This is a super tasty, and easy to make chunky ground beef Chili Recipe with red kidney beans. It's one of the recipes that ALWAYS on our meal rotation. To make this recipe you'll need five simple ingredients plus spices: beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and beans.

Add a dollop of sour cream and a drizzle of shredded Cheddar cheese and you've got yourself a delicious, warming dinner. Perfect with a side of crunchy Restaurant-style tortilla chips.
I love serving homemade Chili with a quick side salad such as a Creamy Cucumber Salad or a chopped Greek Salad. One of my favorite desserts after is an Apple Crisp, especially during the colder months.
What You'll Need
Your shopping this won't be long and if you have some ground beef and beans on the hand, you'll probably find everything else in your pantry.
- 1 pound lean GROUND BEEF 90/10 or 85/15
- 1 large ONION - diced
- 2 cloves GARLIC - minced
- 1 can RED KIDNEY BEANS - with the juices
- 1 28-ounce cans DICED TOMATOES
Spices
- 1½ tablespoon CHILI POWDER
- 1 teaspoon CUMIN
- 1 teaspoon OREGANO
- 1 teaspoon SALT
- 1½ tablespoons SUGAR
- 1 teaspoon CHILI PEPPER PASTE - optional, I use Harissa
How To Make A Classic Chili Recipe
- Heat a heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add beef, sauté until cooked through, breaking up with spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer cooked beef into a large bowl.
- Add onions and garlic to the same pot. Sauté onions until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, sugar, and chili pepper paste and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cooked beef and diced tomatoes. Cover partially, simmer until chili is thick, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add red kidney beans (with their liquids) to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Keep and Storing
Chili keeps great in the fridge. In fact, I actually prefer it on second day when all of the flavors have had a chance to fully unfold. Store this chili recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
Freezing ground beef chili is easy, too. I recommend storing it in a freezer-save zip lock bag.
More Comfort Food Recipes
Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 90/10 or 85/15
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can red kidney beans with the juices
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Heat a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add beef, sauté until cooked through, breaking up with spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer cooked beef into a large bowl.
- Add onions and garlic to the same pot. Sauté onions until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add spices and sauté until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add cooked beef and diced tomatoes. Cover partially, simmer until chili is thick, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add red kidney beans (with their liquids) to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi There, I’m Maike!
A German girl turned American sharing hundreds of easy, homemade comfort food recipes perfect for everyday cooking.