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The BEST Beef chili recipe with jalapenos ready in under 30 minutes! Full of ground beef, beans, and seasonings, this chili gets its flavor and spice from those fresh Jalapeños!
A big bowl of my homemade jalapeno chili recipe is perfect for a cold and rainy night in with a piece of buttermilk cornbread to soak up all the juices left in the bowl. YES! One pot, 30 minutes, PERFECT!
Chili Recipe
The best Chili recipe doesn’t get any easier than this. If you’ve been following me for a while now, you may have noticed how much I love throwing ingredients into a pot and allowing it to cook or simmer until it’s ready.
There’s nothing like putting a large pot of chili with jalapenos in the center of the table and having everyone at it. Especially when it’s cold and miserable outside! I took full advantage of the freezing nights and made three batches of this chili, two of which made it to the freezer waiting for me to use them for something else.
What Makes This Beef Chili So Good
What makes this homemade chili so good is that it actually tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all day long. One of my favorite things about this chili recipe is how adding a splash of beer instantly deepens the flavor and creates a beautiful, slow build of warmth. I love making it because it’s exactly the kind of foolproof comfort food I can rely on. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just staying in, it always delivers that can’t-stop-eating-it finish.
Ingredients for Beef Chili
- Ground Beef: The recipe calls for ground beef (or beef mince), but you CAN use ground turkey or chicken. You could also use a slow-cook meat, such as chuck steak or brisket, BUT you will need to have it on a low simmer for a couple of hours to allow the meat to break down.
- Veggies: You will need other simple veggies, such as yellow onion, bell peppers, and garlic to create your flavor base. Of course, do not forget the fresh jalapeños for that signature heat!
- Spices: The most important ingredients to add into a good homemade chili are spices! For example: cumin, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Beans: To bring it all together, I always add a mix of black beans and chili beans to give the bowl a satisfying texture and finish.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
What Beans Do You Use for Chili?
Any beans can be used in a classic chili recipe! I love kidney beans (red beans) and black beans, but you can swap them with pinto beans, white beans, or even chickpeas!
How Do You Make Homemade Chili
Start with a large heavy-based pot (or casserole pot) on the stovetop and sauté aromatics like onions, green peppers (or capsicum), jalapeños, and garlic until fragrant.
Cook the ground meat until browned (break up any big chunks as you go). Stir in your seasonings and spices, such as dried oregano, black pepper, and garlic powder, then mix in fire-roasted or crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and beans.
Let simmer until the chili thickens (this takes about 30 minutes). That’s IT!
What Do You Top Chili With?
To make your chili even BETTER, top with any of the following options! These are my favorite toppings:
- Sour cream
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced jalapeños or a splash of hot sauce
- Sliced green onions (or scallions)
- Chopped cilantro
- Sliced avocado
- Crunchy tortilla chips
Tips For The Best Chili
- Bloom Your Spices: Stir your chili powder, cumin, and paprika directly into the browned meat before pouring in any liquids. Toasting the spices in the natural meat fat unlocks incredible flavor depth!
- Adjust The Heat: Scrape out all the jalapeño seeds before chopping if cooking for kids or mild palates. If you love real heat, leave the seeds in or add a splash of hot sauce right at the end!
- Thicken Without Flour: To get a thick, hearty consistency without needing flour or cornstarch, mash a small spoonful of beans against the side of the pot with your spoon near the end of cooking. The natural starches release instantly to thicken the sauce.
- Give It Time (If You Have It): While 30 minutes gives you a fast, incredible weeknight meal, letting the pot simmer on low for an extra 15–20 minutes makes the beef meltingly tender and deepens the flavor even more.
What Goes Well With Chili For Dinner?
Wondering what to serve with your chili recipe? I love it with a warm slice of cornbread because obviously, or something extra cheesy like garlic bread.
If you want another great side option, try savory cornbread. If you are keeping things low-carb, try serving it over buttery mashed cauliflower for a creamy meal.
And leftovers? That’s where the fun really starts. Spoon your homemade chili over rice, stuff it into baked potatoes, pile it on fries, or turn it into mac and cheese for a fast weeknight meal that feels completely new.
FAQs
Absolutely. In fact, it tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to hang out. Just store it in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave when you’re ready to dive in.
Let it simmer uncovered a bit longer to reduce the liquid naturally. If you’re short on time, a spoonful of tomato paste or a few mashed beans will do the trick.
This one’s got a mild kick, but nothing too wild. You can always add more chili powder or chopped jalapeños if you like it fiery—or leave them out completely if you’re keeping it kid-friendly.
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Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions large, diced
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1-2 jalapeño peppers finely chopped, with seeds
- 8 cloves garlic chopped or minced, or 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds ground beef mince
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1-2 tablespoons chili powder adjust to your tastes
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika or sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne adjust to your taste
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes canned
- 15 ounces tomato sauce canned or condensed tomato soup for Aussies
- 2 cups beef or chicken broth
- 28 ounces kidney beans canned, drained
- 14 ounces black beans canned, drained
Toppings:
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 handful cheddar cheese grated
- 1 tablespoon sliced jalapeños
- 1 tablespoon green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
- Heat oil in large heavy-based pot (or casserole pot) over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until transparent, then add the green peppers (or capsicum), jalapeños and garlic; sautéing for a further minute, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up any big chunks with the end of your wooden spoon.
- Stir in the cumin, chili powder, paprika and salt and mix through until beef is fully coated in the seasonings.
- Mix in the crushed tomatoes along with the juices, the tomato sauce (or soup), broth, and beans.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and allow to simmer while stirring occasionally until the chili thickens (about 30 minutes).
- Ladle into individual bowls, and top with sour cream, grated cheese, sliced jalapeños, chopped green onions, and/or cilantro.
Notes
Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead
Chili is one of those magic dishes that tastes even BETTER the next day after all those bold flavors have had time to settle together. This recipe can easily be made 2 days ahead! After cooking, allow to cool completely, cover and refrigerate. On the day of cooking, take out of the refrigerator at least an hour before heating so it warms up evenly. It makes for the easiest weeknight meal prep ever! For long-term storage or keeping leftovers fresh:- Fridge: Keep stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Ladle cooled chili into freezer-safe containers or ziplock bags (leaving about an inch at the top for expansion) and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Wasn’t this once called Beef & Bean Jalapeño Chili?
Hi Ken, I’m not too sure about it.
Very delicious. I made it for the first time tonight. I didn’t have the toppings I wanted at home so I would definitely like to make it again with those. I also didn’t add all the cayenne because my daughter was having some too. I really want to make it again but spicier. Thank you for the recipe
Hi Alix, keep me updated on the results!
This chilli is amazing. We have had it many times.
The only additions we add to the recipe are a jar of chipotle peppers and 1 or 2 extra spicy chilli peppers from our garden.
We usually eat the first night as a chilli bowl, and any left overs get simmered down on a following night so it becomes nice and thick which goes really well as taco filling.
Yum and thanks for sharing the recipe.
I have made chilli beef and chilli con carne dishes many times but felt they were always lacking something. I knew the flavours I was after. Your recipe and ingredients was what I was after and was so delicious. We all loved the flavours. We did add a very small amount of extra fiery chilli’s as well for added heat but not over the top. This recipe will be used many times over from now on.
We just had our first cold night here in Virginia and it had me craving chili. This is the first time I have made this recipe, though I have used many of Karina’s recipes in the past and have never been disappointed. Cooked it per the recipe and the flavors were really spot on. One jalapeño didn’t give much heat so next time I’ll add a second. Even still, I doubt it’ll be too spicy for the kids. Used dark (red) and white kidney beans for some contrast. Will definitely be making this again.
This recipe got me 2nd place for our family chili cook off! Everyone loved it! I added a can of corn to it as well.
This is a great recipe to begin with. I added a few things to ours but all said it was.very delicious. Thanks
Love this recipe! I omit the jalapeño and add a little tomato paste once the beef is browned to deepen the flavor. Perfect over baked potatoes!
I tried this for the 1st time and I cnt rate this enough!! An Absolutely amazing, mouthwatering dish. I ddnt get the jalapenos today so i missed the kick of it, but iverall it was delicious.
Ive tried other dishes from this site and i cannot recommend them enough. 5 stars to you
I am the #1 pickiest chili eater!!! My husband loves it so I’m always trying new recipes to see if I can find one that I also could enjoy. Well, I will search no more! This is the best chili recipe I have found! Thank you for the tasty recipe!!!