How to Make Chili: Easy Beef Chili Recipe

Chili is typically a thick mixture of meat and beans, although the specific ingredients vary depending on the region and personal preferences. Common kinds of chili include turkey chili, white chicken chili, and classic beef chili. In some places, like Texas, beans have no place in the dish, while in others classic chili consists of only beans and no meat.

There are different ways to cook chili, depending on your preferred equipment—for example, a slow cooker, Dutch oven, pressure cooker, or pot—and the time you have available, as each method requires different levels of attention and cooking time.

Since there is no singular definition of what constitutes chili, there is plenty of room for customization and creativity. When you see a recipe claiming to be the best chili recipe, know that there is still room for change to accommodate your own tastes.

Despite the debate of what chili is, there are common ingredients you’ll find in almost any easy chili recipe:

• Aromatics: Aromatics are the base of most sauces, stews, and soups. Peppers are a common aromatic, and you can use red or green bell pepper, jalapeno, chipotle pepper, or even cayenne pepper to add some spice to the chili. Green, yellow, orange, or red peppers won’t always add spice, but they do add flavor. Chopped onions are also a staple in chili recipes.
• Beans: The most common beans in a chili recipe are kidney beans, black beans, or pinto beans. You can use canned red kidney beans to make sure they’re cooked properly, as eating undercooked kidney beans is potentially poisonous to humans. Beans are a great addition because they are complex carbohydrates and most chili beans are a good source of vitamin A and vitamin C.
• Ground meat: Animal protein helps develop flavor as well as provides a variety of textures. Some people use ground beef, ground turkey, or even shredded chicken. For vegetarian or vegan chili, you can omit the ground meat and replace it with a plant-based protein, or stick with just vegetables.
• Liquid: If the recipe calls for a liquid, it will usually be beef broth (for a beef chili recipe), but you can use chicken broth (for a chicken chili), or veggie broth (for vegetarian chili). However, if you have no dietary restrictions or allergies, you can use any of these broths, no matter what type of chili you’re making.
• Spices: The most classic spice for chili is chili powder, but other spices often found in easy recipes are cumin, paprika (regular or smoked paprika), oregano, black pepper, and garlic powder. If you want to take a shortcut or don’t have all of those individual spices, prepackaged taco seasoning will generally have the same flavor profile.
• Tomato product: Some cooks choose fresh, diced tomatoes, but canned tomatoes, tomato paste, or tomato sauce work well in chili, too. Tomatoes add acidity and body to the final product.

Here are toppings you can add to homemade chili:

1. 1. Cheddar cheese: Cheddar cheese adds a smooth flavor and contrasting texture to chili, resulting in a slightly creamy consistency after it melts.
2. 2. Cilantro: The addition of this herb will enhance the other vegetable flavors in the chili.
3. 3. Green onions: Also called scallions, green onions taste like a mild onion and will increase the chili’s savory onion flavor.
4. 4. Hot sauce: If you want more heat in your chili, add hot sauce for additional spice. The tang of a vinegar-based hot sauce will help enhance the existing flavors in the chili.
5. 5. Sour cream: Chili can be spicy and rich with developed flavor, and sour cream breaks up not only the spice but also the earthy flavor and chunky texture.

Cornbread is the most classic food to serve with chili, whether chili is the main course or not. It not only soaks up all the sauce but also adds a slight sweetness that offsets the richness and spice of the chili. Tortilla chips are another popular option to serve alongside chili, adding crunch to a fairly soft dish. You can use plain tortilla chips or opt for a flavored variety, like lime-flavored tortilla chips.