Easy Homemade Texas Style Red Chili
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Here’s an easy dinner recipe packed with big Texas flavor! In just 15 minutes, prep this Easy Homemade Texas-style Red Chili, then let it simmer in the slow cooker to develop a rich, smoky flavor. When you’re ready, a hearty pot of southwest chili awaits. Just grab a bowl, add your favorite toppings, and dive in!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
- Ground beef | I like to use lean ground beef, but beef chuck is a great, more affordable option.
- Onion | Give the beef flavor with one large onion, chopped.
- Garlic | Bring subtle spice with one or two cloves of fresh garlic, chopped.
- Tomatoes | Toss a 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes into the recipe for sweet tomato flavor with texture.
- Seasoning | Bring out the Texas flavor with red chili powder, cumin, oregano, and a dash of sea salt.
- Pinto beans | Drain and pour in two 14 oz. cans of pinto beans.
- Masa Harina | Masa harina or corn flour, makes tortillas and similar foods. But it’s perfect for thickening this Texas Chili.
- Garnishes | Add your favorite toppings, like cheddar cheese, sour cream, scallions, avocado, crispy tortilla strips, or Fritos.
Recipe Success Tips
How to Make This Easy Red Chili Recipe
Dinner just got easier! Follow the simple prep instructions, then leave the chili for hands-free cooking. Soon, dinner is on the table; you only need a bowl and a spoon!
STEP 1 | Cook the onions and beef
Start with a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onions and cook until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are soft.
STEP 2 | Add tomatoes and simmer
Next, add the crushed tomatoes and spices and heat the mixture until it bubbles. Then, reduce the heat and let the chili simmer for five to ten minutes.
STEP 3 | Add final ingredients, cook, and serve!
Finally, pour the chili base into a slow cooker, soup pot, or Dutch oven and stir in beans and masa harina, simmering until the chili is heated through. Then, serve hot and fresh!
Try more of my effortless crock pot and slow cooker recipes, like this Tender melt-in-your-mouth Country Style Ribs and flavorful Pork Roast Recipe with fresh veggies and simple seasonings.
Variations and Substitutions
- Raise the Heat Level. Drizzle the chili with one of your favorite hot sauces, or add chili paste to make it spicier!
- Thinner Chili. Make the chili more soup-like with a fluid consistency by adding beef broth. Or, if you don’t want the savory notes of beef broth, add a can of tomato sauce and a bit of water.
- Seasoning Options. Some more seasonings that will add flavor to the chili are onion powder, garlic powder, freshly ground black pepper, or other favorites from the spice aisle – try Mexican oregano for an authentic touch!
Storage Tips
- Save your leftover Texas-style chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months.
- To thaw, move the container to the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then reheat in the microwave, slow cooker, or pot and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Variety in texture and depth in flavor make a good chili recipe even better! For instance, adding different veggies and spices, like garlic, peppers, or onions, creates complex flavor and texture.
Most chili recipes include cumin, chili powder, and paprika, giving it the iconic chili flavor we all expect to taste. Leaving these ingredients out of a chili won’t ruin the recipe, but it will certainly give it a different flavor profile than classic chili.
Texas chili is a very different take on traditional chili without tomatoes or beans. Instead, it consists of chili paste and large pieces of beef for a thick stew. However, today’s Texas-style chili is a classic red chili recipe with familiar southwestern flavors.
Sometimes. It is based on preference. If you want a more fluid cpnstiency rather than thick, adding beef broth is a great way to thin it out while adding meaty flavor.
Looking for More Delicious Homemade Chili Recipes?
My family and I are pretty big chili fans! Not only is chili easy to make, but it’s also delicious and fun to experiment with. Try more classic chili recipes, like Sausage Chili with black beans and sweet potatoes and Instant Pot White Chicken Chili next time!
Make it a Chili Bar Night!
Buld-your-own taco or ice cream sundae is a fun way to serve a crowd, and you can do the same with this Texas-style chili! Let everyone fill a big bowl of hot chili with all their preferred toppings.
Set out smaller containers of typical chili toppings, like corn chips, sour cream, jalapeno peppers, cheeses, red onions, and lime wedges, with serving spoons and tongs. What a fun way to serve this easy recipe!
What to Serve with Red Chili
You can keep it simple by serving the recipe with tortilla chips, but nothing goes better with southwestern-style chili than these Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins. Or, try a similar recipe with a fun twist with my seven layer Cornbread Salad!
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Easy Homemade Red Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1 large onion chopped
- 1 – 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
- 2 14 oz. cans cans pinto beans
- 2 tablespoons masa harina or corn flour
- GARNISHES: cheddar cheese sour cream, scallions, avocado, crispy tortilla strips, tortilla chips, or Fritos
Instructions
- Cook ground beef and onions in a large skillet over medium high heat until the meat is no longer pink and the onions are translucent. Drain off any grease, then return to the skillet.
- Add crushed tomatoes and spices. Heat until mixture starts to bubble; reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes.
- Pour chili into a slow cooker or soup pot and stir in beans and masa harina. Simmer until chili is heated through.
Notes
- Save your leftover Texas-style chili in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days, or freeze it for up to three months.
- To thaw, move the container to the refrigerator for about 24 hours, then reheat in the microwave, slow cooker, or pot and enjoy!
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.
I made this for dinner last night and we loved this simple but flavorful recipe! I will be making this often!
Pretty good recipe but it should be thickened with a tablespoon or so of masa harina to have just the right texture.
Yum! Gonna try this recipe with ground chicken instead