4 Easy Homemade Chili Recipes to Make For Sweater Weather

The Basic Pantry Staples of Homemade Chili

You might find two chili recipes with the exact same ingredients but they still might come out different. How’s that? Ahahaha

Well, the execution might differ. For example, if it was slow cooked or pressure cooked. Some things could be frozen vs fresh. And maybe the beans aren’t spiced with the same peppers (or quantity) or maybe they enter this party dried & cook their way through instead of being canned.

However your chili gets its start, here’s the gist of any really good, easy homemade chili.

• Meat: Most recipes starts with meat & the popular choices are ground beef or ground turkey. But when eating out the pantry, you might even use ground venison, chicken or pork. I’ve even seared some beef stew cubes & pork shoulder roasts for more flavor, texture & substance. Mexican chorizo would be great too & complement the natural smokiness of chili so well. But meat is optional.
• Onion: There’s not a recipe in my repertoire that doesn’t start with cooking up a chopped onion in butter or bacon fat to go along with the meat. Adds tons of flavor & when I haven’t got time or patience for fresh onions, I pull down a jar of my home canned caramelized onions instead. Soooooo good.
• Canned goods: A can of tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes or tomato-chili starter or chili beans will get you going. The starter is one of my most-used pantry staples for consistent at-home eating, lemme tell ya. Adding a can or two of kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans or tomatoes with diced chiles is always a great idea too. Sometimes I even add canned corn if I have it.
• Spices: This is where your homemade chili will really come to life. Chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt & pep are the basics so be sure to start there. From there, the world is your oyster! (Chiles too & there’s a buncha ways to spice up some chili listed later on.)

Need a vegetarian or vegan chili option?

Because most of the flavor in every great bowl of chili comes from the vegetables, the seasonings, chiles or toppings, you can easily swap out the meat without altering the pot too much. To make a vegetarian (or vegan) homemade chili, add an extra can or two of beans or cooked lentils. You could also try crumbled tempeh or your favorite meatless alternative too.

What’s the secret ingredient in homemade fall chili?

Cinnamon (either ground or a couple sticks) & cocoa powder (a couple hefty tablespoons) are my “secret” ingredients. They give it a smokey, fireplace-earthy vibe I just can’t resist. Probably because they’re the precursors of all my favorite desserts!

Cumin (a good bit) – because I put it in almost everything.

Sweet potatoes. Even if I’m not making a sweet potato chili (like the one below) there’s one or two in the dish. The way they melt down gives the chili a rich & subtly sweet, saucy flavor & texture.

And if you’ve got it – which I know you do, c’mon – Worcestershire sauce subs in for liquid smoke just fine.

Let’s talk about the spice level of chili

Some like it hot. Some, not.

Thankfully, there’s a way to please everyone at your family table whether you all rep the same flag or not.

A Quick Word on Chili Powder vs Chile powder

Most fall chili recipes have a lil ingredient called “chili powder” & it isn’t exclusively for homemade crock-pot chili recipes.

Chili powder is actually a spice blend made from ground dried chilis & other spices or herbs like salt, cumin, oregano, etc.

Chile powder, on the other hand, is ground dried peppers (usually just one variety) with no other spices or herbs. It’s also incredibly easy to make yourself! Pulverize some dried chiles in a coffee grinder or mini food processor. Stop part way & you’ll have chili flakes (like red chili flakes). Sift & repeat to get a finer grind.

Depending on the blend of peppers in your chili powder though, the spice level can vary. So I recommend tasting what you’ve got to get a feel of the heat.

And if that doesn’t sound like a good idea, remember you can always add more. So when on the fence, add less now & more later.

Increase the spice by adding diced peppers. Heat is in the membrane of the pepper – the connective strand that holds the seeds. And yes, the seeds too. I found a decent graphic online lining up peppers based on their Scoville heat ratings.

NOTE ON OTHER PEPPERS: Ancho & pasilla chiles are close to jalapeños. Serrano & chile de arbol are close to cayenne.

Bell peppers won’t add heat, but they’re a nice addition for a pinch of sweetness if you use red & certainly a pop of color if you throw in yellow or orange.

You could also adjust the heat in a batch of homemade chili by adding some chipotle peppers (which is simply dried jalapeño peppers). Or a small jar of chipotles in adobo sauce. The adobo sauce will give it all a nice smokey tone too.

For more spice variants try: a few dashes of hot sauce, a couple pinches of cayenne, a squirt or two of sriracha or a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes. Add one (or some) of these to a bowl for those who like spicier.

Talk About Toppings!

Your chili might be good on it’s own. But it’ll be great with these:

• shredded cheese (Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, sharp cheddar or smoked Gouda)
• sour cream, Greek yogurt or blended cottage cheese (especially great for extra protein!)
• squeeze of lime
• tortilla chips or crisps (buttery crackers or plain saltines work too)
• creamy avocado wedges
• Sliced jalapeños
• Finely diced white or green onions
• Fresh diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
• Crispy bacon bits
• Chopped cilantro

Besides ya spoon, the star accessory for this dish is a thick hunk of homemade cornbread. 😍 Skip the jiffy though, girl. Try this browned butter honey cornbread recipe. It’s the bees-knees fa sho!

Why Do We love Chili So Much?

A big bowl of homemade chili is a comfort to sink into in the cooler months of fall & winter.

It’s cozy.
Soothing.
Satisfying.

All things we intuitively seek out as seasons change & rhythms slow down. And as I settle into motherhood & homeownership, I find myself looking for seasonal meals that are exciting for my family & easy on the joy of cooking.

Homemade chili is a one-pot sorta dish that’s unbelievably easy to make. Put a fat check next to that when I’m low on motivation during the week, hello. ✅

Plus, it comes together in such a hands-off way. No babysitting when I use the crock-pot! (Another check ✅) Literally empty some cans into your favorite vessel & let everything take care of itself.

Eats good & freezes better, making homemade chili the perfect staple meal to keep in the freezer for future busy nights.

Did I mention an easy homemade chili can usually be made in a meatless variety? But being meatless doesn’t mean it won’t fill you up!

Every chili I’ve ever had either has an assortment of beans or meat or both. Coming in around 20g of protein per serving (depending on all your ingredients & toppings, ofc) it’s a meal that fills bellies longer than others.

Truly one of my go-to’s from September to March. (And sometimes even in the summer too!)

The Do’s & Don’ts of Making Homemade chILI

Making a decent chili is simple.

As simple as making a PBJ actually.

The full, step-by-step recipes are below — but this is a brief look of how to make homemade chili:

1. Cook the meat and onion first for deeper flavor.
2. Similarly, toast your spices in a bit of oil.
3. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a boil on the stove or set your instrument per the recipe instructions.

Fall chili is a very simple dish that builds in flavor. So the more flavor you can get out of your individual ingredients, the more you’ll get from your overall pot.

Chili also develops better flavors over time so leave it to simmer all day. (Or be cooked in an Instant Pot – under pressure – if you haven’t got the time.)

The best tip I can give you though is to at least double or triple your chili so you have some to freeze for later. It always tastes better on Day 2, girl.

But here’s what not to do when making chili

Only a few cardinal rules & if you followed #1 & #2 up above, then their opposites are automatically what you just. don’t. do.

1. Not browning your meat & onion first is a missed opportunity. Especially if you add other cuts besides ground.
2. Not toasting your spices isn’t advisable, but…I’ll cut you some slack if you don’t. (You really should though.)
3. Using water instead of broth. Another missed opportunity not only for flavor though – for nutrition too!
4. Skipping the chili powder – I’m all about using what’s in your pantry & making substitutions but this is the essence of chili. And if not the chili (or chile) powder, at least use a good can of chili- or bean-starter.
5. Not letting it simmer or cook long enough. Chili is a slow-made meal. Don’t rush it!

Alright, let’s eat. 😎✌🏽

4 Easy & DELICIOUS Fall Homemade CHILI rECIPES

Here’s a couple classic chili recipes to make so you can gather your family around the dinner table this season.

How Long Will Homemade Chili Last in the Fridge & Freezer?

Glad to see you’re thinking this way, girl.

All the homemade chilis I’ve ever made only last a couple days in the fridge before they’re gone. But I have had the occasional chili last up to a week in the fridge.

If there’s leftover chili still hanging out by the end of a week (although usually before), I like to pop it into my Souper Cube silicone freezer trays. It will pre-freeze overnight before it gets vacuum-sealed for the best freshness & flavor.

Don’t risk your good pot of smokey, warming chili to the coldest grips of freezer burn, girl!

In the freezer, tomato-based chilis last up to a year in air-tight containers like vacuum seal bags. But the best time to get at those is within the for 3-6 months.