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    Home » Recipes

    One-Pot Chili

    Published: Oct 9, 2022 · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This one-pot chili is easy, fast, delicious, and great for enjoying on a cold day when you can't be bothered to make anything more complicated. It's made almost entirely with pantry ingredients, and you can leave out the beef if you want a vegetarian version.

    This is a picture of chili in a bowl topped with sour cream and cheese.

    This one-pot chili is the kind of thing you can enjoy in a bowl by itself, slathered on a hot dog, or over some rice or noodles. If you're like me, you'll pile it on top of a cracker with some sour cream, cheese, hot sauce, and pickled jalapeños.

    If you're looking for other soup recipes to warm your soul and body, try our One-Pot Pantry Rice and Tomato Soup or One-Pot Cheeseburger Soup with Rice.

    Jump to:
    • Key Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Topping Ideas
    • Frequently asked questions
    • One-Pot Chili Recipe

    Key Ingredients

    • Yellow, white, or sweet onion
    • Garlic
    • Canned diced tomatoes
    • Canned dark red kidney beans
    • Tomato sauce
    • Lean ground beef
    • Typical fridge and pantry ingredients and spices:
      • Oil
      • Honey
      • Vinegar. I used apple cider vinegar, but regular white vinegar would work too.
      • Chili powder
      • Paprika
      • Ground cayenne
      • Garlic powder
      • Onion powder
      • Dried oregano
      • Cumin
      • Crushed red pepper
      • Black pepper
      • Salt

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Instructions

    Step 1: Combine the chili seasoning ingredients in a bowl. If you're in a pinch and want to use pre-made chili seasoning, we like Williams Chili Seasoning.

    Spices combined in a bowl.

    Step 2: Add oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook them until they're fragrant and softening, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then add ground beef and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until it's cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

    Onions cooking in a dutch oven.
    Ground beef and onions cooking in a dutch oven.
    Cooked ground beef and onions in a dutch oven.

    Step 3: Once the beef is cooked, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes, beans, chili seasoning, tomato sauce, and water. Bring the chili to a boil, then let simmer for about 20 minutes.

    Chili in a dutch oven.

    Step 4: After the chili has simmered, add vinegar and honey and stir. Taste the chili, add more salt if necessary, then serve!

    This is a scoop of chili in a ladle.

    Topping Ideas

    • Sour cream or greek yogurt
    • Shredded cheddar, colby jack, or pepper jack
    • Pickled jalapeños
    • Crackers, tortilla chips, Doritos, or Fritos
    • Diced onions or green onions
    • Avocado
    • Limes
    • Hot sauce
    • Cilantro
    Chili in a bowl with toppings.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can I use store-bought chili seasoning?

    Absolutely! Our favorite is Williams Chili Seasoning, which I've had luck finding at Walmart. Your favorite store-bought chili seasoning will work too! Usually the seasoning packet tells you how much to add based on the amount of meat you're using. Usually 1 ounce seasons 2 pounds of meat.

    Can I make the chili seasoning ahead of time?

    Yes! Combine the spices and store in an air-tight container or baggie until you're ready to use them.

    Can I freeze this chili?

    Yes! Place it in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge over night and reheat in a saucepan.

    One-Pot Chili Recipe

    One-Pot Chili Recipe

    Recipe by Mollie

    This one-pot chili is easy, fast, delicious, and great for enjoying on a cold day when you can't be bothered to make anything more complicated. It's made almost entirely with pantry ingredients, and you can leave out the beef if you want a vegetarian version.

    Course: Dinner, LunchCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy
    5 from 1 vote
    Pin
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    Servings

    6

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    25

    minutes
    Calories

    360

    kcal
    Total time

    30

    minutes
    Cook Mode

    Prevent your screen from going dark!

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon 1 oil (we use avocado oil)

    • 1 1 sweet or white onion, diced

    • 1 pound 1 lean ground beef

    • 3 cloves 3 garlic, minced

    • 2 14.5 ounce cans 2 diced tomatoes, undrained

    • 2 15.5 ounce cans 2 dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

    • 1 15 ounce can 1 tomato sauce

    • 3 cups 3 water

    • 1 teaspoon 1 apple cider vinegar or white vinegar

    • 1 teaspoon 1 honey

    • For the chili seasoning:
    • 2.5 teaspoons 2.5 chili powder

    • ¾ teaspoon ¾ paprika

    • ½ teaspoon ½ ground cayenne

    • ¾ teaspoon ¾ garlic powder

    • ¾ teaspoon ¾ onion powder

    • ½ teaspoon ½ dried oregano

    • 2 teaspoons 2 cumin

    • ½ teaspoon ½ crushed red pepper

    • ½ teaspoon ½ black pepper

    • 1.25 teaspoons 1.25 salt

    Directions

    • Combine the chili seasoning ingredients in a bowl.
    • Add oil to a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and cook until they're fragrant and softening, about 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Add ground beef and cook for 6 to 7 minutes or until it's cooked through, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.
    • Once the beef is cooked, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add tomatoes, beans, chili seasoning, tomato sauce, and water. Bring the chili to a boil, allow it to simmer for about 20 minutes, then add vinegar and honey and stir.
    • Taste the chili, add more salt if necessary, then serve!

    Notes

    Did you make this recipe?

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    hi, we're Michael and Mollie

    Welcome! We are Michael & Mollie, a hangry economics enthusiast and her husband. Our goal is to provide you with delicious, accessible, and healthy-ish recipes that are both time- and money-efficient.

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