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One of the best QUICK and EASY dinner ideas the whole family will love! A hearty, easy ground beef chili recipe that comes together in just a little over 30 minutes.
Enjoy a high-protein dinner that’s low in fat and packed with fiber! It’s the perfect easy dinner idea for any night of the week.
Beef Chili Recipe
I love homemade chili. If you want to talk about easy beef recipes for dinner, this is the one! A great chili recipe like this one checks all the boxes. It’s one of the best cold-weather recipes and dinner recipe ideas you can make!
When it gets chilly outside or if I’m throwing a party where I need crowd-feeding recipes, this thick chili recipe is always on my mind. I look for opportunities to make it! It’s one of my favorite low-fat meals and ground beef dinner ideas, period.
What makes this classic chili recipe so great is that it’s packed with protein, fiber, and most importantly, flavor! This is an easy chili recipe that has everything you could possibly want in it: onions, peppers, beef, two kinds of beans, tomatoes, and the perfect blend of seasoning.
Ground Beef Chili Recipe Ingredients
- beef broth – or chicken broth, no salt added
- onion, chopped
- bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- garlic, minced
- lean ground beef
- dried oregano
- dried cumin
- chili powder
- ground black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- pinto beans canned – no salt added, rinsed and drained
- black beans canned – no salt added, rinsed and drained
- diced tomatoes canned – no salt added
- Optional: shredded cheese and cilantro for garnish
For the broth, you can use either chicken or beef broth. I recommend using beef if you have it as it complements the flavors of this meat chili recipe very well, but either will work and taste great.
Chili Spices
- dried oregano
- dried cumin
- chili powder
- ground black pepper
- cayenne pepper
Our stovetop chili recipe is mild chili, but if you prefer a hot and spicy chili, all you have to do is increase how much spice you use. For a little extra kick, you can add in some red pepper flakes, just be careful not to overdo it!
How to Make Chili
- In a large pot (capable of holding at least 3 liters) at medium-high heat, warm up beef or chicken broth. Add chopped onion, seeded and chopped bell pepper, and minced garlic to the pot, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften.
- Add ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, break down the meat until the beef is in small pieces and cooked through.
- Stir in the spices, beans, and tomatoes.
- Bring to a boil for approximately 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.
- Top with cheese and cilantro if you like, and serve!
This easy ground beef chili recipe is a quick, comforting, and filling meal that’s perfect to serve the entire family. The best part? You make everything from the tomato sauce for chili to the chili meat itself all in one pot!
Another thing I love about this quick easy chili recipe is that it takes only a little over 30 minutes to make. It’s perfect for cooking up without much prep or thought ahead of time, so it’s one of my favorite ideas for supper!
Ground Beef Chili Toppings
- shredded cheddar cheese
- cilantro or parsley
- green onion
- Greek yogurt
- sour cream
- crushed tortilla chips
Enjoy this hearty ground beef chili with toppings of your choice.
When I’m done cooking my meat chili recipe, I always top it off with shredded cheese. I use a Monterey Jack or cheddar blend, but you can top it off with your favorite cheese. White cheese is especially delicious over this bean chili recipe – you could even try Queso Fresco or Cotija cheese!
Cilantro is optional but adds a little color and pop of extra flavor. If you prefer, you could add a little parsley or sliced green onions instead.
Ground Beef Chili Recipes Tips
- Prep ahead of time: Prepare the ingredients, such as measuring out spices and chopping the veggies, before you start cooking.
- Chop veggies to the same size: Make sure to chop the onion and bell pepper into a similar size so they’ll soften at the same time while cooking. I like to chop them to about the size of a nickel.
- Lean ground beef: For best results, we recommend lean ground beef to make this a low-fat meal.
- Spice it up or tone it down: Change up the spices or make it as mild or hot as you like. I find this chili mild to medium spicy in the heat department, making it perfect to serve to my family, but you can make this a spicy chili recipe by adding more pepper.
- Add some chili toppings: Spruce up this simple chili with additional toppings at the end. I like to add shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, and a generous dollop of Greek yogurt to my chili. Greek yogurt is a great low-fat, high protein substitute for sour cream.
Try serving this recipe with ground beef over a bed of greens or perfect Portuguese rice. I love serving my chili beef over rice – I find the flavors blend together so well!
Beef Chili Recipe FAQs
Yes, chili can be frozen! Cool your ground-beef chili completely, and store it in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. Just thaw and reheat to enjoy!
Chili may be refrigerated and enjoyed for up to 5 days. In my opinion, this mild chili recipe tastes even better the second day after reheating it.
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Best Chili Recipes
📋 Recipe
Ground Beef Chili Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup beef broth or chicken broth no salt added
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 14 oz pinto beans canned, no salt added, rinsed and drained
- 14 oz black beans canned, no salt added, rinsed and drained
- 28 oz diced tomatoes canned, no salt added
- Optional: shredded low-fat cheese and cilantro for garnish
See our Cooking Conversions Chart for help converting measurements!
Instructions
- In a large pot (capable of holding at least 3 liters) at medium-high heat, warm up the broth. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot, stirring occasionally until the vegetables soften.¼ cup beef broth or chicken broth, 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, 2 cloves garlic
- Add the ground beef. Using a wooden spoon, gently break down the meat until the beef is in small pieces and cooked through.1 lb lean ground beef
- Stir in the spices, beans, and tomatoes.2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon dried cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 14 oz pinto beans, 14 oz black beans, 28 oz diced tomatoes
- Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 20 minutes.
- Top with cheese and cilantro if you like. Serve and enjoy!Optional: shredded low-fat cheese and cilantro for garnish
Notes
- Prepare the ingredients, such as measuring out spices and chopping the veggies, before you start cooking.
- Make sure to chop the onion and bell pepper into a relatively similar size and shape so that the vegetables will soften at the same time you cook it. I like to chop the vegetables into a medium chop (about the size of a nickel).
- Change up the spices or make it as mild or hot as you like. I find this chili mild to medium spicy in the heat department (I’m a heat wimp though), making it perfect to serve to my family. Adjust the spice amounts to suit your family’s heat preferences.
- Spruce up this simple chili with additional toppings at the end. I like to add shredded cheese, fresh cilantro, tortilla chips, and a generous dollop of Greek yogurt to my chili. Greek yogurt is a great low-fat, high protein substitute for sour cream.
- Serve it on top of greens (like spinach) or in a lettuce wrap.
Anne @ Webicurean says
Yum! yum! One our favorites!
Marion Myers says
Delicious AND easy too! A great combo!!