Easy Homemade Hearty Chili Beans Recipe
There’s nothing better than a pot of Homemade Hearty Chili Beans simmering on the stove. Made with simple ingredients and slow-cooked for a rich flavor, this chili is the perfect meal for busy weeknights, cozy weekends, or feeding a crowd.
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It simmers into a thick chili that’s comforting, and even better the next day once the flavors have had time to meld.
Serve it with warm cornbread and your favorite toppings (I’ve listed some of my favorites near the recipe card!), and you’ve got the perfect cozy meal.
The Players for Homemade Chili Beans
Ingredients:
- Ground Beef – Using ground beef gives this chili its hearty, satisfying texture and rich, savory flavor. You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken if you prefer.
- Butter – Butter adds richness and helps sauté the vegetables while building a flavorful base for this best chili recipe.
- Onion – Use your favorite onion for this homemade chili recipe. I’ll be using a white onion, but you can also use a yellow onion or a sweet onion.
- Bell Peppers – Bell peppers add a mild sweetness and subtle crunch. I love to use yellow and orange bell peppers.
- Celery – Diced celery adds texture and a classic savory flavor.
- Chili Seasonings – To create our classic chili flavor, you’ll need the following seasonings: chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt.
- Diced Tomatoes – You’ll need 2 cans of diced tomatoes to create the base of this hearty chili.
- Tomato Sauce – Tomato sauce adds richness and helps thicken the chili.
- Kidney Beans – Kidney beans add heartiness and hold their shape well during long simmering. Use either dark or light red kidney beans.
- Great Northern Beans – These beans are slightly creamier and softer, adding texture contrast and balance.
- Worcestershire Sauce – A small amount adds depth and umami flavor.
- Beef Broth – Using 4 cups of beef broth adds richness and helps develop a deep, slow-simmered flavor.
- Water – Water helps control the consistency and allows the chili to simmer without becoming too thick.
Tools:
- Dutch Oven – You’ll need a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to make this ultimate chili recipe!
- Souper Cubes – These Souper Cubes are one of my favorite tools for freezing chili. They make it easy to portion leftovers into perfectly sized servings, so you can freeze, store, and reheat exactly what you need without waste. Once frozen, the chili pops out easily and can be transferred to freezer bags. I also use these cubes to freeze leftover Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese and Homemade Chicken Bone Broth.
How to Make Hearty Chili Beans
In a large Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain excess fat and set the beef aside. You can use a separate skillet if you prefer, but to keep dishes to a minimum, I use the same pot.
Saute the Vegetables and Seasonings
To the same Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
Sprinkle in the chili seasonings directly over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the spices to toast and become fragrant.
Add Canned and Liquid Ingredients
Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and rinsed and drained canned beans.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and water, stirring well to combine.
Add the browned ground beef to the pot and stir until evenly incorporated.
Simmer the Chili
Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot with cornbread, crackers, shredded cheese, or sour cream. Enjoy!
Chili Topping Ideas
Take your chili to the next level with these favorite toppings:
- Hot Sauce
- Cheddar Cheese
- Roasted Corn
- Crushed Tortilla Chips
- Avocado Slices
- Chopped Red Onion
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt
- Green Onions
- Sliced Jalapenos
- Crumbled Bacon
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions for Chili Beans
To Store:
Allow the chili to cool completely before storing. Store the leftover chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I personally think the taste of chili tastes better the days following cooking it.
To Freeze:
The best part is that this chili freezes perfectly, making it great for meal prep! I like to use Souper Cubes for individual portion sizes, so that you’re always ever only minutes away from a quick an easy meal.
Alternatively, you can pour the cooled chili bean into freezer bags and lay them flat for storage-saving purposes. This chili is good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To Reheat:
Allow the chili to defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Add the chili to a saucepan and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through.
If you find it’s too thick, add a splash of beef broth or water. You can also place the chili in a microwave-safe container and reheat for 2-3 minutes at 50% power until heated through.
Pin it for Later!
If you end up trying this Hearty Chili recipe, leave me a comment. I’d love to chat with you!
Looking for other cozy meal ideas? Check out these recipes next!
- Panera’s Copycat Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Easy Tiktok Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe
- Isaac’s Pepperjack Tomato Soup Recipe
- Easy Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with Flour Tortillas
- Albondigas Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe (Super Tasty!)
- Easy Oven Baked One Pan Chicken Parmesan Recipe
- Panera Bread Chicken Noodle Soup (Copycat Recipe!)
- Instant Pot Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy
- The Best Stovetop Lentil and Bean Soup Recipe
- Crockpot Chicken Bone Broth Recipe (Homemade Stock)
- Easy 4-Ingredient Beef and Potato Burritos Recipe
- Copycat Panera Bread Baked Potato Soup Recipe
- Homemade Stovetop Mac and Cheese Recipe (No Flour!)
- Easy Creamy Beef and Bowtie Pasta Skillet Recipe
- Instant Pot Pasta Fagioli Recipe
- Classic Meatloaf with Ground Beef Recipe
- Easy Cheesy One Pot Pizza Pasta Recipe
- Creamy Chicken and Herby Potato Skillet Recipe
Easy Homemade Hearty Chili Beans Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef or ground turkey or ground chicken
- 4 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 2 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can kidney beans (15 ounces), drained & rinsed
- 1 can Northern beans (15 ounces) drained & rinsed
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water
Chili Seasoning
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (or more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat, brown the ground beef until fully cooked. Drain excess fat and set the beef aside. You can use a separate skillet if you prefer, but to keep dishes to a minimum, I use the same pot.
- To the same Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
- Sprinkle in the chili seasonings directly over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly and cook for about 1 minute, allowing the spices to toast.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Add the Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, and water.
- Add the browned ground beef to the pot and stir until evenly incorporated.
- Bring the chili to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
James 2:26 - "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."
