it. You can drain and rinse the beans if you prefer.
- Removing the lid during the last 10 minutes of simmering allows some of the liquid to evaporate, making the chili thicker (you can simmer it uncovered longer if you want it even thicker).
- On the other hand, if you'd rather it more soupy, you can simmer it with the lid on for the entire 30 minutes, or you can add some beef broth or water to loosen it up.
- The sugar balances out some the acidity from the tomatoes. The amount you need can vary depending on how acidic your tomatoes are. Feel free to add more or less to suit your own personal tastes (or you can omit it).
- This chili is great the day you make it, but I think it's even better the next day. So it's also perfect for making ahead!
Substitutions & Variations
- The ground beef can be replaced with ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken.
- If you prefer kidney beans in your chili, go ahead and use them instead of the black beans and/or pinto beans.
- Home-cooked beans can be used instead of canned. You'll need about 1¾ cups of each.
- If you're not a fan of beans, you could omit them. Of course, the servings would be much smaller, so I would suggest adding more ground beef to replace the beans.
- Want more heat? Add some diced jalapeños or other hot peppers (and the seeds for even more heat) along with the bell peppers and onions. You could also add some of your favorite hot sauce or serve it on the side.
- You can also use this chili as a topping for hot dogs, burgers, fries, or nachos, or you can even use it in a casserole.
Storing Leftovers, Reheating & Freezing
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover chili, once cooled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheating
Reheat leftover chili in a pot on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Alternately, you can reheat individual servings in the microwave in microwave-safe bowls.
Freezing
This chili freezes well! Once completely cooled, put the chili in a freezer bag or freezer container, remove as much air as possible, and freeze for up to 2 to 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This chili is great as-is. You can keep it super simple and serve it with saltine crackers or oyster crackers, or you can pair it with easy homemade cornbread muffins.
BUT I will say that toppings make it even better! I've got to have at least a sprinkle of cheese (either cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper jack) and sliced green onions.
Other options include sour cream, corn/tortilla chips, fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, chopped red or white onions, pickled onions, sliced avocado, lime wedges, salsa, guacamole, and hot sauce...whatever you like!
I hope you try this Classic Ground Beef Chili recipe and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
If you make this recipe, I'd love to know how it went. Please leave a star rating and comment below. Thanks!
📋Recipe
Classic Ground Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, I use 80/20
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup chopped green bell peppers, about ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup chopped onions, about ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup chopped celery, about ½-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
- 2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, do not drain
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, do not drain
- 2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste
- ½ tablespoon cumin, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat (I use a 5-quart pot), cook the ground beef until it is no longer pink, breaking it up into smaller pieces with a wooden spoon as you go, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain off any excess grease.
- Add the butter, bell peppers, onions, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, pinto beans, chili powder, cumin, sugar, salt, and pepper; stir to combine.I use about 1½ teaspoons of kosher salt and about ½ teaspoon of pepper.
- Increase the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, put the lid on the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chili is the consistency you want. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy as-is or with your favorite toppings (such as cheese, green onions, sour cream, corn chips, or fresh cilantro).
Notes
- Ground beef with a higher fat content, such as 80/20, generally has better flavor and texture than beef with less fat. You can use a leaner option if you prefer.
- The liquid from the canned beans not only adds flavor, but it contains starches that help thicken the chili. You can drain and rinse the beans if you'd like.
- Simmering the chili with the lid off for the last 10 minutes allows some of the liquid to evaporate, making the chili thicker (you can do this longer if you want it even thicker).
- On the other hand, if you prefer a more soupy chili, you can simmer it with the lid on for the entire 30 minutes, or you can add some beef broth or water to loosen it up.
- The sugar balances out the acidity from the tomatoes. Feel free to adjust the amount to suit your own personal tastes (or you can omit it).
- Please refer to the post for additional tips, step-by-step photos, substitutions and variations, info on storing leftovers and reheating, and serving suggestions.
- Estimated calories shown does not include any toppings you might add.
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