The best chili recipe you’ll ever eat is right here! Our classic beef chili is made with ground beef, beans, diced tomatoes, homemade chili seasoning, and our secret ingredient – a little maple syrup.
5-Star, Award Winning Chili Recipe
So many of you have made this chili recipe and it has OVER 1,000 5-star reviews. It is hands-down our most popular chili recipe on Fit Foodie Finds and we can’t wait for you to make it!
If you’re looking for a 5-star, award-winning chili recipe –> it’s right here! We’ve won multiple chili bake-off contests with this tried-and-true recipe and it’s truly the best chili recipe ever.
Cook ground beef in a large stockpot with onion, garlic, beans, chili seasoning, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and our secret ingredient –> a little maple syrup.
Made with Classic Chili Ingredients
There’s a big debacle on the internet about whether classic chili has beans or no beans. In my opinion, the best chili recipe is a base of ground beef, tomato, spices, and BEANS. I love the number of fiber beans add to this dish and I promise you won’t regret adding them.
- Ground beef: The star of the show here is ground beef. I’ll give you one secret, the fat in your beef matters! We’re big fans of 80% or 85% fat because that little bit of fat adds so much flavor. If you go any leaner, you risk compromising flavor and texture.
- Tomatoes: One of the reasons I love chili is because it’s made with tomato products. Thick, creamy, and so delicious. This recipe calls for 3 different kinds: tomato sauce (gives this recipe a delicious tomato flavor), diced tomatoes (adds great texture) , tomato puree (helps to thicken and intensify the flavors)
- Beans: While some traditional beef chili does not call for beans, we like to up the ante a little bit in the nutrition department and include 2 different variations to make this the most epic chili beans recipe. Pinto beans and kidney beans add texture and fiber to this beef chili recipe.
- Chili seasoning: Do yourself a favor and make your own chili seasoning. I promise you the flavor is better AND there isn’t any added junk. Try our homemade chili seasoning and keep a batch in your cabinet at all times.
homemade chili seasoning ingredients
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Ground cumin
- Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Ground pepper
#1 Secret Ingredient for THE BEST CHILI RECIPE
Every chili needs a little bit of sugar in some form to bring out all of the savory flavors from the chili seasoning. Our classic chili recipe calls for a little bit of maple syrup. It’s warm, unrefined, and absolutely delightful.
Don’t have maple? Swap it with some brown sugar or even some honey.
Chili 101
What is the best secret ingredient for chili?
The best secret ingredient for chili is a little bit of sugar. Whether you use white sugar, brown sugar, or my favorite, maple syrup, a little bit of sugar will bring out all of the savory spices of your chili.
Does traditional chili have beans?
Traditionally, chili used to be served without beans, but in my opinion, it’s so much better with beans!
How do you make chili more flavorful?
o make chili more flavorful, we suggest using more homemade chili seasoning. We always recommend making your own spice blend at home because you can really control the flavor that way. Other ways to add more flavor include: more salt, more heat (diced jalapeño, hot sauce, or green chiles), or add a jar of salsa.
What are good chili toppings?
Good chili toppings include shredded cheese, green onion, sour cream or Greek yogurt, Fritos, tortilla chips, and chives.
How do you make chili spicy?
How do you make chili spicy? To make this beef chili spicy, you can add a few tablespoons of diced jalapeños, poblano peppers, or green chiles. You can even add a few tablespoons of hot sauce.
What can I use instead of ground beef in chili?
Ohhhh, if you must! Yes, ground chicken or turkey both work for this recipe. We’ve even made this chili recipe with a plant-based ground to make it vegetarian.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
Chili Variations
One great thing about chili is that it’s so versatile! You can really use any ground meat (or no ground meat at all). All variations of beans are up for grabs and if you like it spicy, add some vinegar-based hot sauce or diced jalapeños.
You can also make this recipe in the crockpot or Instant Pot.
- Slow Cooker Directions: partially cook the beef on the stove. Then, transfer all ingredients in your slow cooker and mix. Cook on low for around 4 hours. Check out our slow cooker chili recipe.
- Instant Pot Directions: add all ingredients to the Instant Pot and mix. Cover and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. Check out our Instant Pot chili recipe.
Topping Ideas
In my opinion, chili isn’t chili without the toppings! I’ll share what we at our bowl of chili with and some other ideas.
- shredded cheese
- chips – tortilla or Fritos
- green onions
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- chives
- hot sauce
Leftover Chili Ideas
Got leftovers? Here are a few ideas on how to repurpose this recipe:
Chili Baked Potatoes: Top either a baked potato or baked sweet potato with leftover chili and shredded cheese.
Chili Nachos: Are you a fan of nachos just like us? Place a bag of tortilla chips on a baking sheet. Then, top with leftover chili, shredded cheddar cheese, and other nachos toppings.
Chili Mac and Cheese: It doesn’t get much better than combining 2 of your favorite things into 1 dish. That’s exactly what we did in our Chili Mac and Cheese recipe.
How do I store beef chili?
Store beef chili in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat: Either place multiple servings of the beef chili back into the stockpot and heat over medium heat until boiling or place 1 serving of chili into a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Great Jones
The Dutchess
This is hands-down our favorite Dutch oven. It’s a 6.75 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven that’s super high-quality and gorgeous.
Can I freeze this chili recipe?
Beef Chili is the perfect chili recipe to freeze! We wrote an entire post on how to freeze soup and it works the exact same way for chili.
- Let your beef chili cool completely.
- Then, transfer it into an airtight container or freezer-safe gallon-size bag.
- Remove as much air as possible and seal.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
We recommend freezing in a freezer-safe gallon-size bag or freezer-safe storage container. Make sure that you remove as much air as possible before sealing.
To thaw + reheat: let thaw overnight in the fridge. Then, transfer back into a large stockpot and heat over low/medium.
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Best Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef we used 15% fat
- 1/2 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 15-oz. can pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz. can kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
- 1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 cup beef broth chicken broth or water works too
Optional toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese
- Fritos
- green onion
Instructions
- First, heat a large stockpot over medium/high heat.
- Then, add ground beef, yellow onion, and minced garlic and sauté for 7-10 minutes or until beef is fully browned.
- Next, add pinto beans, kidney beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and maple syrup to the pot and stir to combine.
- Add spices and 1 cup of broth and stir to combine.
- Bring beef chili to a boil, then reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10-15 minutes to thicken.
- Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips & Notes
- Nutrition information is for 6 servings and does not include toppings.
This was SO good! It was also so easy I will be making it all the time. We added the green chilies and it sent it over the top. I have tried many different recipes and have always been disappointed, but this was AMAZING!! Thank you so much for this recipe.
So glad you loved this chili, Angela!
Great chili recipe that the whole family loved. Planning to make another batch this weekend to freeze for future dinners. 😀
Great idea!
Thanks. This really is an excellent chili. I do believe the maple syrup is a game changer.
We agree!
Best Chili recipe ever this is my recipe favorite from now on. Husband loved
easy directions
thank you for sharing it with us I used one teaspoon of sugar instead of the maple syrup and we had leftover beef tips that I minced up. Absolutely delicious
OMG I bet this chili was even more delish with leftover beef tips — yum!
Delicious recipe! My husband loved this chili! I did tweak the recipe slightly. I omitted the beans and tomato paste. The maple syrup was a subtle addition and the sweetness brought out the flavors of the spices. I wonder if people may be using pancake syrup instead of real maple syrup. There is a huge difference and not at all interchangeable in recipes. I used New Mexican chili powder which is the best, in my opinion. I
Let me start by saying yummy yummy all in my tummy. This is my second time trying this recipe. It came out amazing the first time and on a rainy day I just figured why not. My son at first didn’t care for the sweetness with the maple but finished at least three bowls so it’s safe to say he loved it as well. I loved the maple it was not too sweet just a small hint. Once this marinated overnight just know the flavors will intensify and get even better. I always make a side of jiffy cornbread and add Fritos, cheese and sour cream to my bowl. – delicious
So good. Made it to use with Navajo tacos. But I may sneak a bowl before everyone gets home from school and work.
Thank you!
Fully endorse sneaking a bowl before everyone gets home 😀
We like chili but this recipe was a game-changer. Will be my new go to. The spices popped with the maple syrup. I did put the diced tomatoes in the Ninja before adding and used kidney and northern beans as that was all we had in the house.
What a great recipe!! I had ground beef in the freezer & everything else in my pantry. I added a diced jalapeno & red bell pepper bc I had them in the fridge, and the bit of maple syrup really balanced out the spiciness. This came together so quickly, & tastes fantastic! And made the house smell amazing too haha. Thank you for sharing!
Iml so sorry I added the maple syrup to my chili – and I added a little less. I feel like it Ruined the whole thing – terrible. Chili should NOT have sugar in it . I think it would have been very good otherwise. I wasted a lot of time and money on this.
i agree, this was too sweet for my taste (I used maple syrup as the sweetener) and I had to adjust the spices and dilute it to compensate. Perhaps espresso powder or cinnamon? Or just less/no sugar next time I make it. Otherwise easy chili recipe!
Instead of sugar, I added a little cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons of worcestershire sauce and it came out yummy.
I made this last night and am having leftovers tonight. It is one of my favorite basic chili recipes. I don’t understand the issue with the maple syrup. It is such a small amount and adds an extra touch.
I have always loved eating ice cream and whenever I get a chance I never miss eating ice cream and your ice cream taste and recipe is really amazing I hope you will give us more delicious ice cream information in future.
Quick, easy and delicious. What more could I ask for.
This recipe looks great. What size dutch oven will I need to cook a double batch? I was thinking about buying a Lodge dutch oven in 6 or 7.5 quart size.
I just purchased a Le Crust dutch oven, 7.5 quart size. The size will definitely hold two batches of this recipe.
*Le Creuset*
This was by far my favorite chili recipe I’ve ever tried. It was quick and simple and very flavorful. Perfect for a cold California rainy day. I used one tablespoon of brown sugar instead of maple
Syrup because that’s what I had and I thought it was a great substitute.
Great substitute! So glad you loved this chili as much as we do 🙂
I made the batch of chili seasoning that you suggested and want to know how much of it to use instead of the individual seasonings?
I haven’t made this yet myself (hoping to tomorrow!) but her recipe for the chili seasoning (separate link) said it’s 4 servings worth! Hope that helps.
I found this on the recipe for the chili seasonings. Use 3-4 tablespoons of the mix for a batch of chili OR the seasons and amounts in the actual recipe. .
We loved this recipe! The blend of spices was so flavorful without being spicy! It will be a staple in our cold weather dinner rotation!
So happy to hear it, Nicole!