This easy ground beef chili recipe is made with beans, and a homemade blend of chili seasonings. Make it on the stove, slow cooker, or instant pot.

Beef Chili Recipe

If you have ground beef, this classic chili is a quick dinner idea! This easy beef chili recipe is healthy and hearty, with a high-fiber content, thanks to the beans. This dish is my go-to chili because it’s mild enough for the whole family and ready in less than 30 minutes. Plus, the leftovers freeze well. More chili recipes we love are this Chicken Taco Chili (a fan favorite!) and White Bean Turkey Chili. And if you prefer chili soup, try this Turkey Taco Chili Soup.

I modified this chili recipe from this recipe on the Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. website. It’s low in calories and uses lean ground beef to lower the saturated fat. I changed it by adding some tomato sauce and my own blend of chili spices. I think it’s the best chili recipe when you want a quick dinner, and it’s easy to modify for your family’s taste. It’s thick and hearty, without flour or cornstarch.

What’s The Secret To Great Chili?

A few things! Lots of spices like cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, etc. And the secret ingredient, Beer! Beer adds flavor to the chili. I use a light beer but you can try a local beer, an ale or lager if you want something milder. Or an IPA or rich stout for a bit more flavor. If you prefer to make this without alcohol, feel free to substitute the beer with beef stock or broth!

Beef Chili Ingredients

• Lean Ground Beef: You can use ground turkey if you prefer.
• Vegetables: Chopped red bell pepper and onion.
• Black Beans: Beans are high in fiber which helps lower cholesterol. A good source of iron and protein and contain folic acid and potassium. Swap the black beans for red kidney beans or white beans if you prefer.
• Tomatoes: Canned mild diced tomatoes with green chilis and canned tomato sauce. You could also add some tomato paste in place of the canned tomato sauce.
• Beer: I used Corona Light, but any light beer will work or even an ale, IPA or local beer. It is optional, so swap it for beef broth if you prefer.
• Spices: Cumin, chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper

How to Make Beef Chili

You can make this beef chili three ways: stove top, Instant Pot, and slow cooker. The directions are similar for each method. My favorite way is the pressure cooker – the lean ground beef comes out much more tender than it does on the stove.

1. Start by browning the meat in a pot or Instant Pot and seasoning it with salt. Cook it for about five minutes until it crumbles.
2. Sauté the onion and bell pepper for a couple of minutes, and then pour in the remaining ingredients. If you’re using the crockpot, skip this step, throw the beef and the rest of the ingredients into the appliance and stir, and cook on low for eight hours.
3. If you’re cooking it on the stove, simmer the chili for 30 minutes. For the Instant Pot, set it on high pressure for 20 minutes and then do a natural release.

Beef Chili Tips And Variations:

• Spiciness: If you want to spice up things, add jalapeño or cayenne pepper and more chili powder.
• To freeze, transfer the chili to a freezer-safe airtight container or bags and freeze for up to three months. To defrost, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. Then reheat it on the stove or in the microwave.
• Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

What do you top chili with?

What makes a chili complete, in my opinion, are the toppings – a dollop of sour cream, some diced red onions, and fresh cilantro are a must for me! Lime wedges, green onion, cilantro, cheddar cheese, and avocado are other ideas.

What goes well with chili for dinner?

Corn or tortilla chips are good to dip in or crush on top of bowls of chili. This dish can be a complete meal since it’s full of protein and fiber and has complex carbohydrates and veggies. But if you’re looking for a side dish idea, try a side salad or cornbread.

Also, there are so many ways to serve this ground beef chili recipe. I’m obsessed with cutting open a small avocado, removing the pit, and filling it with chili and some toppings. Folks, it is SO good! You could also put it in acorn squash, baked potatoes, and stuffed peppers.

More Ground Beef Recipes You’ll Love:

• Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
• Madison’s Favorite Beef Tacos
• Italian Beef and Spinach Meatballs
• Chunky Beef, Cabbage, and Tomato Soup
• Baked Beef and Cheese Manicotti (Cannelloni)

Quick Beef Chili Recipe (Instant Pot, Stove or Slow Cooker)

4.89 from 78 votes

5

Cals:312

Protein:31.5

Carbs:22.5

Fat:7

Made with both ground beef and beans, plus canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, and a homemade blend of chili seasonings, this is truly the Best Chili Recipe! Hearty, filling, and ready in under an hour, you can make this easy beef chili in the slow cooker or Instant Pot or on the stovetop.

Course: Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine: American

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Print Rate Pin Save Saved! WW Points

Yield: 4 Servings

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 pound ground Beef, 93% lean
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• ▢ 1/2 small onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• ▢ 1 15 ounce can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed, drained
• ▢ 1 10 ounce can mild diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• ▢ 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• ▢ 3/4 cup light beer such as corona light, Or swap for 3/4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ black pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings:

• ▢ chopped red onions, cilantro leaves, lime wedges, sour cream, cheddar, avocado

Instructions

Pressure cooker chili recipe:

• Press saute on the Instant Pot, brown the beef and season with salt. Cook breaking beef into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
• Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer and spices.
• Cover and cook on high pressure 20 minutes to blend the flavors. Natural release. Taste for salt and adjust as needed, serve with toppings, as desired.

Classic chili recipe (stove):

• Heat a large pot on medium-high heat, brown the beef and season with salt. Cook breaking beef into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
• Add the onion and bell pepper and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, beer and spices.
• Cover and cook low heat at least 60 minutes to blend the flavors, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and adjust as needed, serve with toppings, as desired.

Slow Cooker Directions:

• Brown the meat then cook on low 8 hours. Taste for salt and adjust as needed, serve with toppings, as desired.

Last Step:

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Notes

Alcohol-free: If you don't like cooking with alcohol you can use an alcohol-free beer or swap with broth.

Variations: Swap the black beans for kidney beans or white beans. If you want to spice things up add jalapeno and use more chili powder.

How To freeze chili: Let the chili cool then transfer to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. To defrost, transfer the chili to the refrigerator to thaw overnight then reheat on the stove or microwave.

Refrigerate chili up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 1/2 cups, Calories: 312 kcal, Carbohydrates: 22.5 g, Protein: 31.5 g, Fat: 7 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Cholesterol: 71 mg, Sodium: 629.5 mg, Fiber: 8.5 g, Sugar: 2.5 g

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