If you’re looking for the best way to serve chili without spending hours in the kitchen, look no further! My Quick and Easy Chili recipe delivers big flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for busy nights when you need something fast and warm.
If you are a true chili connoisseur or a native Texan, please look away now. Just go somewhere else because this Quick and Easy Chili is nowhere near authentic. It takes all the shortcuts and is more beans and veggies than meat.
It’s my “been working all day and need something really fast and warm because it’s cold and nasty outside” go-to recipe. I can throw this together after work without measuring stuff or soaking beans or any of that kind of work.
Chili is always a crowd pleaser, and with its flavorful ingredients, it’s the perfect go-to dish for busy nights. It’s also flexible enough to be customized in a variety of ways.
Even better, it can be whipped up in a flash without sacrificing flavor, which is why it’s such a popular weekday dinner option for busy home cooks.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 1 Hour
Servings: 4
Primary Ingredient(s): Ground beef, pinto beans, chili seasoning, onion, garlic, bell pepper
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredient Notes
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- Ground Beef – I typically use ground chuck (80/20) for everything, including chili. The slightly higher fat content makes it much more moist and tender than leaner hamburger.
- Chili Seasoning – There are many choices available in the grocery store, but we’ve always enjoyed the French’s brand Chili-O seasoning.
- Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Paste – Diced tomatoes cook more quickly than whole tomatoes, and the tomato paste enriches the overall flavor of the chili.
- Pinto Beans – I prefer pinto beans over kidney beans for chili. They’re more tender, cook faster, and are easier to digest, in my opinion. If you happen to have leftover homemade pinto beans, they would be great here!
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Quick and Easy Chili
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook until soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer veggies to a plate or bowl and set aside.
- Put the ground beef in the pan and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until no pink remains. Drain the ground beef well and return it to the pan.
- Add back the veggies, the tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, chili seasoning, water, salt, and pepper. Stir well until all are combined.
- Bring to a boil, cover the pan, lower the heat, and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
- Serve with your choice of garnishes.
How to Serve
One of the best things about chili is all the toppings! Offer options that your family enjoys, like sour cream, Cheddar cheese, cilantro, red pepper flakes, or pickled jalapenos. And either saltine crackers or cornbread is great on the side!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftovers can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or on the stovetop over very low heat.
To freeze, allow the chili to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Keeps for about three months frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before heating and serving.
Questions About Quick and Easy Chili
Yes, absolutely. After browning the ground beef and sautéing the vegetables, transfer everything to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours. Just remember that canned beans don’t need much cooking, so if you’re using a longer cook time, consider adding them during the last two hours to help them hold their texture better.
While I prefer pinto beans, you can certainly use kidney beans, black beans, or even a combination.
This is a mild base recipe, but if you like a bit more kick, add diced jalapeños when you sauté the onions, or toss in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne with the chili seasoning. Go carefully, though, because you can always add more heat, but you can’t take it out!
More Chili Recipes You’ll Like
Easy Chili Verde
White Chicken Chili
Family Favorite Chili
Black Bean Chili
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Quick and Easy Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- 29 ounces canned diced tomatoes (2 cans)
- 6 ounces canned tomato paste
- 32 ounces canned pinto beans lightly drained
- 1.75 ounces packaged chili seasoning (recommend: French's Chili-O)
- 1 cup water
- salt and pepper to taste
- sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, red pepper flakes Optional garnishes
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic. Cook until soft and the onion is lightly browned, about 7-8 minutes. Transfer veggies to a plate or bowl and set aside.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 medium onion, 1 medium bell pepper, 3 cloves garlic
- Put the ground beef in the pan and cook, stirring to break up meat, until no pink remains. Drain the ground beef well and return to the pan.1 pound ground beef
- Add back the veggies, the tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, chili seasoning, water, salt, and pepper. Stir well until all combined.29 ounces canned diced tomatoes, 6 ounces canned tomato paste, 32 ounces canned pinto beans, 1.75 ounces packaged chili seasoning, 1 cup water, salt and pepper to taste
- Bring to a boil, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes.
- Serve with your choice of garnishes.sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, red pepper flakes
Notes
- Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or on the stovetop over very low heat.
- To freeze, allow the chili to cool completely and then transfer to a freezer-safe container. Keeps for about three months frozen.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
I’m Lana Stuart, an award-winning cookbook author, food blogger, and lifelong cook raised deep in Southwest Georgia. I started Lana’s Cooking in 2009 to share the tried-and-true recipes I grew up with. Around here, the food is full of flavor, the traditions run deep, and there’s always room at the table.
Can I use tomato juice in this to make it more soupier?
Well sure, if you want to. Water, beef stock, tomato juice…. whatever.
That’s pretty much the recipe around here (after all, we learned from the same source). It would probably offend a true Texan to death. You know, you use the canned “chili beans”, they have nice chili seasoning already in there. Works very well.
I have some left-over of last week’s batch in my freezer. Just make sure that you let it thaw all the way through in the ‘fridge, otherwise, you will break up the beans. Perfect for a cold, don’t want to cook night. Works pretty good over hot dogs for what some folks call “scramble dogs.”
Miss P