Ground Meats
$1.63per plate
Prep
10 min
Ground Meats · Chili
Easy Ground Beef Chili
Few dinners stretch a pound of beef as far as a pot of chili. Browned meat, two cans of beans, and tomatoes simmer into a thick, spiced bowl that feeds six and tastes like it took all day. Beans do the heavy lifting, bulking the pot cheaply and adding fiber, while a simple homemade spice blend beats any packet. Best of all, chili is one of those rare dinners that is even better reheated, so a single pot covers tonight and lunches, or goes straight into the freezer for later.
$1.33per plate
Estimated recipe total
$7.96 · serves 6
Cook
35 min
Total
45 min
Serves
6
1 How to make it
1
Brown the beef and onion
Cook the ground beef with the onion until browned, breaking it up, then drain the fat. Draining keeps the chili from turning greasy as it simmers.
2
Toast the spices
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and garlic and cook for a minute in the hot pan. Toasting the spices in the fat blooms them and deepens the whole pot's flavor.
3
Add everything else
Tip in the beans, diced tomatoes, and tomato sauce, plus a splash of water if it looks thick. Bring to a simmer.
4
Simmer to thicken
Simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens and the flavors meld. The longer it goes, the better it gets, so give it time if you have it.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Ground turkey or a bean-only pot. Turkey makes a leaner chili; leaving out the meat entirely and adding a third can of beans makes it vegetarian and even cheaper.
- Any canned beans. Kidney, black, pinto, or a mix all work. Use whatever is cheapest or already in the cupboard.
- Fresh chilies or hot sauce. A diced jalapeno with the onion, or a few dashes of hot sauce at the end, dials the heat up for pennies.
- Make it in the slow cooker. Brown the beef first, then add everything to a crock pot and cook on low for 6 hours for a hands-off pot.
3 Budget tips
- Beans stretch a single pound of beef into six hearty bowls, which is what makes chili such a cheap crowd-feeder.
- A homemade blend of chili powder, cumin, and garlic costs a fraction of a seasoning packet and lets you skip the extra salt.
- Chili freezes and reheats beautifully, so one pot can cover several meals with no extra work.
- Drop the meat and add another can of beans for a vegetarian pot that costs even less.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Chili keeps for 5 days in the fridge, and the flavor deepens noticeably by day two as the spices settle in.
Freezer
It is one of the best freezer meals going: portion it into containers and freeze for up to 3 months, then reheat from frozen.
Reheating
Warm it on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water if it has thickened. A slow reheat brings the flavors right back.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
320
Protein
22g
Fat
13g
Carbs
30g
Per-serving figures are estimated from standard ingredient data and are not medical or dietary advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I make chili thicker?
Simmer it uncovered so the liquid reduces, and mash some of the beans against the side of the pot to release their starch. A spoonful of tomato paste stirred in also thickens it without watering down the flavor.
Why does chili taste better the next day?
Time lets the spices bloom and the flavors marry, and the starch from the beans continues to thicken the pot. A batch made a day ahead, or just held overnight, almost always tastes richer.
Can I make chili without meat?
Easily. Leave out the beef, add a third can of beans, and lean on the toasted spices. It is hearty, high in fiber, and even cheaper per bowl.
How is the cost per bowl figured?
The estimated $7.96 total split across 6 bowls comes to about $1.33 each, before any toppings. What you pay for beef moves it the most.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 7-quart slow cooker. A large slow cooker batch-cooks cheap cuts, beans, and soups hands-off, so leftovers stretch across the week. Best for pot roast, chili, bean soups, and set-it-and-forget-it dinners.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
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