This homemade chili recipe is thick, rich, and flavorful. It’s simple to make with every day ingredients and the perfect meal on a chilly day. One of those recipes on my comfort food list.

I love making chili. It’s something I make a few times throughout the year but most of those times happen when the weather starts to get cooler. There is really nothing like eating a bowl of chili on a cold day. It’s one of those meals that feel like a warm hug.

When I make this, I like to gather all of my ingredients first so that way as I move through the recipe, I can just pour each ingredient into the pot. It’s so simple but the key is letting it simmer. That simmering time helps all of those ingredients to come together and taste amazing.

I like to set out some different toppings for the chili, too. That way after everyone serves themselves they can go through and add whatever toppings they would like. Some of those that I always include are chopped onions, shredded cheese, sour cream, and different hot sauces. I also make a kettle of white rice, as well. We assemble our bowls with rice on the bottom, then the chili, and then the assorted toppings. It’s so good! A side of fresh cornbread wouldn’t hurt either.

Homemade Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or any kind of meat you like
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 large green pepper, diced
- 1 tbsp jalapeno, finely minced, optional
- 1 14 oz can of Rotel or mexican style tomatoes
- 2 8 oz cans of tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp cumin
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 tsp paprika ( I prefer smoked paprika)
- 2 14 oz cans of any beans you like
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Prep! Gather and measure all of your ingredients.
- In a medium size pot, add some olive oil and start browning the meat. Use a spoon or wooden spoon to help break up the meat. Once browned, add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno and cook until softened. Drain off excess grease.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, salt, cayenne, paprika and one cup of water. Mix everything to combine.
- Add the beans, mix, and bring to a simmer. Cover and let cook for 1 hr 15 min.
Notes
Comment below if you make this. I would love to know how it turned out and if you did anything different. I think this recipe will be a keeper once you make it.