This is the world’s best chili recipe! It is a contest winner, total crowd pleaser and the best chili recipe on the internet. It is packed with flavor, texture and color. Make it for your next gathering, large or small, and you will get rave reviews. Add jalapenos for extra spice or go mild!
Original post: April 2018 | Updated: February 2023
Why This Recipe Works
You have just found the world’s best chili recipe ever. That is a massive claim, but you will soon agree! You are about to have either a very happy tummy, a very happy family or very happy guests.
My husband and I have been making this delicious soup for years. Together we have tweaked it many, many times. Here are a few of the reasons we deem this to be the perfect meal:
- It is absolute comfort food perfection and such an amazing chili recipe that the whole family will love.
- It’s versatile! My famous Pip and Ebby chili recipe is a favorite easy recipe for game days, lazy weekends and weeknight meals.
- This classic chili recipe is perfect for those cozy cold weather snowy days and for larger gatherings like game day parties or holiday feasts.
- We’ve never thrown a single morsel of it away because this award winning chili recipe (Seriously! It wins every contest I enter!) always gets gobbled down in its entirety.
- It has the most perfect consistency and there is such a depth of flavor.
- This beef chili recipe is a GREAT quick and easy comforting soup, but can easily be transformed into a leaner turkey chili (or even venison!).
If you absolutely cannot find a chunk of time to make this delicious dish, consider trying my Easy 5-ingredient chili for a much-condensed version. Enjoy!
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Ground Beef Dinner Ideas
If you have extra ground beef on your hands, browse through this comprehensive roundup of delicious ground beef recipes!
Chili Ingredients and Equipment
Ingredients
Ground beef – To keep this chili on the leaner side, use ground turkey, ground chicken or lean ground beef. To add a delicious flavor, replace 1 pound of ground beef with 1 pound of ground sausage.
Bell peppers – Any color of bell pepper tastes delicious. Green, yellow, red or orange!
Jalapeno peppers – Although the end result is not “spicy,” omit the jalapenos and cayenne pepper to ensure a totally mild soup. You can cater the spice level to your liking. Personally, I consider this the secret ingredient the thing that helps this soup win chili cook-offs.
Use fresh jalapeños when you can! In a pinch, canned jalapeno peppers will suffice.
Tomato juice – For a thicker chili, use half the amount of tomato juice in the recipe.
Beans – While red kidney beans and pinto beans are super tasty inside, feel free to swap out any variety of beans. Or you can omit the beans altogether! Use this no bean chili as your guide.
Spices and seasonings – Chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper are the perfect combination of spices!
In small amounts, you may add garlic powder or regular paprika to the recipe.
Favorite toppings – Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, cilantro, lime wedges, chopped red onion, crushed corn chips or crushed saltine crackers.
Equipment
Slow cooker – This makes a very large batch, so you’ll want to use an 8-quart crockpot or larger.
Extra large saute pan – I adore my 7-quart saute pan! There are a lot of ingredients to cook before adding them to the slow cooker and you won’t want anything to spill over.
Dutch oven – An alternative to using a large saute pan is to use a 7-quart Dutch oven.
Chili bowls – If you serve hearty soups often, it’s worth it to invest in a set of chili bowls! These have handles so you can avoid burning your fingers.
Ladle – I love a heavy-duty, extra large ladle for thicker soups like this one.
Wooden spoon – This is a dense mixture to stir, so a good wooden spoon will be helpful and save your hands from cramping up.
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How To Make The Best Chili on Earth
Step 1
In a large saute pan or Dutch oven, cook 2 pounds lean ground beef over medium-high heat until it is no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Drain the excess fat from the skillet, but do not clean it out.
Step 2
Add the olive oil to the skillet and reduce heat to medium.
Add the chopped onions, green bell pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño peppers (if using) and sauté veggies over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes total time).
Remove the pan from the heat and add the chili seasoning ingredients to the beef mixture: 3 tablespoons chili powder, 2 teaspoons cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.
Step 3
If you are cooking it on the stove top, add the cooked meat back to the skillet. If you’re using a slow cooker, add the meat-veggie mixture to the slow cooker.
Add the tomato juice (replace a portion of the juice with 2-3 cups beef broth or beef stock to add a kick of flavor, if desired), diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and pinto beans to either the skillet or crock pot, depending on which you are using.
On the stove top, bring to a boil, dial the heat back to medium-low and let chili cook for 2 hours (stir occasionally). In the slow cooker, cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours.
Enjoy immediately! Allow leftovers to cool, then store in the refrigerator in a sealed container.
Recipe Notes
- Serve warm with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream! Other great topping options include sliced green onions, avocados, crushed tortilla chips or minced jalapenos (give your meal a nice kick!).
- This is more of a soupy homemade chili recipe, so in order to thicken, replace the diced tomatoes with crushed tomatoes and reduce the amount of tomato juice by half.
- Add up to 1 tablespoon brown sugar for an added touch of sweetness.
- For a more Mexican flair, replace some or all of the beans with black beans.
- Turn this into an extra hearty chili by adding diced potatoes or another hearty vegetable such as carrots.
- Add a few tablespoons of tomato paste for an extra rich flavor.
- Store leftovers that have been cooled to room temperature in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in heavy duty freezer bags in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Turn this into a spicy chili by adding hot sauce, red pepper flakes or extra jalapenos. A little bit goes a long way with any of these ingredients.
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What To Serve With Chili
Homemade cornbread is a great option to serve alongside this bowl of comfort. Dinner rolls, chopped salad and garlic bread taste delicious, too!
Chili Dinner Ideas
Chili dinners are the best in those cold winter months! If you are looking to round out your meal, peruse this roundup for ideas about what to serve as appetizers for chili dinner.
How To Thicken Chili
If you make a delicious batch and find that it is not thick enough for your liking, we have some simple methods that will fix it! Read on for tips about how to thicken chili.
How Long Does Chili Last
If you are wondering how long chili lasts in the fridge or if your batch is still fresh, click over for all the info!
Leftover chili freezes very well! Place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months for best results.
Substitute for Beans in Chili
Whether you can’t eat beans or you just don’t have any on hand, learn what to substitute for beans in crockpot chili!
How To Make Chili In An Instant Pot
This comforting meal turns out like absolute perfection when made in an Instant Pot. Head over to my posted Instant Pot chili to get the full instructions!
What To Do With Chili Leftovers
If you have leftovers (and it’s very possible that you will because this makes a really big batch of chili), please check out these delicious recipes to help use them up:
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What People Are Saying About This Recipe
“I will NEVER make another chilli recipe in my life again!! This is so good! I absolutely hate cooking and all the prep so the first time I made this I told myself I would never again do it. It was so good that it was worth the chopping up of a few veggies and measuring of a bunch of spices. I make it at least 2-3 times every fall/winter now!“ ~ASHLEY
“This IS THE BEST Chili! This recipe has been on rotation in my home for awhile now. Everyone raves about how it IS the BEST chili they be ever had! Thank you for sharing this with us! “ ~SARA
World’s Best Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley finely chopped
- 2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped (optional)
- 3 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 46 oz tomato juice
- 28 oz diced tomatoes
- 15 oz tomato sauce
- 16 oz kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 16 oz pinto beans drained and rinsed
- Shredded cheese and sour cream for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook ground meat over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Transfer the meat to a bowl. Drain excess grease from skillet, but do not clean.
- Add the olive oil to the skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic, parsley and jalapeño peppers (if using) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, oregano, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir until combined.
- If cooking on the stove top, add the cooked meat back to the skillet. If using a slow cooker, add meat-veggie mixture to the slow cooker. Add the tomato juice, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, kidney beans and pinto beans to either the skillet or slow cooker, depending on which you are using.
- On the stove top, bring to a boil, dial back to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours (stir occasionally). In slow cooker, cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve warm with cheese and sour cream.
Notes
- Serve warm with cheese and sour cream! Other great topping options include sliced green onions or minced jalapenos (give your meal a nice kick!).
- For a thicker chili, replace the diced tomatoes with crushed tomatoes and reduce the amount of tomato juice by half.
- To keep this chili on the leaner side, use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef.
- To add a delicious flavor to the recipe, replace 1 pound of ground beef with 1 pound of ground sausage.
- For a different flavor, replace some or all of the beans with black beans.
I have been using this recipe for chili for quite a while now. The only “tweaks” I’ve made is using tri-bean blend, (sometimes my husband requests MORE beans so I’ll add in a third can) sometimes I add a can of corn, and I use a beef/pork mix. This recipe always gets great reviews from the people I make it for and I always direct to this recipe. We use shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream to top it off, and it goes great with corn muffins.
Thank you Jamie! I love hearing this. 🙂
This has been my go-to chili recipe for years! I love it!
I first made this recipe for my son’s first birthday party, six years ago. I have made it regularly ever since and it is absolutely adored by everyone who eats it. It’s fun to make and you can play with the recipe to a ridiculous degree and still have an incredible chili. It sounds dumb, but this chili is near and dear to my heart because of all the memories made while eating it and it really is the best chili recipe ever!!
Wow Melissa! Thank you for sharing. This is the ultimate compliment. Here’s to many more memories made!
Can I make this recipe as is only omit the meat so I have a vegetarian meal?
Hey Anne ~ I wouldn’t see why not or if you have a favorite meat replacement, maybe try that and see what you think!
I expect you will need something to replace the meat or you won’t have much – K have made chili with Quinoa & black beans (or whatever beans you like) & it was delicious! I’m sure other grains would work as well.
I expect you will need something to replace the meat or you won’t have much – K have made chili with Quinoa & black beans (or whatever beans you like) & it was delicious! I’m sure other grains would work as well. Also, the soy meat replacements available @ most grocery stores these days.
I made this for the 1st time for a dinner party and everyone loved it! I added the tomato paste, used crushed tomatoes, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika and some chilpolte cinnamon. The batch fed 9 people – some big men and it was served with potato skins and salad. Thanks for the world’s best chili recipe and tips!
Susie ~ Thank you for sharing!
I loooove this recipe and every time I’ve made it, I get rave reviews! How long would you cook this in an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi?
Two questions:
Is this gluten free? How many will one recipe serve? Looking forward to trying it.
Hi Marie, I don’t write my recipes on a gluten free basis but this recipe is naturally gf. You would just need to check your spices to confirm! This recipes makes 12 servings so you can determine that once it’s prepared.
Added a little of the juice from the jar of jalapeno nacho slices that are always in our fridge. Very good recipe.
Great tip, Paula! Thank you for sharing.
We loved this recipe 🙂 Its now my sons favorite, Thank you
Love to hear that, Gloria! Thank you for sharing.
I made this last night and followed the recipe almost exactly. I subbed one can of diced tomatoes for a can of stewed tomatoes. Even added a handful of pickled jalapeños. Hands down the best chili I’ve ever made. I think next time, the only change I’ll make is adding an extra bell pepper. So good!
That’s what I love about chili-use what you have on hand and its never wrong. Thanks for sharing those tweaks!
I have been using this recipe for the last 7 years and I will never use another. This is always a hit at potlucks and family gatherings. I made it for a guy one time, and he bought a crockpot so I could make a whole batch just for him. This is my go-to recipe and it is always a hit. 🙂
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Kaila!
Any idea how long in an instant pot and what setting?
Thank you for asking, Tom. Follow the instructions for this instant pot chili instructions: https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/best-instant-pot-chili/
Just tried your chili recipe and everyone loved it. Making another batch for the freezer. Thanks for sharing!
Love to hear that, Joyce. Thank you for sharing!
I have been making this chili for several years since I stumbled upon the recipe so I’m finally leaving this comment. It is exactly what I look for in chili, rich tomatoey goodness. My favorite iteration is substituting some of the meat with chorizo and the beans with black beans but I have made the recipe straight as it is written many times- jolly pepes (aka jalapenos) are never optional for me! I am on the page today to make my list for the grocery so I thought I’d leave me 2 pennies. Thank you for an outstanding chili recipe I come back to time and time again.
You’re welcome Charlotte. Love those tweaks to the recipe.
How long do you cook in the crock pot on high?
I recommend the low and slow method for chili in the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours. You can half that time for high heat.
I made this the other night and made a few changes I went with a 97/3 ground beef with a pound of sausage. for the tomatoes I used 2 quarts from the garden One can of kidney beans rinsed with one can of chili beans. I added the quart of beef broth. this was the best chili I have ever had.
Sounds like easy tweaks and great to use what you have on hand too. Thank you for sharing!
I have been making this recipe for many years now! I absolutely love it! It really is the best chili recipe ever!!
Agreed, Crista! Thanks for trying it and sharing how you liked it.
I’ve used this recipe for years. I use 2T beef fat in place o 2T OO and I reduce the tomato juice by half. It’s the best chili for chili dogs and I usually make jalapeno cheddar cornbread to have as a side.
The bread sounds delicious, Carla. Thanks for the tips about how you enjoyed the chili.
I am sure I’ve commented a few times now however worth another comment. I’ve been using your recipe for several years now, definitely my families favourite chilli. Today was definitely a perfect day to have it as it’s definitely starting to feel like fall around here!
I make this chili all the time and love it so much. Definitely deserves five stars. One of the author’s tips is to sub out half the meat for ground pork, and I really do enjoy the extra complexity that brings. Over the years, I have come to change one thing about the recipe: I don’t like it to be as liquidy, so I double the tomato sauce and omit the tomato juice. Other than that, I make it exactly as directed and am rewarded with fantastic chili. Thanks so much for such a great recipe!
That’s great to hear, Reiney! Thank you!