Easy Ground Beef Chili
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Undoubtedly one of the best chili recipes ever, this bowl of goodness is seasoned with both chili powder and ground cumin, adding a bit of flavor complexity.
Easy Ground Beef Chili made with light red kidney beans, tomatoes, onion, and garlic is extra meaty, hearty, and super flavorful.
On your table in just 30 minutes, Ground Beef Chili is not only a quick and easy weeknight dinner, it makes enough to feed a crowd — think Super Bowl party!
Make it a complete spread with chili toppings like cheese, sour cream, jalapeños, diced scallions and tortilla chips. Or, serve it with a side of my favorite, Mexican Cornbread.
Looking for more soup recipes to feed a crowd? Slow cooker Brunswick stew made with leftover pulled pork (or pulled chicken) is delicious and super easy to throw together. Another favorite is Pasta e Fagioli which has the most savory broth.
You can serve either of these hearty soups with a loaf of crusty bread and call it a day — so filling and so good!
Why you’re going to love it!
- Bursting with flavor.
- Easy to prepare.
- Feeds a crowd.
Easy Ground Beef Chili: behind the recipe
What’s a Super Bowl party without a big pot of chili, right? With the big game right around the corner, if you’re looking for a delicious thick and meaty chili recipe, look no further!
A surprise ingredient, the brine from a jar of pickled jalapeños, adds the acidity needed to perk up the flavors in this beefy chili, while a tablespoon of brown sugar balances it all out.
If you don’t have a jar of jalapeños on hand, substitute apple cider vinegar instead.
Also, this recipe is on the milder heat side, so you may wish to adjust the amount of chili powder and cumin to reach your desired heat index!
How to make ground beef chili
Certain ingredients and methods of cooking are better than others when it comes to building big flavor in a short amount of time. Follow these steps to make the best tasting chili in just 30 minutes.
STEP 1 | Cook the beef
- Using a mix of ground beef with differing fat ratios cuts down on the amount of fat that renders out, leaving more flavor in.
- Crumble the ground beef into a Dutch oven, then cook and stir the meat until it is no longer pink.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a plate, reserving the pan drippings.
- Season the ground beef when you return it to the pan later. If you salt it before or during cooking, it draws out the moisture and restricts the flavor you get from browning the meat.
STEP 2 | Bloom the spices
- Blooming the spices — in this case, chili powder and ground cumin — in the rendered fat enhances their potency and adds a delicious depth of flavor to the chili.
STEP 3 | Sauté the onions
- Add the diced onions to the pan along with a pinch of salt and cook until tender.
- If the mixture seems too dry (not enough fat left to cook the onions), add a tablespoon of canola oil and continue cooking until the onions are tender.
STEP 4 | Simmer
- Return the ground beef to the pot and add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans.
- Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low.
- Add jalapeño pickle brine and brown sugar, then simmer for 5 minutes or until ready to serve.
tips
- Using canned beans and tomatoes shaves off plenty of prep/cooking time.
- Adding the small amount of the brine from pickled jalapeños and brown sugar at the end adds a punch of flavor and brightness.
Frequently asked questions
I like using a pound each of ground chuck and ground sirloin. Ground chuck has a breakdown of 80 percent lean beef and 20 percent fat, while ground sirloin is 90/10. Combining the two means less fat renders out, leaving more flavor. Instead, you may substitute all ground round, with an 85/15 ratio.
Remember, the fat is where most of the beef flavor comes from, so avoid the temptation to drain the cooked ground beef. If you find there is too much fat for your taste, at the end of cooking you can spoon off any grease that rises to the top. However, using the mix of ground beef as I suggest will reduce the amount of fat that renders out.
Ground Beef Chili is a meaty, hearty soup that has less liquid than some other chilis, like this White Chicken Chili. That being said, in general beef chili should be thicker and more robust.
Normally, I cook my chili uncovered so that is cooks on the thicker side. Cooking with a lid on will preserve the moisture and make it a bit more soupy. If you feel your chili has too much liquid, uncover it and let it cook until the desired consistency and it if seems too thick, put a lid on it.
The flavors in chili will continue to meld the longer it cooks and the leftovers may even taste better the next day. Regardless, chili will still be flavorful if you only have a few minutes to let it simmer.
Whenever I use canned black beans or red kidney beans for chili, I always drain and rinse them for two reasons: 1) rinsing makes them easier to digest, and 2) the canning liquid is starchy and full of sodium.
Serving suggestions
- To make easy taco salads with leftover chili, place chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce in a bowl and top with leftover chili, salsa, diced tomatoes, sliced scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream.
- Serve leftovers with corn chips or tortilla chips and you have a delicious lunch or dinner the next day.
Related recipes
Easy Ground Beef Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef chuck
- 1 pound ground beef sirloin
- 2 – 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 ½ cups diced onion one large onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 16-oz. cans diced tomatoes
- 1 16-oz. can tomato sauce
- 3 15-oz. cans light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños brine
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Into a large Dutch Oven over medium high heat, crumble the ground beef. Cook and stir for 8 minutes, breaking up any large clumps, until the meat is no longer pink. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a plate, reserving the drippings.
- Add the chili powder and cumin to the Dutch oven. Cook and stir for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds, until fragrant.
- Add the diced onions along with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes. If the mixture seems too dry (not enough fat left to cook the onions), add a tablespoon of canola oil and continue cooking until the onions are tender.
- Return the ground beef to the Dutch oven and season with 2 teaspoons salt.
- Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Add the jalapeño pickle brine and brown sugar, then simmer for 5 minutes or until ready to serve.
Video
Notes
Make easy taco salads with leftover chili:
Place chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce in a bowl and top with heated leftover chili, salsa, diced tomatoes, sliced scallions, shredded cheddar cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with corn chips or tortilla chips.Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
