My Stove Top Chili is a hearty, flavor-packed classic made with tender ground beef, beans and a rich, spiced tomato base. Simmered to perfection on the stovetop, this comforting dish is easy to make and perfect for cozy nights, meal-prepping or game day gatherings. Serve it with your favorite toppings for a warm and satisfying meal.
While fall is the perfect time of year to break out a large pot and get my stove top chili cooking away, it is a simple and versatile dish to enjoy year-round. Grab some easy frozen French fries to make chili cheese fries or hot dogs for chili dogs to help the recipe stretch a little further.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love Chili on the Stove Top
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Our Stove Top Chili Recipe
- More Main Dish Recipes You Will Love
- How to Store this Easy Stove Top Chili
- What to Serve with this Stove Top Chili Recipe
- Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions about our Easy Stove Top Chili
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Stove Top Chili Recipe
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Why You Will Love Chili on the Stove Top
- Hearty: Comforting on a chilly day, homemade chili is a fibre and protein-packed weeknight meal.
- Simple and Flavorful: With a mix of chili powder, ground cumin and garlic cloves, every spoonful packs so much flavor.
- Perfect for Busy Weeknights: This easy chili recipe comes together in under an hour and simmers on the stove top; no pressure cooker or instant pot needed.
- Great for Leftovers: It might taste even better the next day, and leftover chili is perfect for stuffing baked potatoes, topping nachos or freezing for later.
- Customizable Spice Level: Add the red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper or add a dash of hot sauce to make it as mild or spicy as you like.
Ingredients
This homemade chili recipe uses simple ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Seasonings: Our mix of seasonings adds extra flavor and depth.
- Lean Ground Beef: This is the key ingredient in most chilis, but you have a lot of flexibility here!
- Red Kidney Beans: Another staple ingredient in a chili and the possibilities are endless.
- Canned Diced Tomatoes: These will help speed up the cook time, whereas fresh would need to cook down longer, but they also balance the flavors.
- Strained Tomatoes: Used to add some additional liquid without thinning the chili too much.
For this easy stovetop chili recipe, you'll want to have a large pot with a lid, measuring cups and spoons and a spatula.
Substitutions and Variations
The best part about this recipe is that the possibilities are endless when it comes to mixing it up, here are a few helpful hints to get your wheels turning.
- Sausage: Ground beef and sausage chili is another great way to mix it up; and if you like spice, try a spicy Italian sausage.
- Turkey Chili: Use ground turkey in place of lean ground beef to make a pot of chili that's a little bit on the lighter side.
- Sweet Potato: Cube up some sweet potatoes or yams for a heartier meal and make yourself a sweet potato and ground beef chili.
- Peppers: To add an extra boost of diced veggies, choose your favorite: red, yellow, orange or green bell pepper.
How to Make Our Stove Top Chili Recipe
Check out how quick and easy it was to make the best stovetop chili recipe in just a few simple steps.
Over medium heat add olive oil to a large pot once warmed.
When the oil is heated, add onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Then toss in garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add chili powder, sea salt, ground cumin, ground paprika and dried oregano. Cook for 1 minute then add in tomato paste and deglaze pulling up any brown bits.
Add ground beef to the pot and cook until no longer pink.
Pour in kidney beans and diced and strained tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low, keeping it simmering and cook with the lid on for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure it does not stick.
Hint: Don’t rush the first steps, this builds flavor and creates browned bits that deepen the flavor.
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How to Store this Easy Stove Top Chili
We love meal-prepping this easy delicious chili any time of year. Here are some great ways to help you store it.
- Refrigerator: Once your chili has fully cooled, place in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: I recommend using an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove or slowly in the microwave. You can add beef broth, chicken broth or strained tomatoes and water to thin it out as you warm it up.
What to Serve with this Stove Top Chili Recipe
This chili recipe is so hearty and can easily be enjoyed on its own, but if you are looking for some inspiration, we have you covered.
- Sides: Baked white cheddar mac and cheese, slow cooker mac and cheese Velveeta, cornbread without buttermilk, creamy coleslaw, Idahoan mashed potatoes.
- Recipes for a Crowd: Instant Pot carnitas, pork and beef chili or slow cooker Mexican shredded chicken.
Top Tips
Keep these tips in mind for a foolproof, flavorful result.
- Add Spices First: Sautéing chili powder, ground cumin and other spices briefly enhances their flavor and makes a great recipe even better.
- Deglaze with Tomato Paste: Stirring in tomato paste before the remaining ingredients helps add body and enhances the chili’s richness.
- Simmer Low and Slow: A low simmer gives the flavors time to develop, but if you're short on extra time, it's still a quick chili recipe for weeknights.
Frequently Asked Questions about our Easy Stove Top Chili
Wondering how to make the most of this stovetop chili? These are some of the top questions readers ask when cooking it at home.
Let it simmer uncovered on low heat so excess liquid evaporates, stirring now and then to prevent sticking. Keep cooking until the chili reaches your preferred thickness.
Traditional favorites like diced onions (red, white, or green), shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado add the perfect balance of crunch, creaminess, and richness. A squeeze of lime juice brightens the flavors.
For a party spread, set out bowls of tortilla chips, pickled jalapeños, hot sauce, and fresh cilantro so guests can load up their bowls. These fun extras make chili feel festive and customizable.
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Stove Top Chili Recipe
Equipment
- Large Pot with Lid
- Spatula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ tablespoon ground chili powder
- ½ tablespoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 pounds ground beef lean
- 2 15- ounce cans red kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 1 28- ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup strained tomatoes
Instructions
- Over medium heat add olive oil to a large pot once warmed.
- When the oil is heated, add onions and cook for about 5 minutes. Then toss in garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Add chili powder, sea salt, ground cumin, ground paprika and dried oregano. Cook for 1 minute then add in tomato paste and deglaze pulling up any brown bits.
- Add ground beef to the pot and cook until no longer pink.
- Pour in kidney beans and diced and strained tomatoes and bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, keeping it simmering and cook with the lid on for 20-25 minutes, stirring once or twice to ensure it does not stick.
Notes
- Don’t rush the first steps, this builds flavor and creates browned bits that deepen the flavor.
- Sautéing chili powder, ground cumin and other spices briefly enhances their flavor and makes a great recipe even better.
- Stirring in tomato paste before the remaining ingredients helps add body and enhances the chili’s richness.
- A low simmer gives the flavors time to develop, but if you're short on extra time, it's still a quick chili recipe for weeknights.
- Add any of your favorite toppings, like cheddar cheese, sour cream, white or green onions or a side of tortilla chips.
Nutrition
We would be so grateful for you to leave us a rating and review on any recipes you try. If you make any alterations, let us know how they turned out.
Peggy says
This chili recipe is fantastic! It is so easy to prepare and bursting with flavor. My family thoroughly enjoyed this recipe.
Eva Filer says
Oh Peggy! Thank you so much for the review. I am so happy to hear the whole family enjoyed it.
Eva Filer says
This is such a perfect recipe for cool nights. We love making it weekly, and keeping in the fridge or freezer to have when there is that chill in the air.
Jen says
I've been searching for a quick and easy yet hearty chili recipe that I can quickly whip up for the family and this hit the spot perfectly! Extra tasty with the sour cream and cheese on top too! My new go to!
Eva Filer says
Thank you so much for letting us know you and the family loved this!
Ryan says
Great recipe very delicious. This will be my new go to chilli. Thank you !
Eva Filer says
You're welcome. Thanks for the feedback, we are glad to hear you enjoyed it.