This Family Favorite Chili is made with hearty ingredients and simple flavors. It’s budget-friendly and perfect for a quick and easy meal.
There are some recipes that are just perfect for family dinners. This Family Favorite Chili is one of them – it’s hearty, flavorful, and loved by everyone. Whether you make it on a cold winter night or even during the summertime, this chili is always a hit.
This is my easy ground beef chili with beans and tomatoes, the recipe I grew up calling ‘chili,’ and it never fails a hungry crowd. It’s filled with tomato-ey, spicy goodness that will satisfy even your pickiest eaters. It’s great on its own or as a topping for a hot dog fresh off the grill.
Now, before somebody starts explaining that this is not “real” chili, I just want to say that I know that. I understand that “real” chili does not contain any beans or tomatoes.
However, there’s a whole big world of cooks out here, and we all have different ideas about recipes. That’s why I haven’t called this recipe Real Texas Chili. Or Authentic Texas Chili. Or anything remotely like that. Just so we’re clear.
This is my own version of chili, and it bears no resemblance whatsoever to chili cooked by authentic cowboys, trail bosses, or others associated in any way with Texas. Whew!
— This post was originally published on March 19, 2013. It has been updated with additional information.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: Stovetop
Total Time: 2 Hours, 10 Minutes
Servings: 8
Primary Ingredient(s): Ground beef, green pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, beans, herbs and spices
Skill Level: Easy
Ingredient Notes for Easy Ground Beef Chili
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- Ground Beef (I prefer chuck (or 80-20) ground beef because it has more flavor than lower fat hamburger meat. Choose whatever fits your budget best.)
- Green Pepper, Onion, and Garlic (These veggies add terrific flavor to your chili. Increase or decrease any of them as you like.)
- Pinto Beans (Lots of cooks use red kidney beans for chili, but I just prefer pintos. You can even double or triple the amount of beans to stretch the recipe further. To make the recipe super inexpensive, consider cooking dried pintos to use in your chili.)
- Spices (I’ve specified the spices we like best. They’re all fairly inexpensive and may cost even less if you purchase them from the “ethnic” foods section.)
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Family Favorite Chili
- In a large deep pot or Dutch oven, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Remove the browned beef from the pan and set it aside to drain.
- In the same pan, add the olive oil, green pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until just tender.
- Return the drained beef to the pan.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and water. Stir well.
- Add the seasonings. Stir well.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or more.
- Serve with garnishes of sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and Tabasco.
How to Serve
This is one of those recipes that works just as well for a casual weeknight dinner as it does for game day or a potluck.
Serve it hot, straight from the pot, with plenty of toppings so everyone can fix their own. Shredded cheddar cheese, diced onions, sliced jalapeños, sour cream, and saltine crackers are all classic choices.
It’s an excellent topper for chili dogs, and it turns a baked potato into a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs meal. Plus, it makes a fine topping for fries and nachos, too.
On the side, keep things simple with a skillet of cornbread or my Alabama Fire Crackers! And if you’re serving this chili to guests, don’t forget that it tastes even better after it’s had a little time to sit, so it’s ideal for making ahead.
Storing Leftovers
Leftover chili stores very well in the refrigerator for about three days. You can also freeze it for up to three months. I often freeze it in single servings to thaw for a quick, filling lunch.
Questions About Family Favorite Chili
Texas chili traditionally does not include beans or tomatoes and relies heavily on dried chiles for its flavor. This recipe is a classic American-style chili made with ground beef, tomatoes, and beans, the kind many of us grew up eating and still reach for when we want something hearty and familiar.
I prefer an 80/20 ground chuck for chili because of its higher fat content. After all, fat equals flavor. If you insist on using leaner beef, be aware that your finished chili won’t not be quite as rich.
Well, of course you can change the spice level, but doing so will change the flavor. If you want very mild chili, reduce the chili powder slightly without removing it entirely, since that’s what makes chili, chili. Removing it completely will result in some sort of ground beef stew that isn’t chili at all. For more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or crushed red pepper.
More Recipes You’ll Like
Easy Chili Verde
White Chicken Chili
Vegetable Chili
Quick and Easy Chili
Have a question or thought to share?
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Family Favorite Chili
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ pounds ground beef (80/20 ground chuck preferred)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large green pepper chopped
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 30 ounces canned diced tomatoes with their juice (2 cans)
- 30 ounces canned pinto beans drained and rinsed (2 cans)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
Garnishes:
- Sour cream
- Grated cheese
- Chopped cilantro
- Tabasco
Instructions
- In a large deep pot or Dutch oven, brown the beef over medium-high heat. Remove the browned beef from the pan and set it aside to drain.1 ¼ pounds ground beef
- In the same pan, add the olive oil, green pepper, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until just tender.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 large green pepper, 1 large onion, 3 cloves garlic
- Return the drained beef to the pan.
- Add the tomatoes, beans, tomato paste, and water. Stir well.30 ounces canned diced tomatoes with their juice, 30 ounces canned pinto beans, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup water
- Add the seasonings. Stir well.1 ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons chili powder, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or more.
- Serve with garnishes of sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and Tabasco
Notes
- I prefer 80/20 ground chuck for this recipe. Leaner ground beef can be used, but the chili won’t be quite as rich.
- Allowing the chili to simmer for at least an hour gives the spices, tomatoes, and beef time to fully blend and develop a deeper, more balanced flavor while creating a thicker, heartier texture.
- Leftover chili can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
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.
Lana, reading your readers reviews are so entertaining. The introduction to your post are so clear that everyone’s ingredients for a dish is not carved in stone. Some responses reveal immediately that the person did not read it or failed to comprehend what you wrote.
This recipe for Southern Chili is spot on. Chili, tomato sauces and meatloaf is how I use our abundance of venison and feral pig. For tomato sauce, I use a dollop of bacon grease to brown the venison and trinity. I don’t care what people say, you do a great job. Thank You
Thank you so much, Sharon. Most people are very kind and generous, but every once in a while there’s that *one* person….. ugh.
This is a wonderful southern chili recipe. And I do agree chili is one of those dishes that means different things to people from different regions of the country. Any chili recipe that you love is authentic to you!!!! We love to vary the beans in ours. We love the pop of color and different tastes from pintos, black beans and red beans all mixed together. I have one family member who can’t tolerate sweet pepper, but can eat any pepper with heat, so I use poblano pepper. Thanks for another great recipe!!!
My pleasure, Beverly! I’m happy to know that you enjoy the recipe.
Hi Lana!
Made this several times already… it’s awesome and who cares if it has beans or not. One thing I do differently is use beef stock in place of water. I like either pintos or light red kidney beans . Thanks so much for this fine recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! We always like beans in our chili and it makes the recipe go so much further at very little cost.
While I have been impressesd with your recipes in the past & now, when you call this Chili that would denote NO Beans, this is chili & beans. Real chili is chili con carne, as in Meat not beans. I will try this one without beans. I like chili on spaghetti, beans won’t work then. Keep up the work tho thanks
Had you bothered to actually READ the post, you would have seen that I state in the first few paragraphs that I understand that “real” chili does not contain beans. I truly wish I had nothing better to do than troll the internet pointing out my superiority to others.
Hi Lana,
That recipe is remarkably like my recipe.
I use green bell pepper but red kidney beans. I also use 2T of ketchup instead of paste. I’ve marked it 5* because I know it tastes good
Regards Paul.
Thanks, Paul. I’ve used kidney beans in the past but switched to Pintos several years ago simply because we like the texture better. And yes, it does taste good!
This is the chili with which we grew up – – Texas or not Texas. Funny thing is that we both made it Sunday night, without prior discussion, in the middle of August with temperatures so high the sidewalks are melting!
If the weather is considered too hot, serve it over lettuce with all of the condiments, for a wonderful “taco salad.” Delish!
I’m still laughing about us both making chili in 100 degree August weather :-)