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’ve been using this chili recipe for several years and it’s absolutely h th e BEST! I sub fire roasted diced tomatoes because I love spice! I’ve made it with turkey as well and it’s just as delish! Will always be a staple for me! So yummy – thanks for sharing!
That’s great to hear! I’m glad it’s enjoyed. Thank you for sharing those tweaks.
This is ALWAYS my go to chili recipe.
Love to hear it! Thank you for sharing.
Leaving this comment so I remember next time! My family are sensitive to most beans, so I substituted a can of chick-peas, 3/4 cup shelled edamame, and 1/4 cup farro (to help thicken). All agreed it was the best we’ve ever had!
That would be delicious even if you didn’t have a sensitivity. A fun way to switch it up. But thank you for sharing that tweak, Hannah. I’m sure others will benefit from it!
Do not try to serve this in Texas and call it “chili,” there’s likely to be a hanging.
Well in the midwest it’s a really good chili!
Thank you for this amazingly recipe! I have been making this for about a year and it is always a huge hit…. I substitute black beans for pinto beans. For the V8 I use the Spicy version and only 24oz. I add corn and an extra tbs of chili powder😊
Thank you for sharing the tweaks you made – others will enjoy those options! I appreciate you, Kim!
Literally the ONLY chili recipe I’ve used for the past several years for my family of four! So so so goood.
I am so glad you think so, Mia! Thank you for sharing,.
Delicious chili with the perfect consistency. I wouldn’t change a single thing. Perfect!
Glad you enjoyed it, Kathy!
Easy and flavorful! I have tried many chili recipes and this one was a winner.
Have you ever made it in a pressure cooker? If so, how long do you cook it?
Hi Alysia, making chili in the instant pot is MAGICAL! https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/best-instant-pot-chili/
I’ve used this recipe for years and years and will forever use it! I always get “best chili” comments when I make for family and friends and my kids actually eat it!!!
This is by far the best chili recipe ever! So delicious!
Thank you, Kim. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing!
Absolute best love it do half Italian sausage / half beef .. once did spice Italian so good but prefer regular lol. Always a crowd pleaser and makes a ton. I do add a couple ribs of celery as well otherwise follow to a T!
I love this recipe! I have made it many times and it always disappears. I do not change a thing other than I use my own dry beans from my garden. I love the use of the tomato juice in this. Absolutely genius! This is hands down my favorite! Thank you for sharing it.
That’s so cool that you use your own beans. Thanks for sharing!
I used this recipe for a chili cook off and WON! it was a random invite, searched for the worlds best chili. Not only did the whole party vote for this, I continue to use this recipe because even my picky children enjoy this recipe. Wins all around!
That happened to me as well! So glad you won and are enjoying it with your family.
The only recipe I use for chili. Seriously is a game changer! The problem is, after eating this recipe, I am super picky about my chili now!
I love this recipe as a fantastic base to work with. I add black beans in addition to the pinto and kidney. I also chop up and add a pork shoulder that I smoke with my homemade Memphis dry rub. I make a double batch and it disappears ridiculously fast!
Oh I can imagine that does disappear fast – sounds delicious! I love the pork shoulder and the dry run. Thanks for sharing that tip with us!
I’ve been using this recipe for about 3 years now! It is basic but soooo good. It is the only one I use. I think the big changer for me was using pinto beans instead of ‘chili beans’. The flavoring from those canned beans over powers anything else you do. Doing it with pinto beans let’s you control the flavor the ways you want.
Love it. Thank you. So happy I found this. I always get compliments on my chili!
It’s so fun to find a recipe you like and then tweak it to your personal preferences. I’m so glad you did. Thank you for commenting, Lois!
My favorite chili recipe! How can I adapt for uncooked dry beans? Trying to cut back on sodium.
It’s a great question Adrianne but I’ve never prepared my meals with uncooked dry beans so I’m not an expert in this. But I have read online that you have to cook them ahead and then add them, you can’t cook them in the chili to get them soft.
I found this recipe and pinned it a few years ago, This is the only recipe I use and get so many compliments! I use ground turkey and my 15 y/o one time suggested to throw chopped in some turkey Kielbasa in it too and it was delish!
This is by far the best chili recipe out there, and the only one I use. Everyone that has tried it agrees and demands that I share your recipe with them! Thank you!
Thank you, Ellie for sharing that! That made my day. I’m so glad it’s enjoyed!