A bowl of hot homemade chili is perfect comfort food for the fall and winter months. My recipe gives you a starter to which you can add your favorite spices, maybe some hot peppers, or you can eat it as is. It’s delicious and easy to make and even uses homemade chili seasoning mix.

Homemade Chili

Years and years ago I stopped buying those chili seasoning packets from the store. I found a seasoning mix recipe in an old master mix cookbook I checked out from the library. It’s so old I can’t even find it on Amazon!

I love this chili as is, but you can spice it up if you like as it’s super easy to adapt. I have to keep mine at a fairly even temperature over the years because the kids prefer less spice. Tasty additions include green peppers or fresh Jalapenos.

This recipe serves 3-5 people, depending on bowl size. It’s perfect for a family and a great budget friendly dinner. I usually double it, then I can have leftovers if it isn’t all gobbled up.

Ingredients you will need for homemade chili:

The seasoning mix includes flour for thickening and salt for flavor enhancement.
Dried minced onion and dried minced garlic are used because this is a homemade chili seasoning mix that can be kept in your pantry.
Chili powder and crushed red pepper add flavor and a little heat as well as color.
Granulated white sugar helps with the acidic tomatoes you will be adding.
Ground cumin is a great flavor addition.
Fairly lean ground beef is best, 85-90% is what I use. I find that to be the perfect ratio.
Canned dark red kidney beans are what I use, but regular red kidneys are great too.
You also need canned tomatoes, I use fire roasted diced because I love the flavor.

Helpful kitchen tools:

Skillet
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon
Chili/soup bowls

How to make homemade chili

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet and drain off any fat.

Combine all of the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and mix them together.

Add the seasoning mix, water, beans and tomatoes to the drained beef. At this point you can add in anything else that you want to personalize the recipe.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Can I make this chili in the crockpot?

Several people have asked how to make my chili in their slow cooker. It’s almost completely the same as the stovetop instructions!

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet and drain off any fat.
Combine all of the seasoning ingredients in a bowl and mix them together.
Add the browned meat to the slow cooker and sprinkle with the seasoning mix.
Add the water, kidney beans and canned tomatoes and give it a stir.
Cover the crockpot and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours, or on high for 2 to 3 hours. Stir it occasionally. My iStir crockpot has a built in stirring function so I don’t have to open the lid, it stirs for me!

Topping ideas for homemade chili

Shredded cheddar cheese, we like Sharp Cheddar
Sliced green onions or fresh jalapenos for a bite
Fresh red, yellow or green bell peppers, chopped small
Tortilla chips are great, my son also loved Fritos corn chips on his
Crispy bacon makes a delicious crumbed topping
While fresh parsley is pretty, fresh cilantro adds a great flavor element

What to serve with chili

Serve this homemade chili with this delicious sweet cornbread.
Add some elbow macaroni and you have my son’s favorite chili mac.
If you’re feeling a little ambitious, make my gooey garlic cheese rolls!

overhead view of homemade chili in a white bowl

When and how to serve chili

Football parties are a great time for a bowl or cup of chili! Add a pot to your appetizer table. Great for tailgating too!
Chili is an easy weeknight dinner, especially in the colder months.
Homemade chili is the perfect topping for tasty chili dogs.
Chili is great on nachos! Have a party and create a nacho bar and watch guests pile it on.
Make a great big loaded baked potato topped with chili and cheese!

Be sure to try my 3 Bean Chili as well!