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Our Easy Chili Recipe is the fastest way to get hearty chili on the dinner table – made with beef, beans and tomatoes in a rich tomato sauce.
Featured with this Recipe
Mom’s Cheater Chili Recipe
This chili recipe is a family-loved favorite from as far back as I can remember! It’s my dad’s very favorite meal on cool autumn evenings. My mom made it at least once a week during the fall and winter and always on Halloween night. The best thing about this recipe is its simplicity. No soaking or boiling beans, no long, all-day process. This chili comes together quickly, using a couple of “cheater” ingredients that we always have on hand. It tastes like it’s been simmering all day, but cooks up in no time over the stove-top! Delicious on its own with a side of corn bread, or served over Navajo Tacos or chili cheese fries, this is one chili recipe you’ll hang onto for years to come!
Make it a Crock Pot Chili Recipe
There’s something so cozy about a pot of soup simmering on the stove during colder months, and this homemade chili recipe is no exception! If you have a bit more time you can throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. The spices and smells permeate the kitchen and warm up even the chilliest of days. But if you’re pressed for time, brown up your hamburger, then add the rest of the ingredients to a pot on the stove and then simmer on low until you’re ready to serve. Best chili recipe ever.
Ingredients in Easy Chili
- ground beef
- onion – diced
- canned chili (any brand works)
- chili beans do not drain
- diced tomatoes – do not drain
- tomato juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Garnishes:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- diced onions
- sour cream
Optional Ingredients
Change up the flavor. Make it your own by subbing out or adding ingredients to your own taste!
- kidney beans
- minced garlic
- green peppers
- red bell pepper
- chili powder
- paprika
- cumin
- cayenne pepper
- crush some saltine crackers or tortilla chips over the top
“Cheater” Ingredients for a Quick, Easy Chili
This ground beef chili recipe cooks up quickly thanks to a can of chili beans (any kind will work great) and a can of pre-made chili (our cheating secret ingredient). You’ll save lots of time by not soaking and cooking chili beans, and I promise you can’t taste the difference! Using a can of chili makes the soup nice and thick, with spices already added. Brown up a pound of ground sirloin or even ground turkey, add a can of tomatoes, and you’ll have a hearty bowl of chili in no time.
What to Serve with Chili
In our family, we like to top a big bowl of chili with diced onions, cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Serve it with a side of our Easy Cake Mix Cornbread. Or spoon it on top of Chili Dogs, Cheese Fries, Nachos, Baked Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, or Navajo Tacos. You can even pour some over our homemade Macaroni and Cheese to made a Chili Mac. You will love how versatile and simple this recipe is!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you are making chili from scratch, we prefer beef broth.
Typical spices used in chili include chili powder, garlic, paprika, and cumin.
Read Next: Easy Crockpot Soup Recipes
More Chili Recipes
There are so many variations to a good bowl of chili, you can stay cozy and nourished all winter long! Try a few of our very favorites:
- Crock Pot Chicken Chili
- Texas Chili
- Cafe Zupas Chicken Enchilada Chili
- Creamy Italian Sausage Chili
- Mexican Chili in a Tostada Bowl
How to Make Mom’s Cheater Chili
Mom’s “Cheater” Chili Recipe
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 onion diced
- 15 ounces chili (any brand works)
- 15 ounces chili beans do not drain
- 1 can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- salt & pepper to taste
GARNISHES:
- shredded cheddar cheese
- diced onions
- sour cream
Instructions
- In a large pot, add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook on medium heat until beef is browned and onion is soft and translucent. Drain excess fat.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until everything is heated through.
- Top with cheese, onions, sour cream, and any other garnishes you like.
Notes
- To make this in a CrockPot or slow cooker, simply brown the beef and add all the ingredients to the CrockPot and cover. Cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Spoon some chili over other recipes to make a whole new meal! Some ideas are:
- Chili Dogs
- Cheese Fries
- Nachos
- Baked Potatoes
- Navajo Tacos
- Pour some over our homemade Macaroni and Cheese to made a Chili Mac
I really like how easy and quick this delicious chili is to make. I used lean ground chicken instead of beef to reduce the fat so didn’t need to drain it off, one less step. I topped it with shredded cheese only but will use some of the other suggestions too. It makes a lot for a household of one so I have leftovers for later. Thanks for this great recipe!
I’m just questioning the 15 ounces chili, is that chili powder? Fresh chili, 15 oz seems like an awful lot?
It is a 15 ounce can of chili, like Hormel Chili. Not chiles or chili powder.
In the recipe you call for 15 ounces chili any brand. Are you referring to chili peppers?
No, just chili – like the soup with beans.
1 can diced tomatoes? What size can?
15 ounces!
So easy and delicious! Perfect for watching football!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing chili recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
This is so perfect!! Everyone at my house loved this! So yummy!