Classic Beef Chili
A thick, hearty ground beef and kidney bean chili with bloomed spices and a long simmer, piled high with cheddar, sour cream and green onions.
By Marisol Vance, Founder & Head of Recipe Development
Published June 16, 2025
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 45 min
- Total
- 2 hrs 5 min
- Servings
- 8
- Level
- Easy
Good chili should be thick enough to stand a spoon in and deep enough in flavor that you keep going back to the pot for one more taste. This one gets there with a few simple moves.
First, we brown the beef in big chunks before breaking it up, so it gets real color instead of steaming. Then the chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika toast in the fat for two minutes, which makes them taste richer and rounder. An hour and a half of gentle simmering does the rest, and a spoonful of masa harina gives the finished chili a silky, tortilla-scented body.
Set out a big bowl of shredded sharp cheddar. It is not optional.
- Bloomed spices, deep flavor
- Better the next day
- Big-batch freezer friendly
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef in large chunks and cook without stirring until browned on the bottom, about 4 minutes.
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