Winter Is Here
Welcome to 2026! With this new year we are also officially in winter. Winter brings cold days, well usually. This year Texas is unseasonably warm, but despite that we have still had bouts of cold days and I find myself still craving all the warm and cozy foods that come with the winter season. When I think of a tasty, stick with you hardy meal that is steaming hot and perfect for winter on those cold days I think of chili. In fact, my family and I have already enjoyed a warm bowl of chili multiple times this year because it’s so delicious. This simple homemade chili is so easy to make, only requires a few staple ingredients, and is flavorful and filling for a crowd pleasing one pot meal.
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Simple Homemade Chili
I have seen a lot of chili recipes online boasting “simple” or “easy” key words, but when I look at the ingredients list my jaw drops at the fifteen or more ingredients I need to make the recipe and that doesn’t feel simple or easy in my mind. My simple homemade chili recipe is just that – it’s simple. It only requires ten ingredients (one of those being optional if you want a little bit of a kick), but does not skimp on flavor. Most of the ingredients are pantry staples meaning they are often on hand, and even the ground beef can be on hand if you keep some in your freezer like I do. That makes this an easy, inexpensive, and quick meal to throw together. Plus, it’s a one pot meal making clean up super easy too!
Simple is the Key
I used to think that chili was complicated. It seemed like every recipe was trying to one up the other. Long lists of ingredients, off the wall ingredients to boot made it feel like making chili was a competitive sport. Anything from intense peppers to chocolate has been thrown into chili and while I admire the exploration and inventiveness I have also found that most people prefer no fuss chili.
Several years back I knew someone who participated in a chili cookoff. Up against the wild and out of the box chilis came a super simple chili and while it did not win the cook off they were told by more than half the people there that it was by far the best chili they had ever had. It made me wonder how much the unique ingredients and imaginative chilis out there were favored for flavor or just because they were different and maybe even extreme.
I took this to heart when it came to creating my homemade chili recipe. I knew that I wanted only a handful of ingredients, and ingredients that were easy to have on hand. Also, on my list of important recipe features I wanted easy cleanup, a hearty thick chili that would stick with you, and I wanted a full meal that could come together fast meaning under 30 minutes.
Should Chili Have Beans?
Some argue that chili should contain beans and some argue that there should not be a bean in sight. As a Texas native I am all for chili with beans. In fact, I tend to avoid chilis that don’t have beans – it just isn’t chili to me without them. Beans are filling, hardy, packed with nutrients, and are cheap and easy to always have on hand. I do not like a lot of liquid in soups, stews, or chili and prefer thicker versions. Beans really help round out a bowl full of chili making it thicker and hardier with ease.
Recipe
Here is my recipe for a simple homemade chili that is sure to please the whole family. Quick and easy to make with just a few on hand ingredients makes this the perfect recipe to have on hand for the cold winter months or even all year round.
Ingredients Breakdown:
Fresh Ingredients:
- Lean Ground Beef: You can use any ground beef, but I prefer lean ground beef. It still has excellent flavor, is tender, and has the benefit of less fat if that’s a concern.
- Onion: Yellow onion is my favorite as it is a little sweeter and milder while still providing excellent flavor, but if you prefer a little more onion or don’t have a yellow onion on hand a white onion would work well too.
- Garlic: Minced garlic really adds amazing flavor to this chili. If you don’t like mincing your own garlic or are short on time then you can use the pre-minced store-bought garlic.
Pantry Ingredients:
- Salt and Pepper: You only need a little dash of both the salt and pepper while cooking the ground beef. Add as much or as little as preferred to taste.
- Pinto Beans: I prefer a basic can of pinto beans with minimal ingredients especially because you will be using the liquid that the beans are canned in.
- Ranch Style Beans: Ranch style beans bring a ton of flavor to this chili as you will be using the beans and the liquid the beans are canned in.
- Petite Diced Tomatoes: I prefer bite sized ingredients in my chili but you can do other forms of tomatoes if you prefer. You will want to use the liquid that the tomatoes are canned in in addition to the tomatoes themselves.
- Tomato Paste: To make it easy I just use a single small can of tomato paste but you can also use a tubed or jarred version if you have it on hand.
- Chili Powder: You can’t have chili without chili powder so you’ll be using a good amount of this spice in this recipe.
- Smoked Paprika: This ingredient is optional but I like to sprinkle a dash of smoked paprika into the chili as the very last ingredient and mix it in. You can do as little or as much of it as you like if you want some spice. I usually just do a couple dashes for a subtle kick and added flavor, but if you want to kick it up a notch feel free!
Simple Homemade Chili
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1 Diced Yellow Onion
- 2 tsps Minced Garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 can Pinto Beans 15.5 oz can
- 1 can Ranch Style Beans 15 oz can
- 1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes 14.5 oz can
- 1 can Tomato Paste 6 oz can
- 3 ½ tbsps Chili Powder
- A dash of smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- Dice the yellow onion and add to a large saucepan along with the ground beef, minced garlic, and salt and pepper.
- Cook the meat mixture breaking up the beef into small pieces until the beef is browned and cooked through and onions are transparent.
- Add the full cans including all liquids of the petite diced tomatoes, pinto beans, ranch style beans, and tomato paste and stir until combined.
- Add the chili powder and the smoked paprika and stir until combined.
- Allow the chili to come to a boil stirring occasionally. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer.
- You can serve right away or for more flavor allow the chili to sit on low heat stirring occasionally for approximately one hour. If the chili begins to reduce too much then turn off the heat and allow to sit stirring occasionally until cool enough to store or serve.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
This chili will get better each night you serve it as the flavors meld over time, but there are also some great ways to serve the chili to boost flavor and switch things up for hardy and slight variations on the classic chili. The classic chili night is a good bowl of chili with all the fixings like shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and for those who like a bit of spice some jalapeno slices. We enjoy the chili with Fritos corn chips and corn bread either on the side or the chili on top of the corn bread. You can also make a Frito pie by adding the Fritos straight into the chili.
If you want to switch chili night up a bit try serving it with a cooked pasta mixed in like elbow noodles or ditalini. Recently, we also discovered sourdough pasta and it is amazing with the chili! Chili is also great served over baked potatoes and you can add all the same toppings as you would with classic chili in a bowl just with the added bonus of the tasty potato. If you are looking for a little bit of extra nutrition with veggies and greens then adding in a nice side salad is a great way to extend chili night. This chili is so simple yet flavorful it works well with pretty much whatever you can come up with as a way to serve and enjoy good old fashioned chili.
Enjoy!
Keep Your Cookware as Clean as Your Recipes
I plan to do a whole blog post on this topic because I have so much to say on the subject but I have become increasingly passionate about cleaning up the cookware in our family’s kitchen. We have access to so much information these days that we are learning more and more about what is really in our food so as we strive to keep our ingredients and meals clean and healthy we also need to think about our cookware. It doesn’t do us much good to have clean ingredients only to cook the food in toxic cookware.
I have begun cleaning up all of our kitchen cookware and one of the things I researched most were pots and pans. Unfortunately, there is no truly non-toxic non-stick cookware out there. All non-stick cookware has some sort of coating to make it non-stick. I recommend instead finding cookware that becomes non-stick overtime through the care and use of it like cast iron and stainless steel. It won’t feel non-stick at the beginning but if you properly oil and cook with these they will become non-stick without the harmful chemicals of a non-stick coating. I landed on these Demeyere stainless steel pots and pans and have loved them!
If you do not have the money to purchase the whole set they sell the pots and pans individually as well. They are definitely an investment but well worth it for the long term health for you and your family.
Searching for More Simple Recipes?
As a busy mom and homemaker I am all for quick, simple, and clean recipes. Check out my latest recipe which will become your new favorite breakfast go to of Pumpkin Pie Chia Seed Pudding. If you are looking for kid friendly recipes, especially for toddlers, or easy baked goods to save on your grocery bill and while encouraging better nutrition and clean ingredients then take a look at my other recipes here. I post new recipes frequently so stay tuned for more winter favorites coming soon.
