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.
Best Chili Recipes
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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.
This my family’s favorite chili!!! I also combine ground beef and spicy ground sausage. My little addition consists of cinnamon and 1/2 tsp Stevia instead of sugar. Top with jalapeño slices and Mexican shredded cheese, side of sweet cornbread. Thank you sharing a fantastic recipe!!!!!
I love your tweaks, it sounds delicious!! I’d love that version. Thank you for sharing!
I wish I could delete the top negative review, because this chili was AWESOME!!! I’ve always been intimidated to bring chili to our annual chili potluck at church (so I hurry and sign up for corn bread, hehe) because I’ve never found a recipe to call my own, but this one is getting printed for my recipe book! The blend of seasonings to have that made from scratch appeal and the ability to tweak if needed to taste or consistency makes this recipe my mew go to. Even my husband loved it and he has an experienced palate!
I appreciate your kind words and taking the time to share! Thank you!
I’ve been using this chili recipe for years at my works annual chili cook off and I win every time. I was a bit nervous when I couldn’t find it on Pinterest recently but was relieved when I found it today! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I’m so glad you were able to share it with others too!
I don’t eat meat, but all those who do at our Super Bowl Party LOVED it! “This one’s a keeper” said my hubby.
I appreciate you taking the time to try it and share your feedback. Thank you! I love meat free foods as well and you could make this without meat, just add a higher variety of beans.
This is my go to recipe for sure!!!! I love it!
Wow! Amazing recipe. I loved it.
Can I make this with an instant pot?
You absolutely can! I have this recipe on my blog created in the IP as well. Here’s the link!
https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/best-instant-pot-chili/
Wondering if you have made this in the instant pot? If so, How long would it need to be cooked in there for?
Hi Donna – as you know I love my instant pot! Let me know how it turns out for you.
https://www.pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/best-instant-pot-chili
Super super good chili!! It has not simmered yet but the taste it already incredible. I used ground pork and beef. Did not have a japs…but had everything else. Parsley wasn’t fresh but a jar of seasoning. I really liked it… I will be adding a dash or two of Worcester, a few dashes of cinnamon and a little piece of chocolate…..it’s a thing. Lol. I saw this while looking at recipes last year. I had to try it after googling it, of course. It takes the chili to a whole new level of robust and earthy tones. You have to try it!!!!
I enjoy this recipe a lot but those tweaks/additions sound amazing! Thanks for sharing with us!
Thank you for this recipe! It has been my go-to chili recipe for about a year now. I searched for so long trying to find a good recipe that balanced meat, tomatoes, and beans, and this is just perfection! My kids love it too! We always serve it with cornbread. I have a family of 7, and this serves my family plus gives us leftovers for 2-3 people (and I have two boys who together eat as much as the other 5 of us)
Regarding those asking about how much this makes, I make this in my 6 quart Dutch oven. It fills the Dutch oven at the beginning, but simmering for 2 hours reduces the liquid a bit. Finished product is about 5 to 5.5 quarts of chili.
Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to share that. It does help others and it varies a little from person to person and cooking techniques so your feedback and detail was valuable.
I love to hear this! I’m so thankful you enjoy it. It’s great when the kiddos can to! Leftovers are a must! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Best chili recipe? LOL not even close. This seems like ‘chili’ that somebody from England or Australia would make. Where’s the toasted peppers? Where’s the masa harina? Lame.
There are many ways to enjoy chili and toasted peppers or masa harina isn’t the only way to prepare it. I’m sorry you feel that way. Did you taste it or make the comment based on the recipe? You should give it a try!
This recipe is actually AMAZING! It’s been my go-to for a while now and it’s always, always, always a crowd pleaser. Not sure why you felt the need to comment when you clearly haven’t even tried it and have no valid reasons for spewing hate <3
Thank you!
Wow! Rude! Don’t like the chili, skip to the next recipe and move on!
I’ve made this recipe many times and it comes out delicious each time. I’ve tried many and keep coming back to this one.
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing!
Wow “chilimaster” I guess your mom did not teach you that if you don’t have anything nice to say you probably shouldn’t say anything at all! Clearly you are an internet troll who has too much time on your hands.
Megan our family LOVES your chili recipe! I’ve even made it for a couple large parties I’ve hosted and everyone raves about it and asks for the recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a challenge, why not put your money where your mouth is, bud. Show us something better, until then Megan keeps the Chilimaster Championship Trophy.🏆
I love this recipe, I had been looking for a chili recipe and stumbled upon this a last year, it’s my go too! I add a pound of seasoned Spanish style steak my local store sells and cut the ground beef by a pound. The addition adds great flavor and since this cooks slowly the meet gets very tender! So good!
That sounds like a perfect tweak to your chili. Thanks for sharing that!
I want to make this today, my mother in law will be joining my family of 5 for dinner and today is the PERFECT chili day! About how many one cup servings does this make?
This recipe makes approximately 10-12 servings, Thank you for trying it out!
Did I miss the serving size? Is it 1 cup for what was listed for nutritional value? I track macros so just need to know how to track in MyFitnessPal
Thanks ?
It changes by each person making the recipe so I don’t provide it. I would average a cup and half as a serving. Thanks for asking! My Fitness Pal is a great tool – you can also use a Recipe Calculator for homemade meals since people use such different ingredients when cooking at home. I used this one when I was using MFP – hope it’s helpful!
https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
This recipe is amazing–always a hit! I use a pound of ground beef and a pound of hot pork sausage, and as a time (and dirty dish) saver, I cook the meat and veggies all together and drain before adding the spices. It works great!
So glad you love it! I enjoy the addition of sausage too but I can only use heat/spice when my boys aren’t eating with us. Thanks for sharing your tweaks!
I love making this chili! Does the calorie count include the cheese and sour cream?
Thanks!
That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you for commenting. The additions to your cheese are not included in the nutrition portion.
I tweaked the recipe alittle. I used V-8 juice instead of Tomato juice. I also added some sofrito i recently made. Otherwise its perfect.
Ive heard from lots of people they’ve enjoyed V-8 and I can imagine its a great tweak to this recipe so thanks for the recommendation! Thank you for letting me know you tried it and sofrito was good in it too.
can this be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until the next morning? My family loves this chili and we want to make it for a busy day we have coming up this week, but I won’t have time to make it that morning.
Yes! I think chili and spaghetti often taste better the second day! It’ll be delicious and ready for your family. Thanks for asking!
We are a chili family and have tried hundreds of different recipes. We have landed on this one and it is our families favorite! Thank you!
That’s awesome! Thank you so much for trying it and coming back to comment. Have a great day!
This is by far the BEST chili recipe. LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!!!
Thank you !! I love to hear that! Enjoy lots of it this winter – the perfect comfort food! Thank you for sharing!
This is fantastic !!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to let me know!