This comforting and filling recipe for Classic Chili Con Carne is a great family meal or for serving to friends for a casual dinner party.
This delicious recipe is amazing served alongside Homemade Corn Muffins to make the perfect comforting meal.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s an easy recipe that makes a hearty meal.
- The cumin, oregano & smoky paprika work perfectly together to pack in the flavor.
- It’s easily adaptable to suit your pallet and family’s preferences.
On Chili Powder
Chili Powder in America is a spice mix commonly used in Chili and Mexican style dishes. It’s most often made up of ground chili pepper, paprika, garlic, and cumin.
Outside the US, chili powder is a pure ground chili pepper. Confusing the two ingredients could be a total disaster.
To avoid confusion for my worldwide audience, I decided to create my recipe without calling for Chili Powder in any form.
I’ve flavored my chili with all the same flavors you’d find in the American spice mix, but with individual ingredients.
Best Meat For Chili
Ground beef is the traditional meat used in Chili. It’s simple meat to work with, and there’s no need to tenderize it before cooking. That said, I’ve seen ground turkey used successfully by cooks worried about the fat content of the dish.
Keeping Moisture in Your Meat
Adding baking soda to ground beef before cooking keeps it moist by raising the PH levels and stopping the proteins from binding too quickly (which dries out the meat).
To do this mix a ½ teaspoon of baking soda with a tablespoon of water. Combine well and then mix it into the meat before cooking.
How To Make Chili con Carne From Scratch:
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.
Add the beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes.
Add the cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, and tomato paste and cook, stirring about 2 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, beef stock, and beans.
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then add the parsley.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly, about 1 – 2 hours
The longer you cook this chili, the better it tastes, so cook it low and slow. The flavor will be fantastic, and the slow cooking gives the beef such tender texture and creates the best chili ever.
For Best Results
- Don’t skip browning the meat. This is the point where you start building flavor. Try browning it on a little bacon fat for extra flavor!
- When browning the meat, don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding causes the meat to steam instead of brown, and you’ll miss out on a lot of flavors.
- Season well and from the start – Adding salt from the beginning allows the flavors to develop as it cooks. Don’t forget to taste at the end and add more as needed.
- Kick up the flavor with some vinegar before serving. This may sound odd, but I always add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar before serving long cook dishes. You won’t believe the lift it gives the dish.
- Much like a stew, Chili tastes better the next day, so this is the perfect make-ahead dish that can be reheated the next day.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with a variety of toppings like shredded cheese, sour cream, jalapeño slices or fresh cilantro.
- Ladle it over a bed of rice or with some homemade cornbread and you have yourself a fantastic meal.
- For a great party platter, add the chili to a baking dish with layers of tortilla chips, top with lots of grated cheese and stick it in the oven until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with a scoop of cool sour cream and chopped scallions.
- Spoon it over good quality hotdogs and top with grated cheese for the best chili dogs you’ve ever had!
Other Great Comfort Foods
Traditional chili con carne has red kidney beans, but they can be left out if you wish.
Chili refers to the actual fruit/pepper while chili con carne is a spicy beef stew.
Properly stored, cooked chili will last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Bacteria grows quickly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; be left out for no more than 2 hours at room temperature.
Cooked chili freezes very well. Freeze it in covered airtight containers or freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Classic Chili Con Carne
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion (large) chopped
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin*
- 2 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper plus more if you like it spicy
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup beef stock
- 14.5 oz can kidney beans drained
- salt and pepper to taste
- good handful fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and fry another minute.
- Add the ground beef; fry until fully cooked and no pink shows at all in the meat (about 8 minutes).
- Add the cumin, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, and tomato paste and cook, stirring about 2 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, beef stock, and beans. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir in the parsley, and bring to a simmer over low heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili thickens slightly, about 1-1⁄2 hours.
Tips + Notes
- Don’t skip browning the meat. This is the point where you start building flavor. Try browning it on a little bacon fat for extra flavor!
- When browning the meat, don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding causes the meat to steam instead of brown, and you’ll miss out on a lot of flavors.
- Season well and from the start. Adding salt from the beginning allows the flavors to develop as it cooks. Don’t forget to taste at the end and add more as needed.
- Kick up the flavor with some vinegar before serving. This may sound odd, but I always add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar before serving long cook dishes. You won’t believe the lift it gives the dish.
- Much like a stew, Chili tastes better the next day, so this is the perfect make-ahead dish that can be reheated the next day.
Nutrition Information:
Update Notes: This post was originally published on Feb 20, 2017, but was republished with step by step instructions, new photos, a video, tips, and FAQs in February of 2018.
Della says
This Chili was really great! We’re big fans of your site and never disappointed!
Erren Hart says
Thank you for your kind words about our site, Della! We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed the chili, and we hope you’ll continue to visit us for all of your recipe needs!
Prashen says
Just what I needed after feeling unwell all week. Re ignited my passion for cooking. And eating. Better than medicine
Thank you
Erren's Kitchen says
Wow, thank you so much Prashen, I love to hear this. Feel better soon 🙂
Andreas Netz says
This truly is the very best chili recipe. Simplicity is the best way! I have been looking for this recipe for years.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you so much Andreas, I love to hear this, I’m so pleased you enjoyed it 🙂
Faye Roose says
Great recipe, we really enjoyed it.
Erren Hart says
That’s so great! Thanks for giving feedback!
Rachel Ringer says
My whole family loved this chili. I was leery to try it, because my last Pinterest recipe attempt was a flop, but this chili was delicious! In the past, I have used the chili packet mix and it was ok, but this is SO much better. Need to check out more of your recipes now. 🙂
Erren's Kitchen says
I love to hear this Rachel, thank you for letting me know, I hope you get to enjoy some more of my recipes 🙂
Tansy Feltis says
I still love this, as well as increasing amount of cayenne, I add jalapenos and used cubed beef and butter beans. Works very well.
Barb B says
Great recipe! It’s very good even though I screwed up. I thought it was for 1 pound of hamburger and didn’t notice that till later. So I just added a can of black beans as well as the kidney beans. It didn’t seem quite spicy enough for us (we like things REALLY spicy) so I added about ¼ teaspoon of dried chipotle chili powder. Only one thing annoys me, and it’s true of most recipes out there. I wish there was a suggested amount of salt and pepper. People are always free to add more or less, but I’d like to know where to start so I don’t have to salt/pepper/taste for ages.
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Barb, I think it’s always great if you can adapt a recipe to your taste. Seasoning with salt and pepper is such a personal thing, but I would say try using a pinch at a time, and see how that goes for you 🙂
Amy says
Wow! My 9 year old son will eat this everyday. Perfect on the seasoning. He likes this thicker recipe and I add more beans because he loves the beans.
Erren's Kitchen says
I love to hear this Amy, I’m so glad he likes it 🙂
Elizabeth says
This recipe is delicious!
Erren Hart says
I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed it! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Lindianna says
This was winner for dinner tonight! Thanks for the great recipe & all the helpful tips you include with your recipes
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you so much, I love to hear this 🙂