Homemade Chili made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
A Slow-Simmered Chili for Cozy Evenings
A hands-off, deeply flavored chili that starts with browned beef and a quick skillet boost, then simmers into a dependable weeknight hero.
Think of this chili as the culinary equivalent of putting on your favorite sweater: familiar, warm, and built to last. Browning the ground beef first gives the pot a foundation of caramelized flavor, while the mix of crushed tomatoes and two kinds of beans keeps the texture chunky and satisfying. It’s the kind of bowl you reach for when you want something honest and comforting after a long day.
Small steps up front make a big difference. Sweat onion and green pepper with the browned beef, stir in garlic and tomato paste so it ‘blooms’—that concentrated tomato flavor is a secret weapon—then deglaze with beef broth and Worcestershire to lift every browned bit into the sauce. A touch of brown sugar balances the acidity and rounds the seasoning; the result is savory with a hint of sweet and a proper depth that slow cooking will amplify.
The recipe is built for hands-off cooking: about 20 minutes of prep then settle it into a slow cooker for roughly seven hours so the flavors marry and the beans soften without fuss. If you prefer a thicker chili, mash a cup of the beans against the side of the pot toward the end of cooking. Drain excess fat after browning if you want a leaner finish, and always taste for salt near the end—long simmering concentrates flavors.
This chili feeds about six and loves leftovers: it refrigerates and freezes beautifully, and often tastes even better the next day. Serve with cornbread, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, or a dollop of sour cream for contrast. It’s an easy make-ahead for busy weeknights, casual get-togethers, or any evening that calls for a reliably comforting bowl.
Ingredients
How to Make Homemade Chili
- Prep the vegetables: peel and finely chop the onion, core and dice the bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef; break it up and cook until just browned (about 6–8 minutes). Drain excess fat if desired.
- Add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the beef and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to bloom the flavors.
- Stir in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, then transfer the beef-vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add crushed tomatoes, drained kidney beans, drained black beans, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf to the slow cooker and stir until evenly combined.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours (or High for 3–4 hours) until flavors are melded and beans are tender; stir once or twice during cooking if convenient.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end of cooking, removing the bay leaf; for a thicker chili simmer uncovered on High in the slow cooker for 20–30 minutes or stir in a 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water slurry and cook 10–15 minutes more.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot; optional toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onion, or cilantro.
Recipe Card
Homemade Chili
Homemade Chili made as a cozy, dependable bowl with balanced seasoning and practical prep.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 7 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: peel and finely chop the onion, core and dice the bell pepper, and mince the garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef; break it up and cook until just browned (about 6–8 minutes). Drain excess fat if desired.
- Add the chopped onion and bell pepper to the skillet with the beef and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to bloom the flavors.
- Stir in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits, then transfer the beef-vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.
- Add crushed tomatoes, drained kidney beans, drained black beans, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf to the slow cooker and stir until evenly combined.
- Cover and cook on Low for 6–8 hours (or High for 3–4 hours) until flavors are melded and beans are tender; stir once or twice during cooking if convenient.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end of cooking, removing the bay leaf; for a thicker chili simmer uncovered on High in the slow cooker for 20–30 minutes or stir in a 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp cold water slurry and cook 10–15 minutes more.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot; optional toppings include shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped green onion, or cilantro.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 29
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Sodium
- 1000
- Fiber
- 9
- Unsaturated Fat
- 9
- Protein
- 42
- Fat
- 12
- Cholesterol
- 80
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 390
- Sugar
- 5