Rich and hearty homemade Beef Chili Recipe loaded with vegetables and beans is comfort food at its greatest! This (under 30-minute) chili recipe is going to become your go-to recipe for cooler weather.
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Beef Chili Recipe
Ground meat and beans are the basis for a classic chili recipe. You can elevate the flavors of a traditional chili by adding vegetables so for this beef chili recipe, we added carrots and green peppers.
Make this your own by adding other diced vegetables you have on hand. These can include celery, mushrooms, zucchini or red peppers and can be added with the carrots and peppers.
How to Make the Best Beef Chili?
- Brown ground meat, add diced onion and cook until onion is softened.
- Add carrots, green pepper and garlic. Cook until veggies are tender.
- Add diced tomatoes (with juice), broth, beans and ingredients for chili seasoning. Stir well. Simmer 15 min until vegetables and beans are tender.
- Turn off the heat and allow the chili to rest 5 minutes before serving.
TIP: If you don’t like chunky diced tomatoes, then finely cube or puree them before adding to the chili.
Can Beef Chili be Frozen?
Yes, chili may be frozen. Cool chili completely and store in an air-tight container up to 3 months. Thaw and reheat to enjoy!
Since reheated chili tastes just as good as fresh, Chili may also be refrigerated and enjoyed for several days.
Chili Toppings:
This chili is a mild chili with the indicated seasonings, if you want a spicier chili, add more chili powder to taste. 🙂
Serve the beef chili with your favorite toppings of sour cream, cheddar cheese, crushed tortilla chips, fresh cilantro or green onion.
Be adventurous and serve the hearty chili over a halved and pitted avocado or baked potato! So good and original.
More Cozy Cold Weather Recipes to Try:
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe – a crowd-pleasing chili
- Potato Chicken Soup Recipe – so comforting
- Instant Pot White Chicken Chili – super fast and easy
- Creamy Tomato Basil Soup – comfort in a bowl
Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
Beef Chili Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 medium onion, finely cubed
- 1 large carrot, cubed
- ½ medium green bell pepper, cubed
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- 15.5 oz can kidney beans, , drained and rinsed
- 3 cups beef broth
Chili Seasonings:
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 2 ½ tsp chili powder
Instructions
- Brown beef in a Dutch oven over med-high heat, breaking up the meat while stirring.
- Add onion and cook until tender.
- Add diced carrot, bell pepper and minced garlic. Cook until vegetables are tender, stirring as needed. Drain excess fat.
- Pour in diced tomatoes with juice, add beans, broth and seasonings. Stir well to combine.
- Turn heat down to a gentle boil and allow chili to cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally (longer if meat and vegetables aren’t desired tenderness).
- Taste chili and additional seasonings if needed. Turn off heat and allow chili to rest 5 minutes.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Curling up with a bowl of hot chili in the winter is a real treat. What is YOUR favorite cold-weather comfort food?
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
This is excellent…thank you for this recipe..I never made good chili before and this so good.
You are very welcome! Thank you for your awesome comments and feedback, Julie.
I just finished a bowl of this delicious chili. Only substitutions for the recipe were Cento brand (Italian) crushed tomatoes and sweet red pepper instead of green. I was delighted to see carrots in the ingredient list. In the days of cookbooks only and no internet, I used to prepare a chili including carrots, perhaps some celery, not sure about green pepper. I was always pleased with the results. This will be my go-to from now on. It was so easy and cooked quickly.
Hello Milda, that’s great to know! Thanks for sharing and we’re happy to hear that this is going to be your new go-to recipe.
This chili flavor is delicious, I followed it to the exact recipe, however mine turned out more watery and liquidy than I’d like. What can I do different to make sure it all vapors out? Cook longer?
Yes you may try that, please share with us how it goes!
Cut down on the broth, add tomato paste, cook longer, Use an extra can(s) of tomatoes and omit the juice from them.
I’ve made this at least 6 times and it is my “go to” chili recipe. I throw in more beans and add more chili powder but it is the real deal!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Debi! I’m so happy it was a hit!
Hi. I was wondering. How long can this stay in the fridge? I put it in an air tight container.
Hi Sam. We eat this within a couple of days. If your ingredients are fresh, they could probably last for up to a week in the fridge. This also freezes very well.
making this now. added 1 tsp oregano, 1/4 tsp, cayenne pepper, and 2 oz tomato paste.
flavor is excellent.
Glad you love it!
glad most of your videos are captioned. I’m deaf so it helps a lot.
I’m so glad that’s helpful, Jim!
Hi Natasha,
Loved all your recipes wish I had more time to try more. Love the easy easy simple ones with only a few ingredients. Loved your easy Mushroom Gravy Recipe. It was wonderful and so fast to make. I used Shiitake mushrooms instead of button mushrooms. We made the chili recipe and it was more like soup. Also did not like the carrots in the recipe and there was not much flavor. I KNOW THIS WAS NOT YOUR RECIPE SO I WILL MAKE SURE FROM NOW ON IT IS YOUR RECIPE. WILL BE GOING BACK TO MY OLD 40 YR OLD CHILI RECIPE WHICH MY HUSBAND ALSO LOVES.
Hi Linda, I’m sorry to hear that. But I am glad that you find some recipes you enjoy. Thank you for sharing this information with me.
i left out the carrots and bell peppers. next time go with 2 cups broth to see if thickness is to your liking. i used 3 cups and i removed all the fat from the beef. made a difference.
Mine turned out too watery as well and not enough flavor. I usually use tomato juice in chili , not beef broth.
I have loved the other recipes of yours I have tried in the past
Hello, did you drain the beans and use the same type of tomatoes? Also, we cook this one uncovered to let the extra steam escape. I hope that helps you to troubleshoot. You may also adjust the broth next time and add more seasoning if you like more flavor.
I followed this recipe, plus I added a 16 oz can of mild Chili Beans with the sauce to offset the strength of the tomato taste. It made an excellent blended combination.
First time making chilli, and this recipe is so good, even my husband who doesn’t like Chilli loved it. I also added 2 table spoons of tomatoe paste. 😋 😋
Hello Carla, nice to know that your husband enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for your good comments and feedback.
Hi Natasha, I made this recipe for dinner tonight and I just had to taste it before my cooking time was up. All I can say is “amazing”. I have been looking for a good chili recipe for many, many years and I have finally found it. Thank you. Every recipe of yours I have made has been a huge success. Shows me, a 71 year old Nana can always learn something new. My grandkids who are 4 and 5 say “Nana is a good cooker” so I’m always trying to keep up with their expectations and you’ve help me do that. Please keep up the excellent job both you and your husband do with your video’s. they are always entertaining and so fun to watch.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Joyce! That is the best when kids & grandkids love what we make. That’s so great!
The chilli was delicious and I would definitely make it again. First time ever using carrots and also beef broth but enjoyed it immensely. Every recipe I have ever made of your always is good. Totally loved it
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Linda! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
First Time making chili…. you should include soaking beans…. my dish came out crunchy…. wasnt aware I had to do extra steps like soak the beans or used canned ones. AND THE FLAVOR WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT! I had to throw it out bc uncooked beans are TOXIC.
Her recipe says can of beans..those are already cooked. Not dry beans.
Nina it’s canned beans that you can tell would go in chili, not the dry ones, that was your mistake not the recipe
Canned chili beans and kidney beans are already cooked before being canned, therefore not toxic.
This looks delicious, how do I spice it up a bit? My family love a little extra bite to their chili!
Hi James, feel free to add more chili powder to make it spicier.
Loved this simple recipe-a great one for my teen to try for a friendsgiving buffet. She used a mixture of beans – red & white kidney, black – and it was SO good. I will tag a picture when we reheat tonight. Thank you!
I’m so glad it was a hit, Christine! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Wow, this chili is so flavorful! Absolutely delicious. I forgot to buy a green pepper so I used one leafy stalk of celery instead. Served it topped with shredded cheddar cheese and some sour cream. YUM!!! Thank you for this quick and easy recipe, I’ll be making it often this winter.
That’s a good idea to use celery instead. I’m glad that it worked well and you loved it! Thanks for your review, Lisa.
Everything you make is so delicious Natasha!! Your videos are easy to follow.
Thank You 🙂
Aaw thanks a lot, Ceci!
I have found finally a chili recipe everyone in the family likes. it was so delicious and even good for my diabetic relative. The taste was spicy enough but not too much for the kids! Great taste, great texture, beautiful consistency. Using beef broth made this rich tasting! Winner!!
So glad you and your family enjoy this recipe, Deborah. Thank you for your good comments and feedback!
I’m excited to make this, like the idea of veggies & such a quick recipe !
I hope it becomes a new favorite for you.
I love this recipe and have made it several times now. I’m wondering if I could make it in a crock pot so it’s ready when I get home? Any advice on that?
Hello Deana, good to hear that you always love this recipe. I imagine that will work too, please share with us how it goes if you try it!
Valentina Ablaev
Her name is put on this recipe in two places
Hi JoAnn, she is a friend of mine who guest posts on my site from time to time. It helps her grow her blog and she has great taste in food.
I added a can of tomato paste and chili seasoning. It’s delicious.
Nice to know that you enjoyed that!