Classic Beef Chili
Updated Jan 24, 2026
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This Classic Beef Chili is hearty, comforting, and full of rich, familiar flavor. It’s made with ground beef, beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and beef broth, plus a few simple additions that add depth without straying from that cozy, homemade chili taste you know and love.
Looking for more warm winter recipes? Try my Tortellini alla Vodka Soup or Instant Pot Drunken Chicken next.
🐝 Quick Look: Classic Beef Chili Recipe
- ⏱ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🔥 Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 🍽 Serves: 6
- ⚡ Calories: ~446 per serving
- 🍳 Cook Method: Stovetop
- 🧂 Main Ingredients: Ground beef, pancetta, beans, onion, fire-roasted tomatoes
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Hearty, savory, lightly smoky, warmly spiced
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy. Simple stovetop cooking with mostly hands-off simmering.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic flavor with extra depth: This chili delivers everything you expect from a classic beef chili, with a few subtle additions like pancetta and warm spices that make the flavor richer and more complex. Love pancetta? Love pancetta? Try my Bucatini Amatriciana for another dish that features it.
- Hearty and satisfying: Made with ground beef and two types of beans, this chili is filling, comforting, and perfect for a cozy meal. If you love cozy recipes like this, add my Creamy Lasagna Soup to your winter recipe list.
- Easy stovetop recipe: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps make this an easy chili recipe that mostly simmers hands-off once everything is in the pot.
- Great for make-ahead meals: Chili tastes even better the next day and reheats well, making it ideal for meal prep, leftovers, or feeding a crowd. Try my Chinese-Italian Ragu for another recipe that gets better with time and is perfect for serving a crowd.
- Customizable and versatile: Adjust the spice level, swap the beans, or load it up with your favorite toppings to make this classic beef chili your own.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
These key ingredients are what make my classic beef chili stand out:
- Pancetta: Adds a savory, salty richness to the chili, similar to bacon, and creates a flavorful base for the entire pot.
- Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles: Add mild heat and a subtle smoky tang that deepens the chili’s flavor without making it spicy.
- Brown Sugar: A small amount balances the acidity from the tomatoes and rounds out the spices without making the chili sweet.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm depth and complexity, making the chili taste richer and more well-rounded.
- Dry Mustard (Mustard powder): Contributes a subtle tangy sharpness that helps balance the richness of the beef and beans.
- White Pepper: Adds a slightly different heat than black pepper and enhances the overall spice profile.
Tips and Substitutions
- Bean Options: I use an even mix of kidney beans and pinto beans, but you can swap the pinto beans for black beans or add a third can for a three-bean chili.
- Spice Level: This chili is mild to medium. For more heat, add extra cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes. For less heat, reduce or omit the cayenne.
- Thickness: Chili thickens as it simmers and continues to thicken as it cools. For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered for an extra 10 to 15 minutes. For a thinner consistency, add a splash of broth.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, Fritos, tortilla chips, or cornbread.
- Slow Cooker Option: After browning the pancetta, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and beef, transfer everything to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Storage and Reheating: Store cooled chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed.
How to Make Classic Beef Chili
See the recipe card below for full instructions and exact amounts.
- Measure and stir together chili seasonings in a small bowl.
- Cook pancetta until the fat is rendered.
- Add onions and cook until softened. Stir in garlic, then tomato paste.
- Add ground beef and cook for a few minutes, then stir in the seasoning mix.
- Mix in drained and rinsed kidney beans and pinto beans. Then add fire-roasted tomatoes and fire-roasted diced green chiles.
- Pour in beef broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until thickened.
- Simmer until the chili is thickened and flavorful. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the chili with the toppings of your choice such as sour cream, cheddar cheese, green onions, and Fritos.
Classic Beef Chili FAQs
Is this classic beef chili made with beans?
Yes. This classic beef chili is made with kidney beans and pinto beans for a hearty, traditional texture. You can also swap or add beans to customize it to your liking.
Can I make this classic beef chili in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the pancetta, onion, garlic, tomato paste, and ground beef on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
What are the classic chili ingredients?
Classic chili ingredients typically include ground beef, beans, tomatoes, broth, and chili spices. This recipe stays true to those basics while adding pancetta and warm spices for extra depth of flavor.
Is this an easy classic beef chili recipe?
Yes. While the chili simmers for flavor, the hands-on time is minimal and the steps are straightforward, making this an easy classic beef chili recipe even for beginners.
Can I freeze classic beef chili?
Yes. Let the chili cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. For best texture, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, but you can also reheat the chili directly from frozen on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth as needed.
Other Warm Winter Recipes
Classic Beef Chili
Hearty classic beef chili made with ground beef, pancetta, two types of beans, fire-roasted tomatoes, and green chiles. Simmered with a balanced blend of warm spices for rich, comforting flavor. Perfect for game day, meal prep, or a cozy weeknight dinner. Serve with your favorite toppings like shredded cheese and sour cream.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large pot
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Avocado Oil, or neutral oil of choice
- 4 ounces Pancetta, finely cubed
- 1 Yellow Onion, chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 15 ½ ounces Kidney Beans, 1 can drained and rinsed
- 15 ½ ounces Pinto Beans, 1 can drained and rinsed
- 14 ½ ounces Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 1 can
- 4 ounces Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles, 1 can
- 1 ½ cups Beef Bone Broth
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Seasoning Mix
- 2 tablespoons Chili Powder
- 2 teaspoons Light Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Cumin
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne, adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Dry Mustard
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper
Instructions
- Make the seasoning mix: Combine all seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Render the pancetta: Heat avocado oil over medium-low heat. Add pancetta and cook for about 8 minutes until crispy and the fat is rendered, stirring occasionally.
- Cook the aromatics: Increase heat to medium and add the chopped onion. Cook for about 7 minutes until softened, stirring every couple of minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Cook the tomato paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly darkened in color, stirring often.
- Brown the beef: Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4 minutes, then stir in the seasoning mix. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the beef is mostly cooked through.
- Simmer the chili: Add kidney beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish and serve: Taste and season with additional kosher salt and black pepper as needed. Serve warm with desired toppings.
Video
Notes
- Ground Beef: 90% lean ground beef works best since the pancetta adds additional fat. If using a fattier beef, you may want to drain excess grease before adding the seasoning.
- Broth: I use beef bone broth for a richer, deeper flavor, but regular beef broth or reduced-sodium beef broth will also work well. If using a salted broth, adjust the final seasoning as needed.
- Deglazing the Pot: If the bottom of the pot begins to brown too quickly while cooking the onions or tomato paste, add a small splash of water and scrape up the browned bits before continuing.
- Spice Level: This chili has a mild to medium heat. For more heat, increase the cayenne or add crushed red pepper flakes. For less heat, reduce or omit the cayenne.
- Consistency: For a thicker chili, simmer uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. For a thinner chili, add a splash of broth as needed.
- Make Ahead: Chili tastes even better the next day. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Cool completely and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. For best texture, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, but the chili can also be reheated directly from frozen over low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of broth if needed.
- Serving Suggestions: Sour cream or Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, fresh cilantro, Fritos, tortilla chips, or cornbread.
Nutrition
Calories: 446kcal, Carbohydrates: 47g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 59mg, Sodium: 856mg, Potassium: 1100mg, Fiber: 15g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 1386IU, Vitamin C: 12mg, Calcium: 118mg, Iron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Such an incredible flavor. Cinnamon comes through in a really nice and surprising way. Deep flavor without hours and hours of cooking. My new go-to chili recipe!!
This beef chili will remind you of a familiar and comforting beef chili but with a few special upgrades that make it even more complex and delicious. I hope you love it!