Classic American Beef and Bean Chili, or chili con carne, is a simple homemade chili meal with few ingredient and a deep rich smoky flavor from a chili spice mix and a slow simmer on the stovetop.
Serve chili with an assortment of toppings to your family for dinner or to guests as a self serve party buffet.
The origins of chili
The origins of chili con carne are somewhat unknown but there are many stories about where chili con carne comes from. Many believe chili originated in Mexico but it’s most likely a Spanish originating dish.
The oldest legend about the origins of chili dates back to the 17th century, or 1600s, when a spanish nun named Sister Mary Agreda would go into trances for days and upon awakening would tell stories of the far off lands she had visited and how she preached christianity and encouraged others to seek out Spanish missionaries. And apparently Sister Mary would also teach culinary skills as well because she even clams to have taught Native Americans how to make a venison stew with chilis during one of her travelling trances. And this story is also backed up by Native American folklore who tell stories of Sister Mary Agreda of Spain who they knew as La Dama de Azul, or the Lady in Blue.
Another legend about where chili originated from claims Spanish emigrants from the Canary Islands who colonized what is now modern day San Antonio brought with them a spicy beef stew that is very similar to chili. And over time this simple meat and chili stew became staples of cowboys on the plains to Texas prisoners and ended up where it now is as a staple of Texas, and American, cuisine.
Chili con carne recipe
Chili con carne means chili with meat. True authentic chili con carne does not contain beans. And is really just tender pieces of beef stewed and braised in a chili heavy sauce without tomatoes and without onions, much like what we now know as a chile colorado recipe, simply braised beef in chili sauce.
Of course all of those original stews were chili without beans. But this recipe is a beef and bean chili with kidney beans. Of course you can feel free to lean more on the authentic chili side and choose to make chili without beans simply by choosing not to add the beans.
This is the best perfect chili con carne recipe. Chili that is not too spicy, not too sweet and not too tomatoey. A rustic chili that is not too watery and not too thick.
A tried and true recipe based on America’s Test Kitchen chili recipe.
Ingredients
- Ground beef
- Onions
- Bell pepper
- Garlic
- Kidney beans – red kidney beans are the typically known as the best beans for chili. But you can substitute pinto beans or make black bean chili. Or make 3 bean chili with kidney, pinto and black beans! Or you can make chili without beans by simply leaving them out. Which is the more authentic way to make chili con carne.
- Diced tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Chili powder
- Cumin powder
- Salt and pepper
- Oil – vegetable, canola or olive oil
- Optional – to make spicy chili add as much or as little fresh jalapenos to the onion and peppers as you’d like. And add ancho chili powder or cayenne pepper with the chili powder.
Step by step instructions
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add onions and bell pepper to the hot oil and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in chili powder, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of salt then add beans to chili. Do not drain the beans, add the entire contents of the can
- Increase heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.
- Add the ground beef and stir to mix.
- Return to simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue to simmer an additional 45 minutes, uncovered.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
How to serve
Wondering what to serve with chili? There are so many toppings for chili to choose from. Chili, like chicken tortilla soup, is a great meal to serve buffet style with toppings on the side.
Serve chili with cornbread, diced green onion, jalapenos, red onion, cilantro, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled Mexican cheese like queso fresco, and sour cream. Serve baked potatoes with chili, or make a chili dog bar with hot dogs.
You can make chili for dinner for your family. Or make chili for 50! When you serve chili bars for parties and events everyone has a great time picking and choosing their chili toppings! For large parties and events, chili bars are always a hit! Set out an array of toppings like cornbread, cheddar cheese, queso fresco, jalapenos, diced onions and scallions, cilantro, and avocado for people to top as they please. Add baked potatoes and/or hot dogs for a simple cook-ahead party meal with variety!
Make ahead
To make chili ahead of time cool chili, cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Or freeze chili in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or microwave to reheat and serve.
Or turn leftovers into chili cheese nuggets! Simply cool chili overnight until completely cooled and thick. Then mix equal parts shredded cheddar cheese with cold chili and form into small meatball like balls. Toss chili cheese balls into egg wash, then coat in flour and fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes for each chili cheese nugget. Serve hot and enjoy!
Ingredients
chili
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil (vegetable, canola or olive oil)
- 2 large onions , chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper , stemmed, seeded and chopped
- 6 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ cup chili powder
- 1 tblsp cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 cans red kidney beans 15.5 ounce
- 2 cans diced tomatoes 15.5 ounce
- 1 can tomato sauce 28 ounce
Instructions
chili
- Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil until shimmering.
- Add the onions and bell pepper and cook until they begin to soften (about 2 minutes).
- Add the chili powder, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to coat and cook until the vegetables are softened (about 5 minutes).
- Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 15 seconds).
- Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon of salt and beans (undrained).
- Increase heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.
- Add the ground beef and stir to mix.
- Return to simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue to simmer an additional 45 minutes uncovered.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately with your choice of toppings (diced green onion, red onion, cilantro, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese, crumbled queso fresco, and sour cream are great options). Or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze in freezer bags laid flat up to 1 month. Reheat on the stove top over low heat.
Notes
Nutrition
Sara Katanik
How do I pin this?! ?
Tristin Rieken
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